Convention on
Biological Diversity 	
Secretariat

DRAFT

REPORT
Fifth GTI Coordination Mechanism Meeting
Wellington, New Zealand
8 October 2004

Table of Contents						Page
I.	Opening								3
II.	Adoption of the agenda							3
III.	Development of the process towards the review			4
IV.	Next meetings								4
V.	Annexes								6								

Report of the fourth meeting of GTI Coordination Mechanism
I.	Opening

1.	The fifth meeting of the Coordination Mechanism of the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) was held on 8 October 2004 on the margins of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Governing Board Meeting (GB9), in Wellington, New Zealand. Experts were represented from Africa, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Thailand, United Kingdom and United Sates of America as well as representatives from BIONET-INTERNATIONAL (BIONET), Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP), the European Economic Commission (EEC) and a representative from the CBD Secretariat (SCBD). See list of participants in annex I below. 
2.	The chairmen of the Coordination Mechanism, Dr. Christoph Haeuser from Germany, chaired the meeting and Dr. Richard Smith (BIONET-INTERNATIONAL) was the Rapporteur. 

3.	The GTI Programme Officer (GTI PO), Dr. Lucie Rogo made the opening remarks, welcomed and thanked the participants for attending the meeting. 

II.	Adoption of the agenda.
4.	The proposed agenda (see annex 2) was adopted, although the GTI PO and the chairman of the Coordination Mechanism proposed that the meeting should focus discussions on the draft document for the tenth meeting of the subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA/10) document (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/10/16) titled “The Global Taxonomy Initiative: development of the process and the guidelines for the in-depth review of the programme of work”. The meeting was requested to also focus discussions on targets for the programme of work for the GTI.

III.	Development of the process towards the review of the GTI scheduled for COP/8 in 2006

5.	Experts deliberated on the structure and content of the GTI SBSTTA/10 pre-session document (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/10/16). Consensus was reached to have a short and concise document. Discussions also touched on ways and mean to acquire information from international organizations on their status of implementation of the programme of work for the GTI. While some members indicated that information from national universities, intergovernmental, non-governmental taxonomic institutions should b part of the thematic reports, others suggested that a separate questionnaire should be developed for organizations. The meeting was also cautioned of the fact that data acquired on the status of implementation of the programme of work for the GTI would generally be very fragmented and incomplete and such data should be treated cautiously.
6.	Members also discussed in detail six targets for the operational objectives of the programme of work for the GTI for 2010 (see annex 3 below). It was suggested these targets be revisited, refined and new ones added in future.
7.	The GTI Guide would be considered by SBSTTA/10 as document UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/10/17. The GTI PO informed the meeting that a consultant had been hired to complete the GTI Guide.
8.	Documents that would be considered during SBSTTA/11 were not discussed due to time constraints.
9.	In examining the decisions of the Conference of the Parties at its sixth and seventh meetings, the following elements, currently missing in the programme of work for the GTI, shouldbe considered for addition under operational objective 4 (Within the major thematic work programmes of the Convention include key taxonomic objectives to generate information needed for decision-making in conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components) and operational objective 5 (Within the work on cross-cutting issues of the Convention include key taxonomic objectives to generate information needed for decision-making in conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components): island biodiversity, mountain biodiversity and protected areas. Volunteers from within the Coordination Mechanism of the GTI membership were requested to form groups to draft taxonomic inputs for island biodiversity, mountain biodiversity and protected areas. The Chairman of the Coordination Mechanism for the GTI would allocate tasks to the volunteers.

IV.	.Next Meeting of the Coordination Mechanism for the GTI
10.	It was suggested that the Coordination Mechanism could meet on the margins of the IUCN World Conservative Congress 16-25 November 2004 or at the margins of the  Biodiversity Science and Governance meeting in Paris January 2005 or at the margins of SBSTTA/10 in February.

Annex 1: List of participants
AFRICA
Prof. Alfred A. Oteng Yeboah 
Deputy Director-General
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
P.O. Box M 32
Accra 
Ghana
Tel: +233 21 77 43 80/ (cell) +233 24 772256 
Fax: +233 21 77 7655
E-mail: aaoyeboah@ucomgh.com
        otengyeboah@yahoo.co.uk

ASIA

Dr. Kongkanda Chayamarit
Thailand GTI National Focal Point
National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department
61, Phahonyothiu Road – Chatuchak
Bangkok 10900
Thailand
Tel.: +	66-256-14-292, ext. 465
Fax: 	+66-2-561-48-24
E-Mail: 	kchayama@mozart.inet.co.th

