Notification 2026-055

Dear Sir or Madam,

In decisions 16/25, CP-11/5 and NP-5/10, paragraph 3, the Executive Secretary, together with the Bureaux, was requested to explore ways to facilitate early preparations for meetings, including the early submission of statements.

At their joint meeting held on 10 June 2026, the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties and the SBSTTA Bureau respectively agreed to implement modalities for the early submission of statements, on a voluntary and informal basis, for all substantive agenda items of SBI-7 (agenda items 3 to 14) and SBSTTA-28 (agenda items 3 to 8), building upon the experience related to the implementation of pilot modalities at the previous meetings of the subsidiary bodies.

The details of the modalities are set out in annex I to this notification and will also be outlined in the respective scenario notes for SBI-7 and SBSTTA-28. 

Accordingly, I would like to invite and encourage Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations to participate in this process, on a voluntary and informal basis.  Parties and observers pre-registered for the respective meetings may submit written statements, in any of the six United Nations languages, by the following deadlines: For SBSTTA-28, by 26 July 2026 at 20:00 (Nairobi time), and for SBI-7, by 3 August 2026 at 20:00 (Nairobi time). 

Submitters are encouraged, where possible, to ensure that their statements clearly provide textual proposals, keep general comments concise and focused, and distinguish between general comments and specific textual proposals, as appropriate. A template of an early statement, which can be used on a voluntary basis, is set out in annex II, for reference.

To upload statements, please use the meeting credentials code provided in your Priority Pass, which you will receive upon registration. Kindly upload statements through the following links: For SBSTTA-28 (https://www.cbd.int/meetings/SBSTTA-28)  and for SBI-7 (https://www.cbd.int/meetings/SBI-07).  Annex III contains further guidance on how to upload statements. In the event of technical difficulties with uploading to the portal, early statements can be sent by e-mail to statements@cbd.int with a copy to secretariat@cbd.int.  Kindly indicate the name of the meeting and agenda item to which your statement refers in the subject line of the e-mail.

Party statements uploaded to the portal will be published simultaneously after the respective early submission deadlines, before the opening of the meeting concerned.  Parties wishing to have their statements published upon upload should indicate this by selecting the designated pop-up button during the submission process. All observer statements will be published upon upload. 

As per notification 2026-049, the Secretariat is organizing information webinars in preparation for the subsidiary body meetings, including a session on modalities for the early submission of statements. 

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

(Signed) Astrid Schomaker

Executive Secretary

Enclosure: Annex I, Annex II and Annex III