Overview

IN 2002 the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP CBD) adopted a strategic plan which to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on earth. This target was subsequently endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development

A few years later, in 2006, a series of 11 outcome-oriented indicators were developed. These goals, known as the 2010 Biodiversity Commitments, are to:

• Promote the conservation of the biological diversity of ecosystems, habitats and biomes
• Promote the conservation of species diversity
• Promote the conservation of genetic diversity
• Promote sustainable use and consumption
• Reduce pressures from habitat loss, land use change and degradation, and unsustainable water use
• Control threats from invasive alien species
• Address challenges to biodiversity from climate change, and pollution
• Maintain capacity of ecosystems to deliver goods and services and support livelihoods
• Maintain socio-cultural diversity of indigenous and local communities
• Ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources
• Parties have improved financial, human, scientific, technical and technological capacity to implement the CBD

The goals were designed provide a flexible framework within which national and/or regional targets could be developed, according to national priorities and capacities, and taking into account differences in diversity between countries. In May 2007, the UN Secretary General announced that the 2010 Biodiversity Targets were fully integrated into the framework of the Millennium Development Goals and that, as a sign of further support, the international community had decided to declare 2010 the International Year for Biological Diversity.

Project description

This project has been designed to help countries assess and report on progress towards the realization of the 2010 biodiversity targets and to achieve a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level by the year 2010. The project will provide funding (up to $20,000 per country) and technical support to a maximum of 88 interested countries so that a national participatory assessment process, engaging a broad group of stakeholders and using the CBD COP framework as well as the guidelines for the Fourth National Report of the CBD, could be used to assess progress towards the goals and targets based on analyses of status and trends, threats to biodiversity, implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, mainstreaming biodiversity into productive sectors and landscapes, and other themes.

The project will also help countries meet the March 2009 deadline for submission of their fourth national report to the CBD. This deadline is crucial for the production of the CBD publication Third Global Biodiversity Outlook and the preparation of reviews and assessments of progress for consideration by the COP in its 10th meeting in 2010 (The International Year for Biological Diversity).

Activities will include data gathering, stakeholder consultations, as well as reporting and communicating on the 2010 Biodiversity Targets. The project will use the Clearing House Mechanism (CHM) of the CBD as well as on-line resources in order to develop, update and exchange information as well as facilitate networking among countries, the CBD, GEF agencies and other interested partners, organizations and individuals.