Decision COP VII/27

1.Adopts the programme of work on mountain biological diversity, annexed to the present decision, as a set of actions addressing characteristics and problems that are specific to mountain ecosystems; 

2.Underlining the sovereign rights and responsibilities of countries over their mountains and mountain biodiversity, notes that Parties should implement the programme of work on mountain biological diversity in the context of their national and subnational priorities and needs.  Inclusion of an activity in the work programme does not mean relevance of that activity to all Parties; 

3.Invites Parties to identify priority actions among the actions recommended in the programme of work depending on the particular national or local conditions and urges Parties to incorporate them into their national biodiversity strategies and action plans, as well as national programmes and activities on the implementation of regional mountain conventions and initiatives, and implement them taking into account the ecosystem approach so as to contribute to the significant reduction of the rate of mountain biological diversity loss by 2010 and as a contribution to poverty reduction and to the benefit of indigenous and local communities dependent on mountains;

4.Encourages Parties, other Governments and organizations to ensure cross referencing to, and coherence with, the other thematic and cross-cutting programmes of work, including technology transfer, while implementing this programme of work;

6.Agrees  that, in undertaking the implementation of the programme of work, Parties, other Governments, international organizations, civil society organizations and others should take into account the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities and ensure their participation in  conservation and sustainable use of mountain biological diversity, in accordance with Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention;

7.Recognizes the need for resources, human, technological and financial capacity, to implement effectively the activities in the programme of work,  and thus encourages governments and other interested entities to form partnerships to address these needs and urges bilateral and multilateral organizations and processes to provide financial assistance, training and support, where applicable, to developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States among them, and Parties with economies in transition to assist in the effective implementation of the programme of work;

8.Invites Parties, other Governments, and relevant organizations to report on implementation of this decision and those parts of the programme of work, which are identified as priorities under national and local conditions pursuant to paragraphs 3 and 5 through, inter alia, their reports submitted to the Conference of the Parties;

9. Requests Parties that have not yet done so to submit their thematic reports; 

11.Further requests the Executive Secretary to strengthen collaboration with other organizations, institutions and conventions, as a way to streamline many of the activities contained in the programme of work; promote synergies and avoid unnecessary duplications; 

12.Notes that the notes by the Executive Secretary on status and trends of, and threats to, mountain biological diversity (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/8/5), and on measures taken for the conservation and sustainable use of mountain biological diversity (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/8/6), can be a basis for the identification of priorities for early action, and recognizes that the relative importance of threats, and their underlying causes will vary by region and country, and, accordingly, requests the Executive Secretary to update this information as part of the reviews of the implementation of the thematic programmes of work in collaboration with Parties and relevant organizations, in particular the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment among others, and making use of all available information;

13.Emphasizes the importance of mountain biodiversity for livelihoods, and therefore requests the Executive Secretary to compile and disseminate information linking mountain biodiversity to sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and examples of successful collaboration between mountain dwellers and communities living in areas adjacent to mountains in form of incentives for mountain dwellers (as a way to illustrate the “upland-lowland contract”);

14.Recognizing the value of traditional and sustainable land use practices of indigenous and local communities in preserving mountain biodiversity, requests the Executive Secretary to collect and disseminate relevant information contributed by these communities through the clearing-house mechanism and other means;