Decision COP XIII/21

B. Programmatic synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions

C. Fifth review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism

11. Adopts the terms of reference for the fifth review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism, including for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization as contained in annex III to the present decision;

12. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources, to ensure the implementation of the fifth review according to the terms of reference;

13. Also requests the Executive Secretary to make sure that the report on the fifth review of the effectiveness of the financial mechanism is available for consideration by the second meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation;

14. Takes note of the report on a full assessment of the amount of funds needed for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols for the seventh replenishment period of the Global Environment Facility and expresses its appreciation to the members of the expert group for the preparation of the assessment;

15. Requests the Executive Secretary to transmit to the Global Environment Facility the report on the assessment of needs for the seventh replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, for consideration by the Global Environment Facility, and invites the Global Environment Facility to indicate, in its regular report to the Conference of Parties, how it has responded during the replenishment cycle to this assessment;

16. Requests the Global Environment Facility to take the Strategic Plan and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets as well as the expert team’s needs assessment report into consideration in the process of the seventh period of replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund but also noting the limitations identified by the expert team;

E. Further guidance

17. Encourages the Global Environment Facility to consider joint financing, in partnership with other international financial instruments, of projects designed to achieve the objectives of more than one Rio convention;

18. Takes note of the projected shortfall of resources from sixth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility due to exchange rate movements, and the decision of the Council of the Global Environment Facility on item 6 of the agenda of the 51st meeting of the Council;

19. Notes the crucial role of the Global Environment Facility in the mobilization of resources at the domestic level and in support of the achievement of Aichi Targets, and requests the Global Environment Facility to continue its efforts to minimize the potential consequences of the projected shortfall referred to in paragraph 18 above for its support to developing countries, aiming to fulfil the relevant programming directions of the sixth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility and with a view to maintaining the level of support to Global Environment Facility recipient countries;

20. Requests the Global Environment Facility to consider exploring measures to mitigate possible risks, including currency risks, in order to avoid potential negative impacts on future replenishment periods for the provision of financial resources for all Global Environment Facility recipient countries, taking fully into account the provisions of paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 20 of the Convention;

21. Urges the Global Environment Facility and its partners to support recipient countries in their efforts to identify and mobilize co-financing for its projects related to implementation of the Convention, including through public-private partnerships, as well as applying co-financing arrangements in ways that improve access, do not create barriers or increase costs for recipient countries to access Global Environment Facility funds;

22. Requests the Executive Secretary to convey to the Global Environment Facility the concerns of the Parties on the transparency of the process of approving Global Environment Facility projects in accordance with Article 21, paragraph 1, of the Convention;

23. Requests the Global Environment Facility, in response to the concerns of the Parties on transparency of the process of approving Global Environment Facility projects, to include in its report to the Conference of the Parties, information regarding paragraph 3.3(d) of the Memorandum of Understanding;

Ecosystem restoration

24. Invites the Global Environment Facility and Parties in a position to do so and other donors, such as international financial institutions, including regional development banks, to provide support for ecosystem restoration activities, as well as monitoring processes as appropriate, and integrated where relevant into programmes and initiatives for sustainable development, food, water and energy security, job creation, climate change mitigation, adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and poverty eradication;

Strategic Plan

25. Requests the Global Environment Facility, and invites other development partners and donors in a position to do so, to continue to provide support in a timely manner, based on the expressed needs of Parties, especially for developing countries and, in particular, least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, for the development and implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, in line with the strategy and targets for resource mobilization agreed to in decision XII/3;

Aichi Targets 11 and 12

26. Invites the Global Environment Facility and its implementing agencies to facilitate the alignment of the development and implementation of protected area and other effective area-based conservation measures in its sixth and seventh replenishment periods with the national actions identified in national biodiversity strategies and action plans and, as appropriate, through the regional workshops for the achievement of Targets 11 and 12, with a view to facilitating the systematic monitoring and reporting of the results of those projects as they contribute to the implementation of the national action plans for the achievement of Aichi Biodiversity Targets 11 and 12 and other related targets;

Sixth national report

27. Requests the Global Environment Facility, in the light of the revised guidelines for reporting under the Convention and its Protocols, to assess the required funding levels for national reporting, and provide financial support to developing countries accordingly in a timely and expeditious manner;

Cross-sectoral mainstreaming

28. Invites the Global Environment Facility and other donor and financial institutions to provide financial assistance for country-driven projects that address cross-sectoral mainstreaming when requested by developing country Parties, in particular the least developed among them and small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition.

Traditional knowledge

29. Invites the Global Environment Facility, international financial institutions and development agencies and relevant non-governmental organizations, as appropriate and consistent with their mandates to consider providing financial and technical assistance to developing country Parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, particularly women within these communities, to raise awareness and to build their capacity relevant to the implementation of the Rutzolijirisaxik Voluntary Guidelines for the Repatriation of Traditional Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Relevant for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity, and to develop, as appropriate, community protocols or processes for “prior and informed consent” or “free, prior and informed consent”, depending on national circumstances, or “approval and involvement”, and fair and equitable benefit-sharing.

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

30. Requests the Global Environment Facility to continue to provide finance in support of activities related to the Biosafety Clearing-House;

31. Emphasizes the importance of continuous and predictable support by the Global Environment Facility to eligible Parties to support their compliance with reporting obligations under the Protocol;

32. Requests the Global Environment Facility to continue to provide financial support to enable developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition to further implement the Framework and Action Plan for Capacity-Building;

33. Invites the Global Environment Facility to continue to assist eligible Parties that have not yet done so to put in place a national biosafety framework and to make funds available to this end;

34. Requests the Global Environment Facility to provide eligible Parties with financial resources to facilitate effective implementation of the programme of work on public awareness, education and participation concerning the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms, in the context of relevant project activities and within its mandate;

35. Invites the Global Environment Facility to continue to provide funding for capacity-building related to risk assessment and risk management in the context of country-driven projects;

36. Invites the Global Environment Facility:

Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing

38. Invites the Global Environment Facility to provide support to eligible Parties for interim national reports under the Nagoya Protocol.