Notification 2012-069

Dear Madam/Sir, You will recall that, pursuant to paragraph 50 of decision X/29, the Executive Secretary facilitated the development of voluntary guidelines for the consideration of biodiversity in environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and strategic environmental assessments (SEAs) in marine and coastal areas, building upon the existing voluntary guidelines endorsed through decision VIII/28. Drafts of the voluntary guidelines, together with background information, were circulated to Parties, other Governments and organizations for technical peer review through notification 2011-212, issued on 7 November 2011. The comments from the technical peer-review are reflected in the draft voluntary guidelines (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/7/Add.1) and the background document (UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/INF/16) prepared for the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), at its 16th meeting, held in Montreal, 30 April to 5 May 2012. At this meeting, SBSTTA prepared a recommendation to the Conference of the Parties on this matter and also requested the Executive Secretary to refine the voluntary guidelines for the consideration of biodiversity in environmental impact assessments and strategic environmental assessments in marine and coastal areas in light of views submitted by Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations by 30 June 2012. In this context, I am pleased to invite you to send your views on the draft voluntary guidelines contained in document UNEP/CBD/SBSTTA/16/7/Add.1 (available at the following link: http://www.cbd.int/doc/?meeting=SBSTTA-16) to the CBD Secretariat by email, as a word document attachment to secretariat@cbd.int, at your earliest convenience, but no later than 30 June 2012. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points; other Governments; relevant organizations