Notification 2019-079

Dear Madam/Sir,

I am pleased to inform you of the regional dialogue on integrating climate change and biodiversity at the national level in Central America and the Caribbean, to be held from 4 to 7 November 2019, in Belize City, Belize. This event is organized in collaboration with SwedBio at the Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre.

The workshop is part of a series of regional dialogues organized to support countries through peer-to-peer exchanges where countries can benefit from each other’s experience at the sub-regional level. The event includes a field visit to an area where ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction are being implemented. 

The objectives of the dialogue are to exchange experiences in developing ecosystem-based approaches in climate-related policy at the national level, and to identify synergies among potential ecosystem-based approaches for delivering benefits related to multiple objectives. It supports decision XIII/4 of the Conference of the Parties, which encourages Parties to fully take into account the importance of ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems, and to integrate ecosystem-based approaches when developing Nationally Determined Contributions and, where appropriate, implementing associated domestic measures. It also supports the achievement of Aichi Biodiversity Targets 2, 14, 15 and 19.

I am pleased to invite your Government to nominate two experts to participate in this event, to be considered for selection according to these criteria:

1. One participant should be directly responsible for the development, updating and/or implementation of national biodiversity strategies, policies or programmes;
2. The other participant should be involved in the development of national climate change adaptation plans, policies and programmes; and
3. The participants should be in a position to translate the knowledge gained into concrete cross-sectoral actions to enhance policy and planning coherence on biodiversity and climate change.

Please note that the workshop will be conducted in English and Spanish with simultaneous interpretation. 

Participants will be selected among nominees on the basis of relevant experience and expertise related to ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction and taking gender balance into account. Thanks to the generous support provided by SwedBio at the Stockholm Resilience Centre, selected nominees from eligible countries will receive financing to facilitate their participation. The travel and Daily Subsistence Allowance for eligible participants will be arranged by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre and in accordance with their rules and procedures.  

Nominanions should be submitted in the form of an official letter signed by the focal point or a senior government official addressed to the Executive Secretary clearly indicating names and full contact information, including address, e-mail addresses and telephone number of nominees. The nominations should also include a curriculum vitae (CV) indicating nominees’ relevant experience and expertise. The nominations should be sent to secretariat@cbd.int or faxed to + 1 514 288 6588 at your earliest convenience but not later than 4 October 2019.

Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

I am pleased to inform you that the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) are co-organizing a five-day regional training workshop for representatives from the South East Asia region, to be held from 9 to 13 December 2019, in Manila, Philippines.  The workshop is being convened with financial support from the Government of Sweden, and the ACB through support provided from the European Union through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in ASEAN Project. 

The workshop aims to build a cadre of qualified trainers on gender and biodiversity issues, who can contribute to strengthen capacity on gender mainstreaming of government officials and associated actors responsible for biodiversity policy and planning in the region. The workshop will include a training of trainer’s exercise and delivery of training to staff members of the ACB and associated host country organizations, to enhance institutional capacity ongender mainstreaming and contribute to stronger regional action on gender-responsive biodiversity policy and programming.  This training workshop thereby aims to serve as a pilot exercise to promote regional capacity-building and action on gender and biodiversity issues. 

Topics to be covered in the training exercise include gender and biodiversity concepts, gender analysis and gender mainstreaming, relevant international policy commitments, and programming practicalities, including gender-responsive planning and budgeting. 

By this notification, I am pleased to invite Parties and relevant organizations to nominate up to two officials involved in the implementation of the Convention, with relevant expertise on gender and biodiversity and the delivery of training, to participate in this workshop. Nominees must have demonstrated knowledge, expertise and experience related to gender and biodiversity issues and experience in providing training, in order to be considered eligible to participate.  The selection of experts will be carried out using the following criteria, taking into account gender balance: 

1. Working knowledge of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
2. Experience and knowledge on national and regional environmental policy and networks;
3. Experience and knowledge on gender and biodiversity and/or gender and environment linkages and approaches to mainstreaming;
4. Experience in delivering training on or related to gender and biodiversity or environment activities; 
5. A clear responsibility within a national or regional-level institution/agency, or a relevant entity including non-governmental organizations, related to biodiversity conservation or environmental management; and
6. Ability and availability to serve as a trainer and resource person on gender and biodiversity issues, at the regional, national or organizational level.   

Selected nominees will be expected to commit to delivering training on gender and biodiversity issues for government officials and associated actors within their countries and/or organizations. 

           Nominations must include an official letteraddressed to the Executive Secretary, signed by the National Focal Point or the Head of the organization, indicating the name and full contact details of the nominees. Nominations must also be accompanied by a curriculum vitae of the nominee, demonstrating expertise in the topics for the workshop (training, gender, biodiversity and/or environment), and by the attached nomination form duly completed and signed by the nominee.  Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

            Nominations should be sent to secretariat@cbd.int, or faxed to +1 (514) 288-6588, as soon as possible, but no later than 8 October 2019.  The workshop will be conducted in English.

            The Secretariat will be in a position to cover the costs of travel tickets (economy class airfare or alternative transit fare) and accommodation and subsistence (up to a maximum of six nights) for a limited number of representatives from each country Party in the South East Asia region eligible for financial support, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) guidelines. As funding is subject to OECD DAC eligibility, countries that are not eligible for OECD DAC assistance may still wish to nominate a participant, however, participation would be at their own expense.

            Thank you in advance for your cooperation and for your continued support for the work of the Convention. 

Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. 

Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Ph D

Executive Secretary