Notification 2013-109

Dear Madam/Sir, Among the key scientific and technical needs related to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, identified by the seventeenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 17), was “the need for more accessible, affordable, comprehensive, reliable and comparable data and information streams through, inter alia, facilitated access to remote sensing (…)” (recommendation XVII/1, paragraph 3 (b)). A draft of a “Review of the use of remotely-sensed data for monitoring biodiversity change and tracking progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets” was made available to SBSTTA 17 as an information document (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/17/INF/16). The draft review was prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme – World Conservation Monitoring Centre, in association with the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership and the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observations Network (GEO BON), with the financial support of the European Commission and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). I am pleased to invite Parties and observers to review the draft of this document, which can be accessed at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/sbstta/sbstta-17/information/sbstta-17-inf-16-en.pdf, and to provide any comments or suggestions on how it could be improved. I would be grateful to receive comments by 15 January 2014 so that the document can be finalized and made available as part of the CBD Technical Series. Comments should be sent to the Secretariat by e-mail at: secretariat@cbd.int, or by fax at: +1 514 288 6588. I would also like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to an ongoing survey related to the identification and development of Essential Biodiversity Variables. An information note on this subject (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/17/INF/7) is available at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/sbstta/sbstta-17/information/sbstta-17-inf-07-en.pdf. The survey, which is being conducted by GEO BON, can be accessed at: http://www.earthobservations.org/geobon_ebv_survey.shtml. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, relevant organizations and participants to SBSTTA-17