Decision COP VII/2

1.Adopts the proposed process for the periodic assessment of the status and trends of biological diversity, in dry and sub humid lands, as described in table 1 below, taking into account national laws, policies and programmes and recognizing the urgency for action in those countries severely affected by land degradation, focusing on strengthening the capacities of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to conduct assessments at the national level and build on the knowledge and structures of ongoing global assessments, as well as national assessments;

2.Adopts the proposal prepared by the Executive Secretary for the further refinement of the programme of work and suggesting collaborating partners as indicated in the annex to the present decision; 

3.Requests the Executive Secretary to ensure that the parts of the programme of work relating to other thematic programmes of work of the Convention are taken into account when developing and reviewing these programmes of work;

4.Requests the Executive Secretary, in consultation with Parties, to develop targets for the implementation of the programme of work, taking into account especially national action programmes to combat desertification, the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, the Global Taxonomy Initiative, the Strategic Plan of the Convention, as well as the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice.  Such a process could follow the approach taken in the development of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (decision VI/9, annex) and be in line with decision VII/8, on monitoring and indicators;

6.Further requests the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the other Rio and other biodiversity-related conventions, to facilitate at the national level the review of the national biodiversity strategies and action plans under the Convention on Biological Diversity, in order to harmonize them with the national action programmes under the Convention to Combat Desertification and the national adaptation plans of action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with a focus on poverty alleviation and intersectoral integration;

7. Recognizes that the effective implementation of this programme of work is subject to the availability of financial, technological and human resources, and urges Parties, other Governments countries, international organizations, and relevant stakeholders that are in a position to do so to develop partnerships and other means to provide the necessary support;