Decision COP 14/4

Recalling decisions XII/21 on health and biodiversity,

Recalling decisions XIII/3, in which it considered the mainstreaming of biodiversity in the sectors of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism as well as cross-cutting issues, and in which it decided to address, at its fourteenth meeting, the mainstreaming of biodiversity into the sectors of energy and mining, infrastructure, manufacturing and processing, and health,

Recalling decision XIII/6 on health and biodiversity and the importance of this decision to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,

1. Welcomes the consideration of the interlinkages between human health and biodiversity by the Seventy-first World Health Assembly; 

2. Welcomes the Guidance on integrating biodiversity considerations into One Health approaches, among other holistic approaches, recognizes the importance of ecosystem-based approaches for the delivery of multiple benefits to health and well-being and encourages Parties, and invites other Governments and relevant organizations to make use of the guidance, in accordance with national circumstances;

3. Invites Parties and other Governments to consider integrating One Health policies, plans or projects, and other holistic approaches in their national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and, as appropriate, national health plans, and other instruments including those under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, to jointly support the implementation of the Convention, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other relevant global commitments;

4. Invites Parties, other Governments and other relevant stakeholders to consider gender-differentiated impacts and responses in the integration of biodiversity and health linkages in their policies, plans and actions;

5. Invites Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations and cooperation agencies to support capacity-building for the efficient and effective use of the Guidance on integrating biodiversity considerations into One Health approaches, among other holistic approaches;

6. Encourages Parties to promote dialogue among ministries and agencies responsible for the sectors of health (including domestic animal and wildlife health), environment, pollution (such as marine plastic debris), pesticides, antimicrobial resistance, agriculture, nutrition and food security, food safety, planning (including urban planning), climate change adaptation and mitigation and disaster risk reduction, to foster integrated approaches, with a view to enhancing implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including by mainstreaming biodiversity and health linkages such as those contained in the annex to decision XIII/6 into existing and future policies, plans and strategies, as appropriate;

7. Encourages Parties, and invites other Governments and relevant organizations to share their experience on implementing the Guidance on integrating biodiversity considerations in One Health approaches, among other holistic approaches, including through the clearing-house mechanism;

8. Invites Parties and other Governments, and relevant organizations to further develop communication, education and public awareness tools on the importance for public health of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem-based approaches, with a view to mainstreaming biodiversity and developing biodiversity-inclusive One Health policies, plans and programmes, among other holistic approaches, in line with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;

9. Encourages Parties, and other Governments and relevant stakeholders, in accordance with their national capacities and circumstances, priorities and regulations:

10. Invites the World Health Organization, the World Organization for Animal Health, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and other relevant organizations to consider ecosystem-based approaches in their efforts to strengthen the prevention of ill health;

11. Invites the World Health Organization:

12. Invites donor and funding agencies in a position to do so to provide financial assistance for country-driven projects that address cross-sectoral mainstreaming of biodiversity and health when requested by developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries among them, including small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition;

13. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of financial resources, and invites the World Health Organization, in collaboration, as appropriate, with other members of the InterLiaison Group on Biodiversity and Health as well as other partner

14. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources, and invites the World Health Organization and other members of the Inter-agency Liaison Group on Biodiversity and Health, and other partners, as appropriate, to collaborate:

15. Requests the Executive Secretary to report on progress to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice at its twenty-third meeting and to the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at its third meeting.