Decision COP X/17

The Conference of the Parties,

Recognizing the critical role of plants in supporting ecosystem resilience, provision of ecosystem services; adapting to and mitigating environmental challenges inter alia, climate change, and for supporting human well-being,

Welcoming the efforts made by some Parties in developing national responses and/or mainstreaming these targets, including the regional response from Europe to update the European Plant Conservation Strategy using the framework of this Strategy,

Recalling that the national implementation of the Strategy contributes to the Millennium Development Goals, especially on poverty reduction (goal 1), the health crisis (goal 6) and environmental sustainability (goal 7),

Acknowledging the efforts that have been put in place by partners, international organizations and other stakeholders to contribute to the achievement of the targets and to build capacity for the implementation of the Strategy,

Welcoming the Plant Conservation Report, available in all the six United Nations languages, as a concise overview of the progress made in implementing the Strategy, and recognizing the contribution of the Government of Ireland to the preparation and dissemination of the Report,

Aware that while significant progress has been made in implementing the Strategy at all levels, further work will be necessary in the period beyond 2010 to achieve the goals set out in the Strategy,

1. Decides to adopt the consolidated update of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, including the outcome-oriented global targets for the period 2011-2020, contained in the annex below, and to pursue the implementation of the Strategy as part of the broader framework of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020;

2. Emphasizes that the outcome-oriented global targets for 2011–2020 should be viewed as a flexible framework within which national and/or regional targets may be developed, according to national priorities and capacities, and taking into account differences in plant diversity between countries;

3. Emphasizes the need for capacity-building, particularly in developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as Parties with economies in transition, to facilitate implementation of the Strategy;

4. Stresses the urgent need to mobilize, in line with the strategy for resource mobilization of the Convention, the necessary financial, technical and human resources and strengthen capacity and partnerships in order to achieve the targets of this Strategy;

5. Invites Parties, other Governments, the financial mechanism, and funding organizations to provide adequate, timely and sustainable support to the implementation of the Strategy, especially by developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as Parties with economies in transition;

6. Invites Parties and other Governments to:

7. Also invites relevant international and regional organizations to:

8. Invites Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to promote the implementation of the Strategy by all relevant sectors at national level in harmony with the updated Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and other instruments, protocols and initiatives of the Convention, including the Strategic Plan of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;

9. Decides to undertake a mid-term review of the implementation of the consolidated update of the Strategy and its targets in 2015, in tandem with the mid-term review of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the review of the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals;

10. Further requests the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation and other partners and relevant organizations, and subject to the availability of the necessary resources to:

11. Invites the Executive Secretary to recommend measures for enhanced national implementation of the Strategy and integrate the implementation of the Strategy with other programmes, instruments, protocols, and initiatives of the Convention, including harmonization with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its implementation measures;

12. Expresses its appreciation to the Government of Ireland, the Government of Spain, the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation, Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and Durban Botanic Gardens, for supporting activities related to the development of the updated Strategy as well as the Boeing company for supporting regional meetings;

13. Expresses its gratitude to Botanic Gardens Conservation International for the secondment of a Programme Officer to the Secretariat to support the implementation of the Strategy up to 2010.