Decision COP 15/22

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling decision X/20, paragraph 16, in which it welcomed the Joint Programme of Work between the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, on the links between biological and cultural diversity, and decision 14/30, in which it recognized the Joint Programme of Work as a useful coordination mechanism for advancing the implementation of the Convention and deepening global awareness of the interlinkages between cultural and biological diversity,

Welcoming the lessons learned from the international and regional initiatives conducted under the auspices of the Joint Programme of Work (2010–2020),

Noting that the Joint Programme of Work remains relevant for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,

1. Decides to renew its commitment to the Joint Programme of Work on the links between biological and cultural diversity, to be promoted by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, as well as other relevant partners, including the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, and, in particular, indigenous peoples and local communities, taking a whole-of-society view and an integrated approach with full respect for human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, with the aim of supporting national and subnational implementation, including mainstreaming, of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in accordance with national circumstances, fully incorporating the added value of biocultural diversity, building on biological and cultural heritage, and strengthening the links between biological and cultural diversity, including through environmental education, in order to achieve the goals of the Convention at all levels and the 2050 Vision of living in harmony with nature;

2. Requests the Executive Secretary and invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, including the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, along with other relevant international agencies and processes, to explore and consider, subject to the availability of resources, inter-agency mechanisms, such as the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, to ensure complementarity of efforts, respecting individual mandates, avoiding unnecessary overlap and duplication, and maximizing efficiencies, to identify and overcome challenges, and promote lessons learned at a relevant scale towards the goal of the post-2020 Joint Programme of Work contained in the annex to the present decision;

3. Encourages Governments and Parties to all the relevant conventions, including the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as relevant intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, including the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as the United Nations special rapporteurs, academia, indigenous peoples and local communities, the private sector and civil society, to strengthen collaboration and coordination and to contribute to and support the Joint Programme of Work on the links between biological and cultural diversity, drawing on the elements and tasks contained in the annex to the present decision, and to implement lessons learned, according to national circumstances, in considering biological and cultural diversity throughout their respective work;

4. Welcomes the elements and tasks described in the annex to the present decision, which build on the existing Joint Programme of Work, for enhancing collaborations across the international system in pursuit of mutually supportive goals;

5. Requests the Executive Secretary and invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and other relevant international agencies, Parties and other Governments, along with a broad coalition of partners, with the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, to implement, subject to the availability of resources, the elements and tasks described in the annex to the present decision, and to report on progress to the Subsidiary Body on Implementation and other mechanisms, as appropriate.