Dr Junko Shimura
National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba
Ibaraki, 305-8506
Japan
Tel.:+81-29-850-2472
Fax:+81-29-850-2778
Email: junko@nies.go.jp 
kchayama@mozart.inet.co.th

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

Dr. Patricia Koleff
CONABIO
Liga Periferico-Jasurgontes Sor 4903
Parques del Pedregal 14010
Mexico, D.F. MEXICO
Tel: (5255) 55 28 91 05
Fax: (5255) 55 28 91.31
Email: pkoleff@xolo.conabio.gob.mx

WESTERN EUROPE AND OTHERS GROUP

Dr. Anna Weitzman
Information Office, MRC-193
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
Washington DC 20560-0193
USA
Tel.: 1.202.633.0846.
E-mail: Weitzman@si.edu

Dr. Christoph Haeuser 
GBIF Governing Board, Chair
State Museum of Natural History
Rosenstein 1
70191 Stuttgart – 
Germany
Tel: +49-711-8936-223
Fax: +49-711-8936-100
E-mail: chaeuser@gmx.de 

ORGANIZATIONS

Dr Martin Sharman 
Post: European Commission 
Office:  LX46 2/74 
 B-1049 Brussels, Belgium 
Research DG DI-4 Biodiversity and Ecosystems 
Geographic address: Rue Luxembourg 46 
Tel: (+32) 2 295 97 98
Fax: (+32) 2 299 57 55 
Email: martin.sharman@cec.eu.int
 
Dr W.M. Lonsdale
GISP
C/o CSIRO Entomology, GPO Box 1700, 
Canberra, Australia 2601.
Tel: (+61) 02 6246 4360  
Email: mark. Lonsdale@csiro.au

Dr. Richard Smith
BioNET-INTERNATIONAL
Bakeham Lane
Egham TW20 9TY
United Kingdom
Tel: +44-1491-829-036 / 037 / 038
Fax: +44-1491-829-082
E-mail: rsmith@bionet-intl.org 

Dr. James L. Edwards 
Executive Secretary 
Global Biodiversity Information Facility 
Universitetsparken 15 
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø 
DENMARK 
Phone: +45 3532 1470 
Fax: +45 3532 1480 
E-mail: jedwards@gbif.org
 
Ms. Beatriz Torrez
Programme Officer 
GBIF
Universitetsparken 15
Copenhagen
Denmark
Tel.: +45-353 2 1474    
Fax + 45 35 32 1480
E-mail: btorres@gbif.org
http://www.gisp.org/
Dr Maryati Mohamed
 Institute for Tropical Biology & Conservation
University of Malaysia Sabah
Locked Bag 2073
88999 Kota Kinabalu
Sabah, Malaysia
Tel: +6488 320104
Email: armanhadi@hotmail.com
dmaryati@ums.edu.my

Dr Dennis P. Gordon 
National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research
P.O. Box 14 901 Kilbirnie
Wellington New Zealand
Tel: +64 4 386 0388
Fax: + 64 4 386 2153
E-mail: d.gordon@niwa.co.nz

Ms Mary Colreavy 
Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) 
Department of Environment & Heritage
P.O. Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 
Tel: 61 2 6250 9506
E-mail: mary.colreavy@deh.gov.au

Mark Graham
Director, Research 
Canadian Museum of Nature
P.O. Box 3443, Station D 
Ottawa, Ontario, K1P6P4
Canada
Tel: 613 566 4743 
Fax: 613 364 4022
E-mail: mgraham@mus-nature.ca

Dr. Thierry Bourgoin
Musée national d’histoire naturelle,
Département Systématique & Evolution
45, rue Buffon, F-75005, Paris
France
Email: bourgoin@mnhn.fr

RESOURCE PERSONS

Dr. Christopher H. C. Lyal
Research Entomologist
Department of Entomology
The Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 5BD
England, UK
Tel: +44 20 7942 5113
Fax: +44 20 7942 5229
Email: chcl@nhm.ac.uk 

Dr. Lucie M. Rogo
Programme Officer, Taxonomy and Invasive Alien Species
Secretariat of the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity
393, rue St-Jacques- Suite 300
Montreal- Québec- H2Y 1N9
Tel: +1 514 2878718
Fax: +1 514 288-6588
Email: lucie.rogo@biodiv.org 

Annex 2
GTI Coordination Mechanism 
Fifth Meeting
8 October 2004
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
 Wellington, New Zealand

