Decision COP VIII/28
UNEP/CBD/COP/DEC/VIII/28
Impact assessment: Voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive impact assessment
1. Notes that the Akwé: Kon Voluntary Guidelines for the Conduct of Cultural, Environmental and Social Impact Assessments regarding Developments Proposed to Take Place on, or which are Likely to Impact on, Sacred Sites and on Lands and Waters Traditionally Occupied or used by Indigenous and Local Communities (decision VII/16 F, annex) should be used in conjunction with the voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive environmental impact assessment contained in the annex below and the draft guidance on biodiversity-inclusive strategic environmental assessment contained in annex II to the note by the Executive Secretary on voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive impact assessment (UNEP/CBD/COP/8/27/Add.2);
2. Welcomes the database of case-studies on biodiversity and impact assessment established under the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention as a useful information-sharing tool, and encourages Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to make use and contribute to its further development;
4. Emphasizes that the voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive environmental impact assessment are intended to serve as guidance for Parties and other Governments, subject to their national legislation, and for regional authorities or international agencies, as appropriate, in the development and implementation of their impact‑assessment instruments and procedures;
5. Urges Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to apply the voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive environmental impact assessment as appropriate in the context of their implementation of paragraph 1 (a) of Article 14 of the Convention and of target 5.1 of the provisional framework of goals and targets for assessing progress towards 2010 and to share their experience, inter alia, through the clearing-house mechanism and national reporting;
6. Encourages those multilateral environmental agreements that have endorsed the guidelines contained in decision VI/7 A, in particular the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, to take note of, and if appropriate endorse the voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive environmental impact assessment contained in annex I to the present decision;
(a) Continue collaborating with relevant organizations, inter alia through the International Association for Impact Assessment and its project on capacity-building in biodiversity and impact assessment, to contribute to the development of necessary capacities for the application of the guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive environmental impact assessment taking into account the specific circumstances in which they are to be applied;
(b) Compile information on the experiences made by Parties, other Governments relevant organizations and practitioners in applying the guidelines to the circumstances in which they are to be applied, and to report to a meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice prior to a future meeting of the Conference of the Parties at which impact assessment will be reviewed;
10. Encourages Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to take into account as appropriate this guidance in the context of their implementation of paragraph 1 (b) of Article 14 of the Convention and other relevant mandates and to share their experience, inter alia, through the clearing-house mechanism;
12. Requests the Executive Secretary to:
(a) Facilitate, in collaboration with the International Association for Impact Assessment and other relevant partners, capacity development activities focusing on the translation of the guidance on biodiversity-inclusive strategic environmental assessment into practical national,
subregional, regional or sectoral approaches and guidelines;
(b) Continue collaborating with the Economics and Trade Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme and other relevant organizations in developing practical guidance on assessing impacts of trade on biodiversity and in compiling and making available information on good practices and positive impacts of trade on biodiversity;
(d) Prepare, for consideration by a meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice prior to a future meeting of the Conference of the Parties at which impact assessment will be reviewed, proposals on complementing this guidance with examples of its practical application.
- Body
- Conference of the Parties (COP)
- Meeting
- COP-0820 - 31 March, 2006Curitiba, Brazil
- Actors
- 20 4 Parties 4 Other Government(s) 3 Relevant organizations 8 Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity 1 SBSTTA
- Decision document
- VIII/28Impact assessment: Voluntary guidelines on biodiversity-inclusive impact assessment
- Related documents
- UNEP/CBD/COP/8/27/ADD2
- Related decisions / recommendations