Decision COP IV/7

Recalling decision III/12 of the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties, and recommendations II/1, II/8 and III/3 of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice,

Having considered the report of the Executive Secretary on the draft programme of work for forest biological diversity (UNEP/CBD/COP/4/7),

Taking note of views expressed by the Parties and countries on the development of the work programme, as contained in document UNEP/CBD/COP/4/Inf.11,

Noting that the development and implementation of national measures that enhance the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of forest biological diversity into national forest and land-use programmes and forest-management systems is an important task for both developed and developing countries,

Looking forward to the outcomes of forthcoming work under the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF), including the global workshop on underlying causes of deforestation, to be hosted by the Government of Costa Rica in January 1999,

Reaffirming that the proposals for action contained in the final report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF), in particular those related to national forest and land-use programmes, and the objectives of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, provide a good basis for the implementation of key provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity at the national level,

Noting that decision IV/13 gives further guidance to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with regard to forest biological diversity,

1. Decides to endorse the work programme for forest biological diversity as contained in the annex to the present decision;

2. Urges Parties, countries, international and regional organizations, major groups and other relevant bodies to collaborate in carrying out the tasks identified in the work programme;

3. Calls upon Parties and countries to integrate forest biological diversity considerations in their participation and collaboration with organizations, institutions and conventions affecting or working with forest biological diversity;

4. Invites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to further integrate forest biological diversity into ongoing work with the Global Forest Resources Assessment;

5. Urges Parties and countries and international financial institutions, including the Global Environment Facility, to give high priority to the allocation of resources to activities that advance the objectives of the Convention in respect of forest biological diversity;

6. Calls upon the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to provide financial support, in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention, for activities and capacity-building for the implementation of the work programme for forest biological diversity and the use of the clearing-house mechanism, particularly for activities to halt and mitigate deforestation effects, basic assessments and monitoring of forest biological diversity, including taxonomic studies and inventories, focusing on forest species, other important components of forest biological diversity and ecosystems under threat;

7. Invites Parties, when requesting assistance through the financial mechanism, to propose projects that are being fully consistent with previous guidance of the Conference of the Parties and promote the implementation of the focused work programme on forest biological diversity;