Identification, monitoring and assessment
The Conference of the Parties
Reaffirming the central importance of the implementation of Article 7
in ensuring that the objectives of the Convention are met,
Stressing the fundamental role of taxonomy in identifying the
components of biological diversity,
Recognizing the lack of taxonomic capacity in many countries,
Recognizing also the necessity of capacity-building to enable Parties
to carry out identification, monitoring and assessment within the remit of
the Convention,
Noting the review of methodologies for assessment of biological
diversity contained in Annex I of document UNEP/CBD/COP/3/13 and the
discussion of indicators contained in Annex II of that document,
1. Urges Parties to identify indicators of biological diversity and
to develop innovative methods of implementing Article 7 as a high priority,
in particular commending the value of rapid biological diversity assessment
approaches as an efficient and cost-effective way of assessing biological
diversity and identifying priorities for action, and recognizing also the
role of remote sensing as a useful tool for monitoring;
2. Endorses the recommendation II/1 of the Subsidiary Body on
Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice concerning indicators,
monitoring and assessment of biological diversity;
3. Endorses the recommendation II/2 of the Subsidiary Body on
Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice concerning capacity-building
for taxonomy;
4. Recommends that Parties consider a step-by-step approach to the
implementation of Article 7, paying attention to the indicative list of
categories of important components of biological diversity set out in Annex I
of the Convention, beginning with the rapid implementation of Article 7 (a)
and the first part of Article 7 (c), concerning identification of important
components of biological diversity and the processes and categories of
activities which have or are likely to have significant adverse impacts on
biological diversity;
5. Stresses, however, that such an approach should not preclude the
timely implementation of other Articles of the Convention, particularly
Articles 6 and 8, with respect to those components of biological diversity
that have been identified;
6. Calls on Parties to cooperate on a voluntary pilot project to
demonstrate the use of successful assessment and indicator methodologies;
7. Also calls on Parties to prepare, where appropriate, reports on
experiences on the application of assessment methodologies and results from
assessments and to disseminate these reports by appropriate mechanisms such
as the clearing-house mechanism;
8. Recommends to Parties that they explore ways to make taxonomic
information housed in collections world-wide readily available, in particular
to countries of origin;
9. Instructs the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice:
(a) To provide scientific advice and further guidance, through its
thematic work on ecosystems, to the fourth meeting of the Conference of the
Parties, to assist in the national elaboration of Annex I of the Convention,
using as guidance the elaboration of the terms as set out in paragraphs 12-29
of document UNEP/CBD/COP/3/12;
(b) Further to review methodologies for assessment of biological
diversity and make recommendations for their application to the fourth
meeting of the Conference of the Parties;
10. Requests the institutional structure of the interim financial
mechanism of the Convention to provide financial resources to developing
countries in order to address the need for capacity-building, including
taxonomy, to enable them to develop and carry out an initial assessment for
designing, implementing and monitoring programmes in accordance with
Article 7, taking into account the special need of small island States.
