Notification 2012-020

Dear Madam/Sir, I have the pleasure to announce that the theme of the poster session for the sixteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to be held in Montréal, Canada, from 30 April to 5 May 2012, is: “Oceans, Coasts, Islands: Achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets”. Parties, other Governments and relevant United Nations, inter-governmental, non-governmental, regional and international organizations, indigenous and local communities, and the private sector are invited to contribute posters and extended abstracts showcasing how the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (www.cbd.int/sp/targets) are being achieved in oceans, coasts and islands. Participants are strongly encouraged to focus their submissions on one of the following targets: 6, 7, 10, 11, 14 or 15. Please indicate your intention to present a poster and accompanying two-page abstract by completing and returning the attached form before 29 February 2012, by fax or email to secretariat@cbd.int. Upon receipt of your form, we will forward detailed guidelines (which are also available on the SBSTTA-16 web pages at: http://www.cbd.int/sbstta16/poster-session). Note that posters must demonstrate a close relationship with the theme of this year’s poster session and that there will be a limit to the number of posters presented. Participation is not restricted to meeting participants. The Secretariat of the CBD plans to publish the extended abstracts of the posters in its Technical Series. The deadline for submission of extended abstracts is 26 March 2012. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points, POWPA Focal Points and relevant organizations