Preparing separate reports on implementation of different, but related, international treaties can represent a burden on countries -- particularly on countries with limited resources. In the case of reporting to the five global biodiversity-related treaties (CBD,
Convention on Wetlands,
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species,
Convention on Migratory Species, and
World Heritage Convention), the secretariats are investigating whether there is scope for harmonizing reporting procedures by making use of common formats and datasets. A feasibility study was conducted and a number of pilot studies to test approaches to streamlining and harmonizing are underway. The results will be reported back to the governing bodies of these conventions, including to the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD.
At its sixth meeting, the COP welcomed the work of the
United Nations Environment Programme on the harmonization of environmental reporting and encouraged its continuation. Meanwhile, COP-6 recognized the need to ensure that this does not affect the ability of the COP to adjust national reporting procedures under the Convention in order to better meet the needs of the Parties.
