Notification 2012-060

Dear Madam/Sir, In paragraph 7a of decision X/31 on protected areas, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) requested the Executive Secretary to continue to hold regional and sub-regional capacity-building workshops, with special attention to element 2 on governance, participation, equity and benefit-sharing of the programme of work on protected areas (PoWPA), and other identified priorities with specific timetables for planning and funding, developing cooperation with regional and sub-regional convention agreements, the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, technical networks, and other partners. Accordingly, the Secretariat, with the generous financial assistance of the European Union, is organizing a Sub-Regional Workshop for Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia on Capacity Building for Implementation of the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas to be held from 4 to 8 June 2012 in Belgrade, Serbia. This workshop is being organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the PoWPA Friends Consortium and hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Mining and Spatial Planning of the Government of Serbia. The objective of the workshop is to build capacity to (i) create national action plans for implementation of the PoWPA, (ii) access funding based on these action plans, and (iii) strengthen implementation of the PoWPA on the themes of governance, climate change (including integrating protected areas into the wider land and seascape), sustainable financing, and valuation of the costs and benefits of protected areas, with a focus on marine protected areas where applicable. A field visit to a protected area will be organized by the Government of Serbia. The provisional agenda is attached and other meeting documents will soon be available on the CBD website (http://www.cbd.int/meetings/). I am pleased to invite CBD primary focal points of Parties of these sub-regions to nominate one representative at the earliest convenience, but no later than 9 May 2012, to participate in the workshop. The Secretariat will be in a position to finance the participation of one representative from each eligible Party noting that European Union member states are not eligible for this funding. Parties are requested to nominate representatives using the following criteria: • The country representative should be involved in the implementation of the PoWPA; and • After the workshop, the representative should be in a position to translate the knowledge gained into concrete actions. In the week leading up to the workshop, the participants will be expected to spend a few hours participating in online courses guided by mentors (http://www.cbd.int/protected/e-learning/) on key themes of the PoWPA such as climate change and protected areas. The capacity gained can be shared with staff in country who may also take these modules. Unless the nominee is the current PoWPA Focal Point, nominations must include full contact details and be accompanied by curriculum vitae clearly indicating the areas of expertise of the nominee. CBD primary focal points should provide the name and contact details of their nominee via official signed letter addressed to the Executive Secretary by the deadline (faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588, or scanned and attached to an email addressed to secretariat@cbd.int). Please note that the workshop will be held in English with Russian interpretation. I look forward to receiving your nominations and I thank you in advance for your cooperation and for your continued support for the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. PROVISIONAL AGENDA 1. Opening of the meeting. 2. Overview and needs assessment of current capacity-building tools and approaches to implement the programme of work on protected areas and decisions adopted at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, on protected areas. 3. Strengthening capacities for: (a) Adapting and mitigating climate change, including integration of protected areas into wider land- and seascapes and sectors; (b) Developing national action plans for implementation of the programme of work on protected areas; © Marine protected areas; (d) Governance; (e) Valuation of the costs and benefits of protected areas, including ecosystem services; (f) Funding opportunities under the fifth replenishment period of the Global Environment Facility (GEF 5). 4. Other matters. 5. Adoption of the report and closure of the meeting.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD Focal Points with copy to CBD PoWPA focal points in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan