. Health and biodiversity

`XVIII/14.`Health and biodiversity

The Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

Recalling that Aichi Biodiversity Target 14 refers explicitly, inter alia, to ecosystems that provide essential services that contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being;

Takes note of the ongoing work of the Executive Secretary on biodiversity and human health as reported in the document submitted under this agenda item regarding health and biodiversity; ⁶⁷

1.Recognizes the relevance of the cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition ⁶⁸ to the linkages between biodiversity, food and nutrition and health;

2.Welcomes the progress under the joint work programme between Secretariat of the Convention and the World Health Organization, including the regional capacity-building workshops on the interlinkages between biodiversity and human health co-convened by the Secretariat and the World Health Organization, and the ongoing work in collaboration with other partners to develop a state of knowledge review on the interlinkages between biodiversity and human health;

3.Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources:

(a)To continue efforts under the joint work programme between the Secretariat and the World Health Organization; and to further strengthen collaboration with other relevant organizations, in particular with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Bioversity International, as well as with initiatives, such as the Biodiversity and Community Health Initiative, as appropriate, to foster the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, in particular Target 14 ; and

(b)To take steps to prepare for the wide dissemination of the forthcoming state of knowledge review on the interlinkages between biodiversity and human health, and highlight the linkages between biodiversity and human health in the ongoing discussions on the post-2015 United Nations development agenda and sustainable development goals;

4.Recommends that the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting adopt a decision along the following lines:

The Conference of the Parties

1.Welcomes the outcomes of regional capacity-building workshops, for Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, on the interlinkages between biodiversity and human health co-convened by the Secretariat and the World Health Organization, in collaboration with other FIOCRUZ and other partners, and encourages the organization of additional workshops, in collaboration with relevant partners, in other regions;

2.Invites relevant Parties to make use of the report of the workshops in the updating and/or implementation of their national biodiversity strategies and action plans;

3.Encourages Parties and other Governments to promote cooperation at the national level between sectors and agencies responsible for biodiversity and those responsible for human health;

4.[Recognises the value] [takes note] of the “One Health” approach to address the cross-cutting issue of biodiversity and health as an integrated approach consistent with the ecosystem approach (decision V/6) that integrates the complex relationships between humans, animals, plants, wildlife and the environment;

5.Requests the Executive Secretary to report the results of collaborative work on biodiversity and health to the 68th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization;

6.Also recommends that the Conference of the Parties at its twelfth meeting consider the state of knowledge review on the interlinkages between biodiversity and human health with respect to its implications for the work under the Convention, including, inter alia: national biodiversity strategies and action plans; the identification of further opportunities for mainstreaming the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including in the context of the post-2015 United Nations development agenda and the sustainable development goals; and, opportunities to further promote knowledge and experience on the interlinkages between biodiversity and health among Parties and relevant partners.