Notification 2024-036

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to inform Parties and stakeholders that, in support of the intersessional work on biodiversity and climate change, a series of online discussion sessions, organized by the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, will take place in June and July 2024.  Further details on these online discussion sessions, including the provisional agenda and the registration information, will be communicated in due course.  A brief background is also provided in annex to this notification.

In connection to the above, an introductory exchange session on biodiversity and climate change is being organized on 13 May 2024 as a side-event, on the margins of SBSTTA 26, to facilitate the exchange of scientific and technical information and views among Parties and relevant stakeholders on the issues of biodiversity and climate change, building on the discussion at SBSTTA 25, and thereby to inform deliberations at COP 16. The side-event will be held in English and will be open to all registered SBSTTA 26 delegates. It will also be livestreamed for those who are not able to attend SBSTTA 26. Further information on the side-event, including the draft programme, is available here.

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

(Signed) David Cooper 
Acting Executive Secretary

Enclosure

Annex

Plan on intersessional work on biodiversity and climate change to inform the deliberations at COP 16

Background  

Since 2000, Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have noted the importance of addressing the interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change. In 2022, the Parties adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which includes two targets directly relating to biodiversity and climate change. Negotiations at SBSTTA 25 highlighted the importance of further consideration, prior to COP 16, of the interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change.

This document sets out activities to further the exchange of scientific and technical information and views among Parties and relevant stakeholders on the issues of biodiversity and climate change, building on the discussions at SBSTTA 25, and to inform deliberations at COP 16. It was considered (on 7-10 March 2024) and approved (on 11 March 2024) by the Bureau of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice.

Proposed intersessional activities

The proposed activities include: (a) an introductory exchange session as a side-event of SBSTTA 26, (b) online discussion sessions, and (c) drafting of an information document to support COP 16 negotiations, prior to COP 16 (21 October-1 November 2024) in Cali, Colombia. Due to financial constraints, the proposed activities may be held in English only.

A. Introductory exchange session as a side-event of SBSTTA 26

The Bureau and interested Parties, supported by the Secretariat, will host an introductory exchange session on 13 May 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, as a side-event of SBSTTA 26 (13-18 May 2024). The purpose of this session is to launch the intersessional work on climate change and biodiversity, provide key additional scientific and technical information to Parties, including but not limited to, outcomes of UNFCCC COP 28 and UNEA-6, and considerations on the implementation of Targets 8 and 11 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and to enable an initial interaction amongst Parties and others, including identifying key areas of convergence and divergence in regards to climate change and biodiversity, and that could benefit from informal dialogue before COP 16. A notification will be issued to fully engage Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, relevant organizations and other stakeholders on the intersessional process. Background document(s) will be also prepared by the Secretariat to inform the discussion. Recognized expert(s) will be engaged, as facilitators or resource persons, to address relevant issues and questions and help provide clarifications as necessary, including SBSTTA Chair and relevant SBSTTA Bureau members (current or previous).

B. Online discussion sessions

Building on the exchange and the clusters of issues identified during the introductory exchange session at the SBSTTA 26 side-event, interactive online sessions (likely 1-4 sessions, depending on the number of clusters identified by Parties), will be organized in the second and third quarters of 2024 by the Secretariat. They will be designed to facilitate the exchange of views and information on these clusters of issues, providing an opportunity for Parties to consider the interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change, and possibilities and varying perspectives. The aim is to identify key areas of convergence and divergence, and further explore options to resolve areas of divergence. This will help Parties prepare for COP 16 and assist the COP to identify possible pathways for a positive outcome on the agenda item on biodiversity and climate change. Each of the sessions and/or clusters of issues will be moderated by facilitators, as proposed by the SBSTTA Chair and Bureau members. Efforts will be made to ensure that all Parties that wish to participate are able to, including the scheduling at various times and/or repeating sessions to accommodate different time zones.

C. Drafting of an information document to support COP 16 negotiations

An information document will be prepared by the Secretariat, based on the inputs from the moderators, facilitators and rapporteurs of the sessions mentioned above, and made available to Parties prior to COP 16 to summarize the informal views and discussions that took place at the above-mentioned sessions. This is meant to support Parties in their preparations for discussions on biodiversity and climate change at COP 16.