Notification 2011-119

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that a regional consultation and capacity building workshop on biodiversity and indigenous and local community aspects of REDD-plus, including on relevant safeguards, will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 20 to 23 September 2011. This workshop is being convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in collaboration with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), and with the generous financial support of the governments of Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as well as the UN-REDD Programme (United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries). The workshop will be held in English and French. The purpose of the workshop, pursuant to decision X/33 of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD, is to consult effectively with Parties on the development of advice on relevant safeguards for biodiversity, so that REDD-plus actions are consistent with the objectives of the CBD and avoid negative impacts on and enhance benefits for biodiversity. Further objectives of the workshop are to identify possible indicators to assess the contribution of REDD-plus to achieving the objectives of the CBD, and assess potential mechanisms to monitor impacts on biodiversity from these and other ecosystem-based approaches for climate change mitigation measures. The workshop also aims to enhance the coordination of capacity-building efforts on issues related to biodiversity and ecosystem-based carbon sequestration and the conservation of forest carbon stocks. The Conference of the Parties to the CBD, at its tenth meeting (COP 10), requested the Executive Secretary to 'Provide advice, for approval by the Conference of the Parties at its eleventh meeting, including on the application of relevant safeguards for biodiversity, without pre-empting any future decisions taken under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, based on effective consultation with Parties and their views, and with the participation of indigenous and local communities, so that actions are consistent with the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity and avoid negative impacts on and enhance benefits for biodiversity.’ COP 10 also requested the Executive Secretary to 'With effective consultation with Parties and based on their views and in collaboration with the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, identify possible indicators to assess the contribution of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries to achieving the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and assess potential mechanisms to monitor impacts on biodiversity from these and other ecosystem-based approaches for climate change mitigation measures, without pre-empting any future decisions taken under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and to report on progress to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice at a meeting prior to the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties.’ COP 10 further requested the Executive Secretary to ‘Convene, subject to the availability of financial resources, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change an expert workshop, with the full and effective participation of experts from developing countries on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries, with a view to enhancing the coordination of capacity-building efforts on issues related to biodiversity and ecosystem-based carbon sequestration and the conservation of forest carbon stocks.’ The workshop is the fourth in a series of four expert workshops on biodiversity aspects of REDD-plus, following workshops held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 20 to 23 September 2010; Singapore, from 15 to 18 March 2011; and Quito, Ecuador, from 5 to 8 July 2011, respectively. To ensure that workshop objectives can be achieved, and to strengthen capacity and facilitate coordination among the National Focal Points for the CBD and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it is my pleasure to invite you to nominate two country-designated experts to participate in this workshop. In submitting nominations, please note that one of the designated experts should be involved in national-level implementation of the CBD programme of work on forest biodiversity (decisions VI/22, IX/5, and X/36), and/or the development and implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). The second designated expert should be directly involved in the preparation or implementation of national-level climate change mitigation and/or adaptation activities related to forest ecosystems in the framework of the UNFCCC. The nominated experts should be in a position to prepare and present a single brief national report on challenges and opportunities related to forest biodiversity and climate change, including biodiversity-related aspects of pilot and demonstration activities on REDD-plus in their countries. Available resources allow the Secretariat to offer financial travel support to cover the costs of participation for a number of developing country participants. In addition, a number of representatives of indigenous and local community organizations will be sponsored. Participants eligible for financial travel support will be provided with air travel, accommodation, meals and an allowance for incidental costs. The selection of sponsored participants will be made on basis of relevant expertise and language skills, and geographic and gender balance. Priority will be given to designated experts involved in national-level implementation of the CBD. I would appreciate receiving the names and coordinates of your nominees, together with brief outlines of their areas of expertise, at your earliest convenience, but no later than 5 August 2011 by fax to +1 (514) 288-6588, or scanned and attached to an email addressed to secretariat@cbd.int. I look forward to your suggestions and response. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, Africa, cc: National Focal Points of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); Indigenous and Local Community Organizations; Members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests; other Relevant Organizations; SBSTTA Focal Points; CHM Focal Points; POWPA Focal Points