Knowledge Management under the Convention on Biological Diversity
📌 Knowledge is a key enabler of action for biodiversity.
Article 17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) calls on Parties to facilitate the exchange of technical, scientific, socio-economic, and traditional knowledge, including information on training and survey programmes.
Decades of implementation have built a wealth of experiences, tools, and practices across Parties and partners — essential for achieving the Convention's objectives and targets.
📌 Knowledge Management in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)
Knowledge management is central to the successful implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), particularly through Target 21:
Target 21
Ensure that the best available data, information and knowledge, are accessible to decision makers, practitioners and the public to guide effective and equitable governance, integrated and participatory management of biodiversity, and to strengthen communication, awareness-raising, education, monitoring, research and knowledge management and, also in this context, traditional knowledge, innovations, practices and technologies of indigenous peoples and local communities should only be accessed with their free, prior and informed consent (1), in accordance with national legislation.
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(1) Free, prior and informed consent refers to the tripartite terminology of “prior and informed consent” or “free, prior and informed consent” or “approval and involvement”.
At COP 16 (Cali, 2024), Parties adopted the CBD Knowledge Management Strategy (Decision 16/9B), a framework to:
- Make biodiversity-related knowledge accessible, actionable, and impactful;
- Strengthen technical and scientific cooperation;
- Foster knowledge-sharing, learning, and capacity-building across sectors and societies;
- Integrate diverse knowledge systems, including Indigenous and traditional knowledge, in decision-making.
The strategy provides a structured approach to support implementation of the GBF, promote evidence-based biodiversity planning, and ensure inclusive knowledge governance.
📌 The Knowledge Management for Biodiversity (KM4B) Initiative
To operationalize the Knowledge Management Strategy, the Secretariat has launched the Knowledge Management for Biodiversity (KM4B) initiative. KM4B aims to build capacities across Parties and stakeholders to generate, organize, share, and apply biodiversity-related knowledge.
KM4B includes five complementary components:
- KM4B Online Training Course: covering fundamentals of knowledge management, KM systems, knowledge governance, and the KM dimensions of the GBF.
- KM4B Webinars: presenting key concepts, experiences, and strategies for biodiversity knowledge management.
- KM4B Regional Workshops:
- KM Change Management Programme: to support organizational and cultural shifts towards open knowledge sharing.
- KM Networks and Communities of Practice: fostering peer learning and continuous collaboration.
More information about activities, reports, training materials and recordings is available on the KM4B Portal.
📌 Recent Highlights
- KM4B Regional Workshops (2024-2025): Participants across regions have mapped KM capacities and challenges, co-designed national KM strategies, and initiated regional KM4B Communities of Practice.
- Online KM4B Training Course (2024): Over 400 participants completed the training between August and September 2024
- KM4B Webinars (2023): A series of interactive sessions explored KM best practices, challenges, and solutions.
📌 Partners and Collaborators
The implementation of the Knowledge Management Strategy and the Knowledge Management for Biodiversity (KM4B) initiative is built on a strong and diverse network of partners, collaborators, and regional support centres. These partners contribute expertise, capacity-building, technical support, and knowledge-sharing at global, regional, and national levels.
The list of partners continues to grow, and the Secretariat welcomes expressions of interest from organizations wishing to collaborate on the implementation of the Knowledge Management Strategy and the KM4B initiative.
🌐 International Organizations and UN Agencies:
🧭 Regional Technical and Scientific Cooperation (TSC) Centres:
📚 Knowledge Management and Capacity Development Partners:
🛰️ Regional Observatories and Networks:
🧪 Research and Academic Institutions:
🤝 Other Key Contributors:
- National biodiversity institutes
- Academic centers
- Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) organizations
- Various national Clearing-House Mechanisms (CHMs) and knowledge hubs
📌 Key Resources:
