Relevant Decisions of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD

The Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity has provided guidance and support for the Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) since 2008 through a number of decisions.

Decision IX/20

EBSA Scientific Criteria
In decision IX/20, the Conference of the Parties to the CBD adopted the scientific criteria for identifying ecologically or biologically significant marine areas in need of protection in open-ocean waters and deep-sea habitats.

For more details on the EBSA criteria, please see: www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/mar/ebsaws-2014-01/other/ebsaws-2014-01-azores-brochure-en.pdf

Integrating Traditional, Scientific, Technical and Technological Knowledge
In this decision, the COP also called on Parties to integrate the traditional, scientific, technical and technological knowledge of indigenous and local communities, consistent with Article 8(j) of the Convention, and to ensure the integration of social and cultural criteria and other aspects for the identification of marine areas in need of protection as well as the establishment and management of marine protected areas (paragraph 27).

Decision X/29

Regional EBSA Workshops
At its tenth meeting, the Conference of the Parties adopted decision X/29, which requested the CBD Executive Secretary to organize a series of regional workshops to facilitate the description of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas through application of scientific criteria. The COP requested the Executive Secretary to work with Parties and other Governments as well as competent organizations and regional initiatives, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), regional seas conventions and action plans, and, where appropriate, regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), in organizing these regional workshops (paragraph 36).

For more information on the regional EBSA workshops, please see Workshop Reports and Meetings

Integrating Traditional, Scientific, Technical and Technological Knowledge
The decision emphasized that the identification of EBSAs should use the best available scientific and technical information and, as appropriate, integrate the traditional scientific, technical, and technological knowledge of indigenous and local communities, consistent with Article 8(j) of the Convention (paragraph 34). The decision also requested the Executive Secretary to undertake a study to identify specific elements for integrating the traditional, scientific, technical and technological knowledge of indigenous and local communities, and social and cultural criteria and other aspects in the application of the EBSA criteria (paragraph 47). Pursuant to this decision, a report on Identifying Specific Elements for Integrating the Traditional, Scientific, Technical and Technological Knowledge of Indigenous and Local Communities, and Social and Cultural Criteria and Other Aspects for the Application of Scientific Criteria for Identification of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAS) As Well As the Establishment And Management of Marine Protected Areas (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/INF/10) was produced and made available to the 16th meeting of SBSTTA. This report is available at: cbd.int/doc/meetings/sbstta/sbstta-16/information/sbstta-16-inf-10-en.pdf

Capacity Building
In this decision, COP also called for capacity building to support the application of the EBSA criteria. In this regard, the COP invited the Global Environment Facility and other donors and funding agencies to extend support for capacity-building to developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as countries with economies in transition, in order to identify EBSAs, and develop appropriate protection measures in these areas (paragraph 38).

In support of this decision, the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) was born at the margins of COP 10, through the leadership of Japan, COP 10 Presidency, and in collaboration with various partners who were willing to provide the necessary expertise, technical and financial resources.

The Sustainable Ocean Initiative aims to provide a global platform to build partnerships and enhance capacity to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets related to marine and coastal biodiversity in a holistic manner by:

• Facilitating the sharing and exchange of knowledge, information, experiences and practices;
• Creating partnerships that can provide targeted capacity-building and technical assistance in support of on-the-ground implementation priorities;
• Enhancing interactive communication among global policy, science and local stakeholders;
• Monitoring progress on Aichi Biodiversity Targets related to marine and coastal biodiversity;
• Developing partnerships among different sectors and stakeholders at local, regional and global scales;
• Working together to achieve a balance between the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, and promoting flexible and diverse approaches towards this end.

For more information, please visit: www.cbd.int/soi

EBSA Repository and Information-Sharing Mechanism
Decision X/29 called on the Executive Secretary to establish a repository for scientific and technical information and experience related to the application of the scientific criteria on the identification of EBSAs, as well as other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria that shares information and harmonizes with similar initiatives, and to develop an information-sharing mechanism with similar initiatives (paragraph 39). This website and the CBD EBSA repository were developed pursuant to this request.

The COP also invites Parties and other Governments to include in the repository, scientific and technical information and experience relating to the application of the EBSA criteria or other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria to areas within national jurisdiction (paragraph 43).

EBSA Training Materials
The decision also requested the Executive Secretary to prepare a training manual and modules in the working languages of the United Nations which can be used to meet the capacity-building needs for identifying ecologically or biologically significant marine areas using the scientific criteria in annex I to decision IX/20 having regard to other relevant compatible and complementary intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria as well as the scientific guidance on the identification of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (paragraph 40). In this regard, the Executive Secretary developed a Training Manual for the Description of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAS) in Open-Ocean Waters and Deep-Sea Habitat (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/INF/9).

