Notification 2015-042

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that, with financial support from the Government of the Republic of Korea, through the EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea Foundation, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is convening the Sustainable Ocean Initiative Training of Trainers Workshop from 13 to 17 July 2015, in Yeosu, Republic of Korea. The workshop is being convened in collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Maritime Institute and various other partners of the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI). The workshop aims to support experts from national-level agencies of developing country Parties to contribute to enhanced national implementation towards achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in marine and coastal areas, in particular by strengthening national scientific and technical capacity on: (1) the description of ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs); (2) the application of the ecosystem approach and area-based management tools, such as integrated marine and coastal area management and marine spatial planning; and (3) the application of biodiversity-inclusive environmental impact assessments. The workshop will focus on providing experts with the tools, guidelines and information needed to develop and implement successful training programmes on a range of issues in their respective countries at national and/or sub-national levels. The Sustainable Ocean Initiative is a global platform that aims to build partnerships and enhance capacity to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets most relevant to marine and coastal biodiversity (in particular Targets 6, 10 and 11). Its implementation is being coordinated by the CBD Secretariat in collaboration with various SOI partners. SOI was created on the margins of the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity to respond to the need for training and capacity-building of developing country Parties with regard to marine conservation and management, as emphasized by the COP in decision X/29. Furthermore, in its decision XII/23, paragraph 22, the COP requested the Executive Secretary to organize, in collaboration with Parties and relevant organizations, additional capacity-building workshops and partnership activities within the framework of SOI to address priority issues identified for respective regions concerning the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in marine and coastal areas. In addition, at the twelfth meeting of the COP, the CBD Secretariat convened the Sustainable Ocean Initiative High-level Meeting, as a parallel session to the COP 12 High-level Segment, in collaboration with the Korea Maritime Institute and with the support of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea. This meeting welcomed a new SOI Action Plan for 2015-2020 (available at: http://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/mar/soiom-2014-02/official/soiom-2014-02-actionplan-en.pdf), which outlines a set of activities to enhance the implementation of SOI and address the needs of Parties to implement the Aichi Biodiversity Targets most relevant to marine and coastal biodiversity. The SOI Training of Trainers Workshop is a key component of the SOI Action Plan 2015-2020. CBD Parties are therefore invited to nominate an expert to participate in this workshop. Experts who take part in this workshop will be expected to develop a subsequent training programme at the national and/or sub-national level, with the support of their respective government and/or institution. Participants should be individuals from national agencies tasked with ocean and coastal management who are in a position to develop and implement training programmes at the national and/or sub-national level. The Secretariat will be in a position to finance the participation of one selected expert from each eligible Party who meets the following criteria, taking into account regional and gender balance: • Long-term experience, knowledge and expertise, and a clear responsibility within a national-level institution/agency, related to conservation and management of marine and coastal biodiversity; • Indication of ability to develop and implement training programmes on achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in marine and coastal areas at the national and/or sub-national level; • Ability to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration in the implementation of training programmes on achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in marine and coastal areas; and • Indication of support from a national institution/agency to develop and implement a training programme on achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in marine and coastal areas. Preference will be given to nominations that are sent with a formal letter from a national institution/agency expressing its commitment to support the expert in developing and implementing a training programme. Parties should provide the name and contact details of their nominees via a letter addressed to the Executive Secretary and signed by the National Focal Point. Nominations must include full contact details and be accompanied by a curriculum vitae clearly indicating the areas of expertise and experience of the nominees. The extent to which the nominee meets the above-mentioned criteria should be clearly explained in the curriculum vitae and nomination letter. All nominations must be accompanied by the nomination form attached. Nominations should be forwarded immediately but no later than 11 May 2015 (scanned and attached to an e-mail addressed to secretariat@cbd.int, or faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588). Workshop materials will be forwarded to the selected experts and posted on the CBD website in due course. The workshop will be conducted in English. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter and your continued support for the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points