Dry and Sub-humid Lands Biodiversity

Programme of Work

At its fifth meeting, the Conference of the Parties (COP) endorsed the programme of work on dry and sub-humid lands as contained in annex I of decision V/23.

Elements of the work programme

The programme is divided into two parts, "assessments" and "targeted actions in response to identified needs", to be implemented in parallel (decision V/23, annex I, paragraph 4).

Under assessments, six activities are identified, all concerning assessments in dry and sub-humid lands (decision V/23, annex I, section II, part A, activities 1-6):

  1. Assessment of the status and trends of biological diversity
  2. Identification of specific areas of value for biological diversity, with reference to the criteria in annex I to the Convention
  3. Further development of indicators
  4. Building knowledge on ecological, physical and social processes
  5. Identification of local and global benefits derived from biological diversity
  6. Identification and dissemination of best management practices, including knowledge, innovation and practices of indigenous and local communities.

These activities are to be carried out through: consolidation of information from existing sources; targeted research; multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary case-studies on management practices, carried out primarily by national and regional institutions; dissemination of information and capacity-building (decision V/23, annex I, part A, "Ways and means", paragraph 7).

Under targeted actions, three clusters of activities are identified (decision V/23, annex I, section II, part B, activities 7-9):

  1. Promotion of specific measures for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, through for example, use and establishment of additional protected areas, appropriate management and sustainable use of water resources and management of invasive alien species
  2. Promotion of responsible resource management, at appropriate levels, applying the ecosystem approach, through an enabling policy environment
  3. Support for sustainable livelihoods, through diversifying sources of income, promotion of sustainable harvesting including of wildlife; exploring innovative sustainable use of biological diversity.

These activities are to be carried out through capacity-building, particularly at national and local levels, establishment of an international network of designated demonstration sites, case-studies on successful management, partnerships between relevant stakeholders and enhanced interaction between the work programmes of this Convention and the Convention to Combat Desertification (decision V/23, annex I, section II, part B, "Ways and means").

Parties and other bodies were asked to report on implementation through appropriate sections in their national reports to the Convention, and in reports made in the context of the Convention to Combat Desertification and other relevant conventions. SBSTTA was to review such reports and make recommendations for further prioritization and refinement of the work programme (decision V/23, annex I, section III, paragraphs 12, 13).

Annex II of decision V/23 contained an indicative list of levels of implementation of the various activities identified in the programme of work.