Notification 2005-084

Dear Madam/Sir, The purpose of this notification is to invite Parties, other Governments, relevant international organizations and indigenous and local communities to contribute to the preparatory work on review of implementation of the programme of work on protected areas in preparation for the second meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Protected Areas, which will be held in Montreal, Canada from 5 to 9 December 2005 The first meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Protected Areas was held in Montecatini, Italy from 13 to 17 June 2005. Its report is contained in document UNEP/CBD/WG-PA/1/6. In recommendation 1/ 4 on the “Review of implementation of the programme of work on protected areas: consideration of the process for review”, the Working Group agreed to review the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas at its second meeting. For this purpose the Working Group agreed to: (a) develop an evaluation matrix taking note of the suggestions in annex II to this recommendation, which includes for each target of the programme of work, the criteria for assessing implementation, the information needed to assess implementation, possible sources of information and the description of progress and main obstacles, for consideration by its second meeting (paragraph 2 of the recommendation 1/4). For this purpose, the Working Group requested the Executive Secretary to collect the views of the Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and indigenous and local communities on the proposed content of the evaluation matrix for further consideration by its second meeting (paragraph 8(b) of the recommendation 1/4). (b) develop a schedule describing elements of the programme of work to be reviewed at the eighth, ninth and tenth meetings of the Conference of the Parties as contained in annex III to this recommendation and further refined based upon inputs received from Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and indigenous and local communities (paragraph 3 of the recommendation 1/4). For this purpose the Working Group requested the Executive Secretary to issue an additional notification to Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and indigenous and local communities seeking views on the main elements to be reviewed at the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (paragraph 8(b) of the recommendation 1/4). (c) review the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas at its second meeting (paragraph 5 of the recommendation 1/.4). The Working Group invited Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and indigenous and local communities to contribute information needed for the review of implementation in accordance with the schedule referred to in paragraph 3 of the recommendation. The main elements to be reviewed at the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, contained in annex III of the recommendation, are reproduced in Appendix 2 of this notification. These elements, presented in a questionnaire format in Appendix 3 to this notification, include activities of the programme of work to be completed by 2006 and a few additional activities to be initiated early that the working group decided to review in 2006. Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and indigenous and local communities are invited to submit to the Executive Secretary as soon as possible and no later than 15 August 2005 the following: (a) written comments on the proposed content of the evaluation matrix contained in annex II of the recommendation, and reproduced in Appendix 1 of this notification; (b) written comments on the main elements of the programme of work on protected areas to be reviewed at the eighth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, contained in annex III of the recommendation, reproduced in Appendix 2 of this notification; and (c) information needed for the review of implementation of a number of activities by replying to the questions contained in Appendix 3 of this notification. This information should include a description of activities that have been implemented and the degree of implementation; activities that remains to be implemented; and obstacles encountered during implementation. An adequate and useful review of the implementation of the programme of work on protected areas is possible only if the Secretariat receives information from all stakeholders in a timely manner.

Executive Secretary

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