Notification 2025-102

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am pleased to invite Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth organizations, and other relevant organizations and initiatives to nominate experts to participate in the expert workshop on scientific and technical work conducted under the Convention on Biological Diversity relevant to marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, to be held from 2 to 5 December 2025 in Bergen, Norway.

The workshop is being convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in collaboration with relevant international organizations and initiatives, and will be hosted by the Government of Norway, with financial support from the Governments of Germany, Ireland, Norway and Sweden. The Secretariat will cooperate with the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat in the planning and delivery of the workshop.

The workshop is being organized pursuant to a request of the Conference of the Parties in decision 16/17 to convene an expert workshop on opportunities for specific areas, including cross-sectoral areas, of scientific and technical work under the Convention to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and to make available information on the results of the workshop.

The workshop will address the wide range of relevant work under the Convention, including on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas, area-based conservation, environmental impact assessment, guidance on various pressures on marine biodiversity, mainstreaming biodiversity into sectors, access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources, digital sequence information, capacity-building and development, knowledge management and facilitating coordination and cooperation across global and regional bodies and organizations, among other areas of work. Discussions will focus on how this work can  inform Parties and competent intergovernmental organizations and processes, including global and regional sectoral authorities, and work under the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) in the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. 

Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth organizations, and relevant organizations and initiatives are invited to nominate one expert to participate in this workshop. Nominations must include: (i) an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, signed by the national focal point or head of the organization, indicating the name and full contact details of the nominee; (ii) the curriculum vitae of the nominee, clearly indicating their areas of expertise and experience. Participants will be selected from among these nominations, based on their background and expertise in the topics to be discussed, while considering gender and geographical balance.  Nominations must be sent by e-mail to secretariat@cbd.int as soon as possible but no later than 15 September 2025. 

The workshop will be conducted in English, with no interpretation. Participants should therefore be comfortable working in English.

Selected nominees eligible for funding will be provided with air travel and a daily subsistence allowance. Workshop materials will be forwarded to all selected participants and posted on the CBD website in due course. 

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

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

(Signed) Astrid Schomaker

Executive Secretary