Proposed Agenda

1.	Welcome

2.	Development of the process towards the review of the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) scheduled for COP-8 in 2006;
a)	Review of SBSTTA/10 documents:
•	The process and the guidelines for the in-depth review and mechanisms for monitoring progress in the implementation of the programme of work for the Global Taxonomy Initiative (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/10/14);
•	Guide to the Global Taxonomy Initiative (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/10/15); and
•	Building capacity for the Global Taxonomy Initiative in a larger Europe (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/10/INF).
b)	Discussion of SBSTTA/11 document on the status and effectiveness in the implementation of the programme of work of the GTI:
•	Review the summarized thematic submissions by Parties on the GTI.
c)	Review of the progamme of work of the GTI taking into account the need to update the programme of work with regards to protected areas, island and mountain biological diversity.

3.	Analysis of the list of GEF-funded projects on taxonomy (prepared by the SCBD in partnership with the GEF Secretariat) taking in consideration the programme of work of the GTI 

4.	Next Meeting(s)

5.	Other matters

Annex 3: Proposed global outcome oriented targets for the programme of work of the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI).
Operational Objective 1: Assess taxonomic needs and capacities at national, regional and global levels for the implementation of the Convention.
Goal: Achieve a global assessment of taxonomic needs.
Target 1: Achieve by 2010 assessments of taxonomic needs and capacities in at least 60 countries and at least 1 region as a step towards the longer-term goal of having all countries to have assessed national taxonomic capacity.
Rationale:
1.	Most countries lack a comprehensive assessment of the currently available taxonomic knowledge, infrastructure, and human resources. The need for each country to conduct a national taxonomic needs assessment was recognized by the Conference of the Parties in its decisions IV/1D, V/9 and VI/8. This lack of assessment of taxonomic capacities and needs at national, regional and global levels is a fundamental impediment to the implementation of the GTI because such information is essential for identifying gaps, prioritizing taxonomic effort and capacity building, and for effectively meeting national goals.
2.	The purpose of the present target is to encourage more Parties and governments, particularly in developing countries, Small Island States and countries with economies in transition to undertake a comprehensive assessment of their taxonomic needs and capacities. Assessments will need to be undertaken within the framework of carrying out the necessary planning to produce or update National Biodiversity Strategies and Action plans. Country-driven assessments provide the core input into the development of an assessment of regional and global capacity, highlighting gaps in capacity across the globe and setting of priority actions to fill the gaps. The assessments should include five components: (1) an evaluation of needs of the national user community for taxonomic data; (2) an evaluation of existing taxonomic knowledge about national biodiversity; (3) a compilation of current national taxonomic infrastructure; (4) a compilation of current national human resources in taxonomy; and (5) development of a national action plan. The assessment should also provide an outlook for how the implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Actions Plans will benefit from the increase of taxonomic capacities.
3.	Supportive actions to facilitate achievement of this target include (i) organising national and regional GTI workshops and biodiversity science planning fora (ii) providing financial resources to Parties and GTI national focal points to carry out taxonomic needs assessments and setting country specific priorities (iii) undertaking relevant surveys and assessments by other national and regional organisations and stakeholders.
4.	In setting this target and for it to be achieved successfully, obstacles that have impeded implementation of needs assessment have to be taken into consideration. These obstacles include inter alia the lack of financial resources, qualified personnel, political will and support. Activities to reach this target should be implemented together with those associated with targets 2.1 and 2.2. 
Indicators/means of verification
1.1.	Number of completed assessments of taxonomic capacities and needs;
1.2.	Number of Parties with updated biodiversity strategies, action plans, and programmes in place including priorities for taxonomy.
Operational Objective 2:  Provide focus to help build and maintain the human resources, systems and infrastructure needed to obtain, collate and curate the biological specimens that are the basis for taxonomic knowledge
Goal: Building capacity in taxonomy for the conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of the benefits of Biological Diversity
Target 2.1: Significantly increase by 2010 the number of trained taxonomists working with appropriate facilities in order to achieve the goals of the Convention, and also have in place a programme to enhance capacity and a system / database to monitor the programme.
Rationale:
1.	The need for taxonomic input in many activities aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and the lack of taxonomic capacity in a majority of countries were recognized by the Conference of the Parties in its decisions III/10 and IV/1D. Taxonomic capacity is not only limited but is also decreasing.
2.	Achievement of the targets developed for the programme of work for the GTI will require considerable taxonomic capacity building particularly to address the need for conservation and sustainable use practitioners to be trained in a range of disciplines, with access to adequate facilities. These facilities should include technological, institutional and financial resources. Capacity building should be based on national needs assessments and be linked to a broader plan for conserving and sustainable use of biological diversity. It should be integrated with all programs concerned with ecosystem management and monitoring, applied research including bio-prospecting and conservation. Therefore, improving taxonomic capacity would be a logical component of aid packages for these other activities. 
