Decision COP XII/5

Recalling decision X/6 and decision XI/22,

Also taking into account relevant initiatives, such as the Satoyama Initiative, consistent with decisions X/32 and XI/25, Living Well in Harmony and Balance with Mother Earth,  and initiatives from indigenous and community conserved areas and territories as well as The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB),

1. Expresses its appreciation to the Expert Group on Biodiversity for Poverty Eradication and Development for completing the work requested in decisions X/6 and XI/22; and receives with appreciation the Dehradun/Chennai Recommendations and the Guidance developed by the Expert Group on Biodiversity for Poverty Eradication and Development, from which the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention at its fifth meeting has extracted and revised elements, as annexed to this decision;

2. Welcomes the Chennai Guidance for the Integration of Biodiversity and Poverty Eradication, annexed to this decision;

3. Encourages Parties to integrate biodiversity and nature’s benefits to people, including ecosystem services and functions, into poverty eradication and development strategies, initiatives and processes at all levels, and vice versa, to integrate poverty eradication and development concerns and priorities into national biodiversity strategies and action plans and other appropriate plans, policies and programmes for the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and to monitor, evaluate and report on these integration efforts, through appropriate indicators and tools, and include this information, inter alia, in their national report;

4. Also encourages Parties to integrate biodiversity and ecosystem benefits, including services and functions, into national budgeting processes in order to capture the value of biodiversity in national development planning across all sectors for the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 as well as the achievement of Aichi Biodiversity Targets;

5. Further encourages Parties to enhance the contribution of biodiversity to sustainable development and poverty reduction through the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components;

6. Encourages Parties to develop approaches to build resilience of ecosystem functions and services to climate-change risks and to natural hazards, and other anthropogenic pressures, as well as for adaptation to environmental stress, for consideration in strategies and national development/sectoral plans, among others;

7. Invites Parties to raise awareness on best practices of sustainable use, including agro-ecological approaches with positive impacts on the conservation of biodiversity in order to address pressures on biodiversity;

8. Encourages Parties to promote actions compatible with biodiversity conservation to strengthen food security and nutrition as mechanisms for poverty eradication in rural areas;

9. Also encourages Parties, other Governments, international organizations, multilateral and regional development banks and the private sector and communities to recognize and take into account the diverse and holistic intrinsic values of biodiversity, including its spiritual and cultural values, and to use appropriate and effective non-market-based, market-based and rights-based approaches, taking into account national circumstances, visions and approaches, such as Living Well in Harmony and Balance with Mother Earth, and the construction of a resource-efficient society, in the efforts mentioned above;

10. Also encourages Parties, other Governments, international organizations and relevant stakeholders to ensure that, in their efforts to integrate biodiversity into poverty eradication and development strategies, initiatives and processes, they identify and promote policies, activities, projects and mechanisms on biodiversity and development that empower indigenous and local communities, the poor, marginalized and vulnerable, who depend directly on biodiversity and ecosystem services and functions for their livelihoods, recognizing the role of collective action in the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of its components;

11. Further encourages Parties, other Governments, international organizations and relevant stakeholders to support indigenous and community conserved areas and territories, community-based management, customary sustainable use and community governance of biodiversity, and ensure the full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities in decision-making processes, taking into account international instruments and law related to human rights in accordance with national legislation;

12. Encourages Parties, other Governments, international organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, and indigenous and local communities to identify best practices and lessons learned on how to integrate biodiversity, poverty eradication, and sustainable development, and to share this information using the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention and, as appropriate, other relevant means;

13. Encourages Parties to consider traditional knowledge related to biodiversity conservation in their national policies and initiatives;

14. Encourages Parties, other Governments, international organizations, relevant stakeholders and indigenous and local communities to take steps to identify and overcome barriers to the implementation of decisions of the Conference of the Parties, such as lack of cross-sector coordination, resources and political prioritization, in order to effectively integrate biodiversity, poverty eradication and development, and to share lessons learned and the approaches or methods used to overcome barriers using the clearing-house mechanism;

15. Calls upon Parties and others, as appropriate, to develop or strengthen the enabling environment and the capacity of Parties, communities, organizations and individuals, to effectively integrate the interlinkages between biodiversity and poverty eradication and sustainable development, and relevant cross-cutting issues by providing the necessary technical, scientific support and financial resources;

16. Encourages Parties to apply the Chennai Guidance for the Integration of Biodiversity and Poverty Eradication, annexed to this decision, as appropriate, in accordance with national laws, circumstances and priorities, to their related plans, policies and actions, and in the implementation of related programmes;

17. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of funding and human resources: