About GBO-3

Background

During the eigth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Curitiba, Brazil in March 2006 it was decided, in decision VIII/14, that the third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook would be prepared for publication during the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2010. In this decision it was also agreed that the Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 would, along with the third and fourth national reports, serve as the basis for the review of implementation of the Convention during the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

The Conference of the Parties provided further guidance on the preparation of the third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook during its ninth meeting in Bonn, Germany, in 2008. In particular, in decision IX/10 the Conference of the Parties welcomed the scope, format, work plan, communication strategy and financial plan of the third edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook and requested the Executive Secretary to proceed with the preparation of the publication. The Conference of the Parties also invited the organisations composing the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership to make available the latest scientific information in accordance with the production plan for Global Biodiversity Outlook and urged Parties and invited other Governments, organizations and relevant scientific bodies to make available data on the status and trends of biological diversity, progress made in the implementing the Convention including its Strategic Plan, and lessons learned in carrying out actions designed to contribute to a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss and the achievement of the three objectives of the Convention.

In decision IX/10 the Conference of the Parties also requested that a draft of the Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 be made available for review during the fourteenth meeting of theSubsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). However the next meeting of the SBSTTA will be held in mid 2010 by which time the Global Biodiversity Outlook will need to be final. To address this challenge SBSTTA members will be encourage to work intersessionally to review the draft of the publication.

With regards to the financing of the Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, the Conference of the Parties, in decision IX/10 welcomed with appreciation the financial contributions that Germany and Japan have made for the initial preparation of Global Biodiversity Outlook and requested the Global Environment Facility and invited other Parties, Governments and donors to make financial contributions to the production of the Outlook. It was noted that these funds should be made available as soon as possible to ensure that the publication can be finalized in time for the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties in 2010. A similar invitation was also issued in decision IX/31.