Notification 2017-030

Dear Madam/Sir, The purpose of this notification is to invite Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to provide information on relevant national initiatives and activities to promote the conservation and sustainable use of pollinators. This invitation is made in response to the request of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in its decision XIII/15. In the same decision, the Conference of the Parties welcomed the assessment on pollinators, pollination and food production prepared by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and requested the Executive Secretary to review, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and in collaboration with other partners, the implementation of the International Initiative on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Pollinators and to prepare a draft updated and streamlined plan of action, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). The information provided by invited Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations will be compiled and used as an input for the preparation of the documents for consideration by SBSTTA, at its twenty-first meeting. In order to facilitate the timely preparation of documentation, contributions should be submitted as soon as possible and no later than 15 May 2017. I also take this opportunity to inform you that at the recently convened 16th session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, FAO was requested to consider including domesticated honey bees and potentially other pollinators into the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS). FAO has prepared a survey to amass data on the status of honey bees worldwide and other pollinator populations to better understand regional concerns and management. We would like to encourage you to contribute to this process by accessing one of the following links: English version https://goo.gl/forms/veNe0krWGcFjmT752 and Spanish version https://goo.gl/forms/awgOkoftfij5TkdE3, no later than 15 May 2017. I thank you for your cooperation and for your continued support to the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

To: CBD National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points, other Governments and relevant organizations