Notification 2016-067

Dear Madam/Sir, I am writing to encourage you to participate in, or to draw to the attention of relevant experts, an online open consultation to help fill gaps in the global indicator framework for the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The purpose of the online open consultation is to help identify organizations that are developing or producing relevant indicators which may serve to fill these gaps. The online consultation is being organized by the Secretariat of the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership as part of the Mind the Gap project. This project, supported by the European Commission, aims to address gaps in the global indicator suite and to ensure a robust evidence-base for future biodiversity-related decision-making. It is aligned with recent recommendations from the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). In its recommendation XIX/4, SBSTTA took note of the proposed list of indicators for the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and noted that the list of indicators should be kept under review, enabling the future incorporation of other relevant indicators. The list of indicators will be further considered at the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. Further, in its recommendation XX/13, SBSTTA recommended that the Conference of the Parties emphasize that the list of indicators provides a flexible framework for Parties to adapt, as appropriate, to their national priorities and circumstances. In the same recommendation SBSSTA also recommended that the Conference of the Parties welcome the important contributions to indicator development by the members of the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership and other relevant organizations and processes and encourage further collaboration and continued support for work on indicators. The consultation is open until 30 June 2016. Further information on the consultation is available at http://www.bipindicators.net/gaps.

To: CBD National Focal Points, SBSTTA Focal Points and relevant organizations