Notification 2017-112

Dear Madam/Sir, The purpose of this notification is to invite Parties, other Governments, and relevant organizations to provide comments and feedback on the draft Guidelines for recognizing and reporting other effective area-based conservation measures, available at: https://www.cbd.int/pa/doc/guidelines-reporting-oecms-en.pdf. The draft guidelines were developed by the World Commission on Protected Areas Task Force of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, pursuant to the request contained in paragraph 10 of decision XI/24. The Task Force, created in 2015 to develop the report, includes more than 120 conservation experts globally. Its work has benefited from several workshops, as well as consultation with Parties at side events held on the margins of meetings of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the Convention, and at the thirteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention in Cancun, Mexico. In paragraph 9 (a (i)) of decision XIII/2, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity invited Parties, other Governments, relevant partners, regional agencies, bilateral and multilateral funding agencies, in conjunction with the Secretariat, to undertake a review of experiences on protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, taking into account the work of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and other appropriate expert bodies. In paragraph 10 (a) of the same decision, the Conference of the Parties requested the Executive Secretary to develop voluntary guidance on the elements listed in paragraph 9 (a), noting lessons learned from the relevant biodiversity-related conventions and agreements. Therefore, I would like to invite Parties and other Governments to review the draft guidelines, provide feedback and comments using the annexed template, and to submit it to the Task Force Co-Chairs, via e-mail at: harry@naturaljustice.org and kathy.s.mackinnon@gmail.com, (writing ‘OECM Guidelines Feedback’ in the subject line), with a copy to: secretariat@cbd.int, as soon as convenient and no later than 6 December 2017. The information provided will be used at the upcoming technical expert workshop on other effective area-based conservation measures for achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 that will be held from 6 to 9 February 2018, in Montreal, Canada, pursuant to paragraph 10 (b) of decision XIII/2 (see also notification 2017-099). I thank you for your cooperation and continued support to the Convention, as well as your contributions towards the achievement of as many elements of Target 11 by 2020. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points, PoWPA Focal Points, Relevant organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, United Nations/International organizations