Notification 2009-059

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to invite you to participate in the peer review of the draft report of the first and second meetings of the Second Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on biodiversity and climate change. The AHTEG on biodiversity and climate change was established in response to decision IX/16 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to provide biodiversity-relevant information to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) through the provision of scientific and technical advice and assessment on the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into climate change mitigation and adaptation activities. Attached are the terms of reference for the AHTEG. The AHTEG met twice; the first meeting held from 17 to 21 November 2008 in London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, focused on climate change mitigation, and the second meeting held from 18 to 22 April 2009 in Helsinki, Finland, focused on climate change adaptation. Findings from first and second meetings of the AHTEG were compiled into a draft report accessible at http://www.cbd.int/climate/meetings/ahteg-bdcc-02-02/ahteg-bdcc-02-02-findings-review-en.pdf. As such, I am pleased to invite you to participate in the peer review of the draft report, by sending your comments to the CBD Secretariat (secretariat@cbd.int) at your earliest convenience, but no later than 30 June 2009. Please accept Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. TERMS OF REFERENCE OF AN AD HOC TECHNICAL EXPERT GROUP (AHTEG) ON BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE 1. The purpose of this Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on Biodiversity and Climate Change is to provide biodiversity-relevant information to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 2. The AHTEG shall be guided by relevant outcomes from the Conference of the Parties and the subsidiary bodies of the UNFCCC, and on other bodies as appropriate and shall draw on CBD Technical Series No. 10 and No. 25, the outcomes from the workshops convened by the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change under the Nairobi work programme as well as the documents compiled under this programme, and other relevant documents including the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. 3. The AHTEG shall be established in accordance with the procedures outlined in the consolidated modus operandi of SBSTTA (decision VIII/10, annex III) and considering the results presented by the group of experts on biodiversity and adaptation to climate change regarding ecosystem vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and climate change response measures within the framework of the programmes of work of the Convention on Biological Diversity and shall have the following terms of reference: provide scientific and technical advice and assessment on the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into climate change mitigation and adaptation activities through inter alia: (a) Identifying relevant tools, methodologies and best practice examples for assessing the impacts on and vulnerabilities of biodiversity as a result of climate change; (b) Highlighting case-studies and identifying methodologies for analysing the value of biodiversity in supporting adaptation in communities and sectors vulnerable to climate change; (c) Identifying case-studies and general principles to guide local and regional activities aimed at reducing risks to biodiversity values associated with climate change; (d) Identifying potential biodiversity-related impacts and benefits of adaptation activities, especially in the regions identified as being particularly vulnerable under the Nairobi work programme (developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States); (e) Identifying ways and means for the integration of the ecosystem approach in impact and vulnerability assessment and climate change adaptation strategies; (f) Identifying measures that enable ecosystem restoration from the adverse impacts of climate change which can be effectively considered in impact, vulnerability and climate change adaptation strategies; (g) Analysing the social, cultural and economic benefits of using ecosystem services for climate change adaptation and of maintaining ecosystem services by minimizing adverse impacts of climate change on biodiversity. (h) Proposing ways and means to improve the integration of biodiversity considerations and traditional and local knowledge related to biodiversity within impact and vulnerability assessments and climate change adaptation, with particular reference to communities and sectors vulnerable to climate change. (i) Identifying opportunities to deliver multiple benefits for carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in a range of ecosystems including peatlands, tundra and grasslands; (j) Identifying opportunities for, and possible negative impacts on, biodiversity and its conservation and sustainable use, as well as livelihoods of indigenous and local communities, that may arise from reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation; (k) Identifying options to ensure that possible actions for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation do not run counter to the objectives of the CBD but rather support the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; (l) Identifying ways that components of biodiversity can reduce risk and damage associated with climate change impacts; (m) Identifying means to incentivise the implementation of adaptation actions that promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. 4. The work of the AHTEG should be initiated as soon as possible in order to provide a completed report for consideration by the SBSTTA prior to the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties; and provide information on these deliberations to the relevant UNFCCC processes. 5. The selection of the experts shall be in accordance with annex III of decision VIII/10 and shall include representatives of indigenous and local communities. 6. Parties are encouraged to take into consideration, the need for scientific and technical expertise in the AHTEG also from, inter alia, UNFCCC and other relevant intergovernmental organizations and processes when nominating their experts. 7. In preparing documentation for the AHTEG meetings, especially noting the need to ensure scientific credibility and timely information to the UNFCCC processes, inter alia, the following steps should be taken subject to the availability of financial resources: (a) Parties, other Governments, relevant intergovernmental organization and processes, indigenous and local communities and other relevant stakeholders should be invited to submit their views, best practice examples and further relevant information on items included in the paragraph 1 above to the Executive Secretary; and (b) An ad hoc Internet-based discussion group or an online conference should be convened by the Executive Secretary in multiple languages, so as to support the meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group identifying major issues related to the items included in its terms of reference in paragraph 3 above.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points; SBSTTA Focal Point; and Relevant organisations