Notification 2013-096

Dear Madam/Sir, Article 18, paragraph 3 of the Convention establishes a Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) to promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation. In decision III/4, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention established an informal advisory committee (CHM-IAC) to assist in the functioning of the Clearing-House Mechanism. The mandate of this committee has been periodically extended since then and will be reviewed again at the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13). In decision VII/23, the Conference of the Parties adopted the operational procedures for the CHM-IAC which are annexed to this notification. In accordance with these procedures, the members of this committee are selected by the Executive Secretary who shall seek to ensure a balance of expertise, as well as regional and bio-geographical balance. I therefore invite each Party to nominate one expert as soon as possible but no later than 31 December 2013. The nomination should be in the form of an official letter together with the curriculum vitae of the nominated expert addressed to the CBD Executive Secretary. The letter should be signed by the CBD National Focal Point, or a senior government official, and should contain the name and full contact information of the nominated member, including an e-mail address. This letter should be sent to the Secretariat by e-mail (secretariat@cbd.int) or fax (+ 1 514 288 6588). I am also pleased to announce that, thanks to the generous financial contribution of the Government of Canada, the next meeting of the CHM-IAC is tentatively scheduled to be held in June 2014 in Montreal, Canada, back-to-back with the fifth meeting of the Working Group on the Review of the Implementation (WGRI 5). The purpose of this CHM-IAC meeting will be to review progress in the implementation of the work programme for the CHM in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 (document UNEP/CBD/COP/11/31), including a new proposed version of the central CHM and its information-exchange mechanism with national CHMs. Further information will be communicated in due course. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. Annex OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR THE INFORMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE CLEARING-HOUSE MECHANISM A. Objectives 1. The informal advisory committee shall, in providing guidance to the Executive Secretary, have the following objectives: (a) Provide advice on matters relating to the clearing house-mechanism, and in particular, on how to improve the effectiveness of the clearing house-mechanism as a mechanism to promote scientific and technical cooperation and exchange information on the transfer of publicly available expertise, technology and scientific cooperation; (b) Facilitate the development and implementation of guidance from the Conference of the Parties concerning the clearing house-mechanism and the Strategic Plan of the clearing-house mechanism (UNEP/CBD/COP/5/INF/3); (c) Facilitate and encourage cooperation with other relevant international and regional scientific and technical cooperation and technology transfer initiatives; (d) Advise on means to facilitate the implementation of the clearing-house mechanism at the national level; (e) Enhance the scientific and technical cooperation benefits of all Convention activities. B. Operational procedures 2. The Executive Secretary, in constituting and coordinating the informal advisory committee, shall seek to ensure regional balance and relevant expertise and knowledge, including of relevant international and regional scientific and technical cooperation initiatives, and non-governmental organizations. C. Membership 3. The members of the informal advisory committee shall be selected by the Executive Secretary. In selecting members, he shall seek to ensure a balance of expertise and regional and bio-geographical balance. 4. Informal advisory committee members shall be selected for their expertise and understanding of the clearing-house mechanism and the Convention, taking into account the need for expertise including: scientific and technical cooperation; capacity building; information exchange and sharing; and facilitating partnership with other organizations and initiatives. 5. Informal advisory committee members shall be selected for two years. The term is renewable by the Executive Secretary. 6. The Executive Secretary should ensure that changes in membership do not affect the continuity of the work. 7. Proxies may be agreed to by the Executive Secretary. D. Chair 8. The Chair of the informal advisory committee shall be selected by the Executive Secretary, after consultation with the members, and serve for at least two years. E. Meetings 9. Meetings shall be convened by the Executive Secretary and held back-to-back with SBSTTA and meetings of the Conference of the Parties. Additional meetings, electronic or in person, may be convened by the Executive Secretary as required to ensure the timely handling of issues. 10. The draft agenda for each meeting shall, if possible, be made available two months prior and otherwise at least one month prior to each meeting, and be posted on the Convention on Biological Diversity web site and notified to the informal advisory committee and clearing house-mechanism national focal points by fax and/or e-mail, and/or post. 11. Minutes of each meeting, and related information documents, shall be posted on the website of the Convention on Biological Diversity as soon as practical following their review by the Executive Secretary. This information will also be made available to the informal advisory committee and clearing house mechanism national focal points by fax or e-mail or post.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD & CHM National Focal Points and CHM-IAC Members