For more information on the CBD's work in training to support the application of the EBSA criteria, please visit the Training Materials section of this website.

Encouraging Government to Adopt Management Measures
The COP also encouraged Parties, other Governments and competent intergovernmental organizations to cooperate, as appropriate, collectively or on a regional or subregional basis, to identify and adopt appropriate measures for conservation and sustainable use in relation to the EBSAs, and in accordance with international law, including by establishing representative networks of marine protected areas in accordance with international law, and based on best scientific information available (paragraph 32).

Decision XI/17

Additional Regional EBSA Workshops
In decision XI/17, the COP requested the CBD Executive Secretary to further collaborate with Parties, other Governments, competent organizations, and global and regional initiatives to further collaborate with Parties, other Governments, competent organizations, and global and regional initiatives (paragraph 12).

Capacity Building for EBSAs
This decision also addressed the need to build capacity to describe and identify EBSAs. COP requested the Executive Secretary to further develop the EBSA training manual and modules (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/INF/9) and, once refined, to translate them into the official United Nations languages. The COP also invited Parties, other Governments and United Nations specialized agencies to use these training materials and make necessary resources to enhance the scientific and technical capacity within respective countries and regions with regard to describing areas that meet the criteria for EBSAs (paragraph 19). The COP also requested the Executive Secretary to collaborate with Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to strengthen the capacities of countries in scientific staff training (paragraph 20), and to organize training workshops using the training materials in support of future scientific description of areas that meet the criteria for EBSAs at national and regional levels as well as identification of EBSAs by States and competent intergovernmental organizations (paragraph 21). Additionally, the COP urged Parties and invited other Governments, the financial mechanism, and funding organizations, as appropriate, to provide adequate, timely, and sustainable support to the implementation of training and capacity-building and other activities related to EBSAs, especially for developing countries, in particular least developed countries and small island developing States, and Parties with economies in transition, including countries with upwelling systems, and, as appropriate, indigenous and local communities (paragraph 22).

Further Development of EBSA Repository and Information-Sharing Mechanism
The COP also requested the Executive Secretary to further develop the prototype repository and the information-sharing mechanism into a fully functional repository and information-sharing mechanism (paragraph 16). COP also encouraged Parties, other Governments and intergovernmental organizations to develop regional data inventories with metadata and link them to the EBSA information-sharing mechanism (paragraph 17). In addition, COP requested Parties and other Governments to provide scientific and technical information and experience relating to the application of the criteria for EBSAs or other relevant compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally agreed scientific criteria in areas within national jurisdiction for inclusion in the repository or information-sharing mechanism (paragraph 18).

Traditional Knowledge for the Description of EBSAs, and Social and Cultural Criteria
The Executive Secretary produced a report on Identifying specific elements for integrating the traditional, scientific, technical and technological knowledge of indigenous and local communities, and social and cultural criteria and other aspects for the application of scientific criteria for identification of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) as well as the establishment and management of marine protected areas (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/INF/10). In decision XI/17, the COP invited Parties, other Governments, competent intergovernmental organizations, and relevant indigenous and local communities to consider the use of the guidance on integration of traditional knowledge outlined in the report, with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, where applicable, in any future description of areas that meet the criteria for EBSAs and for the development of conservation and management measures, and report on progress in this regard to the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (paragraph 24).

Decision 16/16

New EBSA modalities, and continuation of workshops

In decision 16/16, the COP adopted the modalities for the modification of descriptions of EBSAs and the description of new areas contained in the annex. It also requested the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of financial resources, and on the basis of the advice of the Informal Advisory Group on Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas and in consultation with the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, to continue to facilitate the description of areas meeting the EBSA criteria and to facilitate the modification of EBSA descriptions through the holding of additional workshops, in line with paragraph 36 of decision X/29, paragraph 12 of decision XI/17 and paragraph 6 of decision XII/22, the outcomes of which would be without prejudice to relevant international processes in the case of areas beyond national jurisdiction. 

Additional development of EBSA Repository and Information-sharing mechanism

The annex of decision 16/16 further outlined what types of information the EBSA repository and the information-sharing mechanism are to contain. Consequently, the EBSA website has been updated to incorporate these changes. 

The role of EBSAs for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Agreement under the UNCLOS on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement)

This decision also recognized that the description of EBSAs is an important scientific and technical process that can make a crucial contribution to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the BBNJ Agreement. Furthermore, the COP acknowledged the potential synergies between the process to facilitate the description of areas meeting the EBSA criteria using the modalities for areas beyond national jurisdiction outlined in the annex and the future implementation of the BBNJ Agreement, respecting the mandate and the jurisdictional scope of each legal instrument and framework.