3.	Given the current geographical disparity between the location of biological diversity and expertise, achieving this target will mean doubling of capacity in many developing countries, Small Island developing Stated and countries with economies in transition. Training will also require cooperation with many different actors, including regional and global networks, as well as commitment by national governments to finance operational costs and provide employment. Increased capacity should be understood to include not only in-service training, but also the training of other stakeholders, particularly at the community level, including the training of parataxonomists. Due to the difficulties in replicating taxonomic capacity (infrastructure, human resources) in each country due to financial or technical reasons, it can be developed and shared through established regional networks. In addition, planning and implementing systematic inventories should be part of achieving this target because inventory programmes provide an effective framework that enhances human resources and infrastructure in taxonomy. Activities to reach this target should be implemented with those associated with target 2.2.
4.	Training professional systematists will require an international perspective, including establishment of scholarships for programmes to send students to international research centres for training, although these trainees will require to be tied to and should return to their country of origin. 
5.	Supportive actions that would facilitate achievement of this target include (i) Development of regional centres of excellence in developing countries as well as promotion of projects in capacity building in taxonomy at the national and regional levels; (ii) technical and scientific cooperation between relevant organizations and processes in taxonomy that enhance capacity building measured by the number of signed Memoranda of Cooperation and joint activities.
Indicators/means of verification
2.1.1.	Number of trained taxonomists working with appropriate facilities to achieve the goals of the Convention;
2.1.2.	Number of trained experts available for priority taxa in implementing the Convention;
2.1.3.	Database of national taxonomic expertise for relevant taxa;
2.1.4. Number of trained parataxonomists.
Target 2.2. : Increase by 2010 the number and quality of taxonomic facilities and infrastructure relevant for implementation of the Convention.
Rationale:
1.	Building or improving taxonomic infrastructure is at the heart of using taxonomic information to conserve biodiversity, use it sustainably, and contribute to the implementation of the programme of work for the GTI. Infrastructure, primarily in the form of collections based at natural history institutions, creates the locus for professional and paraprofessional employment, for formal training in taxonomy and other educational activities, and for applying systematic knowledge to societal problem-solving.
2.	For this target to be achieved and for taxonomic infrastructure to be expanded, decision-makers and funding agencies will have to recognize that research and educational programmes supported by systematics are critical in management and solving problems of the environment and provide the required financing. Governmental commitment to support the development/expansion of taxonomic infrastructure and maintaining them over a long term would be required. There is a clear need to upgrade and expand collection space and facilities in developing countries with the assistance and advice of developed country Parties. 
3.	Collaboration within and also between countries will be critical for identifying shared needs and common solutions to improving taxonomic infrastructure. In particular partnerships between institutions in developed and developing counties to promote scientific collaboration and infrastructure rationalization.
Indicators/means of verification
2.2.1	Number of collections and biodiversity depositories with improved capacities and facilities
2.2.2.	Upgraded quantity/quality of libraries with reference material that support taxonomic research;
2.2.3.	Availability of taxonomic support infrastructure, including molecular, biochemical, morphological. cytological, computing, and other laboratory facilities, research vessels, etc.
Operational objective 3 -Facilitate an improved and effective infrastructure/system for access to taxonomic information; with priority on ensuring that countries of origin gain access to information concerning elements of their biodiversity
Goal: Taxonomic information about biodiversity made accessible and especially to countries of origin
Target 3: By 2010 increase significantly the electronic access and use of taxonomic information for implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in all countries, particularly from outside respective institutions.
Rationale:
1.	Existing taxonomic information is widely scattered and not centrally available. Access to and application of the taxonomic information is therefore, essential for effective implementation of the Convention. 
2.	To achieve improved access to and better use of taxonomic information, biodiversity informatics will have to be further developed at two levels. First, the basic information on primary specimen records from collections and observation/monitoring activities must be made widely available, including through the internet. Internet access in developing countries institutions are thus also a priority. Second, improving the application of taxonomic knowledge through such tools as: (i) species checklists; (ii) image-based identification keys; (iii) automated identification; (iv) software to help collection management; and (v) Global Information System (GIS) related applications for bio-geographic and other analyses.
