Side Event
AN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES APPROACH TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND AICHI TARGETS
Organizer
The Nature Conservancy
Date and Time
26 June 2014 13:15 - 14:45
Meeting
Eighteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
The CBD Strategic Plan and Aichi targets (2012) introduced new language and concepts on ecosystem services which offer both challenges and opportunities to expend traditional interpretation of conservation and better integration of biodiversity and development outcomes, the theme for COP12. Of particular interest are targets 11 and 14 (and to some extent 15) which address key conservation strategies, protected areas and restoration. This session will first focus on target Aichi 11 on protected areas and builds on recent conversation at IMPAC3 (Marseilles, France, October 2013) on challenges and opportunities arising the inclusion of new language, including ecosystem services. Based on an analysis of current trends in MPA coverage, we argued that measures of progress towards achieving target 11 will have to go beyond the use of simple metrics of cover and consideration of biodiversity values alone and encompass ecosystem services benefits and management within wider ecosystem settings. A proposal for identification of areas of critical importance for marine and coastal ecosystems services (ACIES) to operationalize an ecosystem services approach will be presented. Such an approach should inform not only the development of networks of MPAs (Aichi target 11) within a broader context of marine spatial planning (CBD CP 11(18) as discussed above, but also restoration activities (target 14). It would complement and add value to the ongoing EBSA process which focuses on areas of high biodiversity value in ABNJ and within jurisdictions. A panel of 3- 4 panelists from different background will debate the merits of this approach with particular focus on how it will assist meeting 2020 global targets for marine protected area and help reconciling marine and coastal conservation and development objectives as well as preliminary thoughts on guiding principles, criteria, methodologies and information that would be needed should this approach be supported by parties for future CBD work.