The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted in December 2022 with the promise to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The international community only has six years to achieve this ambitious goal, and it is therefore urgent to support its delivery and achieve impact at the required scale. This side-event will look at opportunities and challenges to advance the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity. It will focus on the submission of updated national biodiversity strategies and action plans, the marine and coastal biodiversity programme of work and the adoption of specific indicators.

 

 

DRAFT AGENDA

 

Opening Segment: Setting the scene

 

David Obura, Founding Director, CORDIO East Africa, and Chair, IPBES

 

Roundtable 1: Opportunities and challenges for marine and coastal biodiversity

 

Experts will discuss how to accelerate the implementation of the GBF, with a specific focus on marine and coastal biodiversity (i.e., discussing opportunities related to the incorporation of relevant measures into national biodiversity strategies and action plans, the marine and coastal biodiversity programme of work, the adoption of specific indicators and building capacity). They will also link the discussion to the work being carried under other international frameworks.

 

• Pauli Merriman, Head of Policy, Global Oceans Practice, WWF 

• Carolina Hazin, Senior Policy Advisor, Area-based conservation measures, The Nature Conservancy

• Matt Frost, Head of International Office, Plymouth Marine Laboratory

 

Roundtable 2: Case studies of revised national biodiversity strategies

 

Representatives from Parties having already submitted their revised national biodiversity strategies and action plans will be invited to share their experience (e.g., knowledge, best practices, challenges), building momentum to encourage other Parties to align their strategies on the new framework.

 

• Florent Merle, Deputy Director, European and International Relations, French Office for Biodiversity

• Yinfeng Guo, Chief Expert, international cooperation, National Marine Hazard Mitigation Service, Ministry of Natural Resources, China [TBC]

• Ana Paula Prates, Director for Ocean and Coastal Management Department at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil [TBC]

 

Q&A

 

Closing segment: On the road to COP16 

 

Farah Chaudry, Head of Marine CBD, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK – on behalf of the Global Ocean Alliance [TBC]

Moderated by Marine Lecerf, International Policy Officer at the Ocean & Climate Platform