3.	Supportive actions that should be promoted to facilitate achievement of the target include (i) increasing the number of data providers (nodes) to the GBIF data portal; (ii) supporting implementation of digitisation of primary biodiversity data (specimen data, observation records, etc); (iii) developing and promoting electronic taxonomy including production of electronic monographs and checklists, digital tools for automated identification and image-based keys, GIS-related applications for analysis of occurrence records, and electronic literature reviews; (iv) making available electronic library holdings of major research and taxonomic institutions in developed countries; (v) increasing expertise in electronic data interpretation and utilization, including the availability of hard-ware, software for database management of specimen-based records; (vi) providing training sessions in biodiversity informatics in developing countries, small island States and countries with economies in transition and (vii) improving internet connectivity for relevant taxonomic research institutions, particularly in developing countries, small island States and countries with economies in transition.
Indicators/means of verification
3.1.	Number of users in all countries accessing [electronically] and using taxonomic information;  particularly those held outside their institutions for the implementation of the CBD;
3.2.	Number of institutions providing relevant information connected to the internet.
Operational objective 4 - Within the major thematic work programmes of the Convention include key taxonomic objectives to generate information needed for decision-making in conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components
Goal: Taxonomic objectives included within major thematic work programmes of the Convention
Target 5: By 2010 have key taxonomic issues and priorities identified and integrated within major thematic areas of the Convention.
Rationale:
1.	Taxonomy is fundamental to the thematic work programmes of the Convention on Biological Diversity through discovery, identification, and documentation of biological diversity. Since there are inadequate global taxonomic resources to meet all demands, taxonomic priorities should be identified through workshops and key taxa included in inventory and monitoring programmes in each of the thematic work programmes of the Convention.
2.	Increased knowledge in species composition in different biomes is needed to facilitate indicator selection, resource valuation, management, site selection for conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of resource as appropriate. Increased knowledge can be achieved through national taxonomic studies and inventories.
3.	Supportive actions to facilitate achievement of this target, include: (i) devising and upgrading biodiversity inventory and monitoring methodologies for different ecological zones [thematic areas] as appropriate; (ii) elaborating important target taxa /groups for relevant zones / thematic areas; (iii) developing field guides, identification aids and indicator species for ecosystem approach; (iv) developing relevant partnerships with stakeholders; (v) involving taxonomists on the roster of experts on appropriate working groups within the thematic programmes.
Indicators/means of verification
5.1	Number of taxonomic priorities integrated into programmes of work for major thematic areas of the Convention that are being implemented;
5.2	Taxonomic priorities in national biodiversity strategies and action plans being actively implemented as a means to achieve national implementation of the Convention;
5.3	Involvement and development of partnerships with key actors and stakeholders, including the private sector, in implementing the programme of work of the GTI as appropriate;
5.4.	Identification aids developed for species identification within the thematic work programmes of the Convention.
Operational objective 5 -Within the work on cross-cutting issues of the Convention include key taxonomic objectives to generate information needed for decision-making in conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components
Goal: Taxonomic objectives included within relevant cross-cutting issues of the Convention.
Target 5: By 2010, to have key taxonomic issues / priorities identified and integrated within the cross-cutting issues of the Convention
Rationale:
1.	Taxonomy is fundamental to the cross-cutting issues of the Convention on Biological Diversity through discovery, identification, and documentation of biological diversity. Since there are inadequate global taxonomic resources to meet all demands, taxonomic priorities should be identified through workshops and key taxa included in inventory and monitoring programmes in each of the cross-cutting issues of the Convention.
2.	Increased knowledge is needed in each cross-cutting issues to facilitate, management, conservation, sustainable use and ensure equitable sharing of benefits as appropriate. Increased knowledge can be achieved through national taxonomic studies and inventories.
3.	Supportive actions to facilitate achievement of this target include: (i) devising and upgrading biodiversity inventory and monitoring methodologies for different cross-cutting issues; (ii) developing relevant partnerships with stakeholders; (iii) involving taxonomists on the roster of experts on appropriate working groups within the cross-cutting issues of the Convention.
Indicators/means of verification
6.1	Taxonomic concerns integrated into relevant national sectoral and cross-sectoral plans, programmes and policies;
6.2	Taxonomic priorities in national biodiversity strategies and action plans being actively implemented as a means to achieve national implementation of the Convention
6.3	Involvement and partnerships developed with key actors and stakeholders, including the private sector in implementing the programme of work of the GTI as appropriate.
6.4.	The number of country-driven projects.