Information

COP 11 Decision XI/21

XI/21.Biodiversity and climate change: integrating biodiversity considerations into climate-change related activities

The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling, in particular, decisions VIII/30, IX/16, annex II, and X/33,
1.Takes note with appreciation of recommendation XVI/8, paragraph 1, of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, on strengthening knowledge and information on the linkages between biodiversity and climate change;
2.Reiterates the importance of activities to integrate biodiversity into relevant climate change activities and to ensure coherence in national implementation of both the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity;
3.Invites Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations, and indigenous and local communities, when carrying out work on biodiversity and climate change, to consider the proposals on overcoming obstacles that are contained in document UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/9;
4.Welcomes the collaboration among the secretariats of the Rio conventions, the Global Environment Facility and other organizations in the convening of the Rio Conventions Pavilion at meetings of the conferences of the parties to the Rio conventions and at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20);
5.Encourages Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to further mobilize resources, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, the strategy for resource mobilization in line with decisions IX/11, X/3 and XI/4, and aware of the Rio Principles, in order to fill biodiversity and ecosystem services data gaps in the context of climate change, and to undertake research studies at spatial scales from local scales to larger landscapes;
6.Encourages Parties and other Governments to:
(a)Take into account the importance of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices related to biodiversity when addressing the impacts of climate change in sectoral plans and strategies, especially when considering vulnerable communities;
(b)Strengthen knowledge and information, including comparable data sets, and related research and monitoring activities on the linkages between biodiversity, climate change and human well-being in educational programmes at all levels;
(c)Promote synergies between biodiversity and climate-change policies and measures;
(d)Recognize the significant role that protected areas, restored ecosystems and other conservation measures can play in climate-change-related activities;
(e)Support the strengthening of inventorying and monitoring of biodiversity and ecosystem services at appropriate scales in order to evaluate the threats and likely impacts of climate change and both positive and negative impacts of climate-change mitigation and adaptation on biodiversity and ecosystem services;
(f)Consider reviewing land-use planning with a view to enhancing ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change, such as the role of mangroves in adapting to changes in sea level;
7.Requests the Executive Secretary, including through the Joint Liaison Group of the three Rio conventions and in line with decision X/33, to:
(a)Identify relevant workshops and activities within the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and countries" national adaptation plans under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and disseminate such information through the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention and by other means with a view to enhancing knowledge-sharing on ecosystem-based approaches; and
(b)Continue discussions on the relevant activities presented in document UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/9 for further consideration and implementation, as appropriate and based on their financial feasibility, and explore options to improve the interoperability of databases managed by the secretariats of the Rio conventions so as to enhance cooperation on ecosystem-based approaches, especially in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change;
8.Also requests the Executive Secretary to promote educational activities on synergies among climate change, biodiversity and desertification, and also their links to livelihoods and development, through the programme of work on communication, education and public awareness linked with Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and public awareness campaigns;
9.Further requests the Executive Secretary, through the clearing-house mechanism and in collaboration with relevant organizations, to build awareness and capacity among organizations and programmes engaging in climate-change modelling and ongoing biodiversity modelling, scenario and data management initiatives, including DIVERSITAS, the Biodiversity Observation Network of the Group on Earth Observations and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, among others.
XI/20 XI/22