Notification 2014-003

Dear Madam/Sir, In decision X/31, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity encouraged Parties to share and update relevant information on their protected areas system with the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), which includes the United Nations List of Protected Areas. Recognizing the importance of the WDPA as a tool to monitor progress towards selected biodiversity targets, the Conference of the Parties further requested the United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) to work with international organizations to maintain and further develop the World Database on Protected Areas into a more comprehensive database, as well as for Parties, governments and other relevant organizations, to provide up-to-date information (decision VII/28). Data and information on the world's protected areas compiled in the WDPA are used for reporting to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Millennium Development Goals, and other international assessments and reports including the Global Biodiversity Outlook, as well as for the publication of the United Nations List of Protected Areas. The United Nations List of Protected Areas, produced in collaboration between the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the United Nations Environment Programme and UNEP-WCMC, is a key source document which contributes to assessing progress made to conserve the Earth's natural places and reducing the rate of biodiversity loss and other environmental threats. The publication of a new edition of the United Nations List of Protected Areas - the 14th report to be produced since 1962 - coincides with the IUCN World Parks Congress to be held in Sydney, Australia in November 2014. To further facilitate the preparation of the report, Parties and other governments are invited to review data that are provided to them by the Protected Areas Programme of UNEP-WCMC and to submit an official and up-to-date version of their records for integration in the WDPA. The data holdings for your country will be provided to you directly by UNEP-WCMC for review and updating. Submission of data and information should be made to the Protected Areas Programme of the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (protectedareas@unep-wcmc.org) by 31 March 2014 in line with the deadline for the fifth national reports. The information provided will be used to update the WDPA, and to publish the United Nations List of Protected Areas, the Protected Planet Report 2014 and the fourth edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points and PoWPA Focal Points