Biodiversity

In 2002, the world's leaders agreed to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth. This was incorporated as a new target under the Millennium Development Goals.

In 2010, the year proclaimed by the General Assembly as the International Year of Biodiversity, Governments will review the progress made towards the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and embark on a process for a revitalized post 2010 biodiversity agenda.

Biodiversity decline and loss of ecosystem services continue to be a major global threat to future development according to the the third Global Biodiversity Outlook (May 2010) and the fourth Global Environment Outlook (UNEP 2007).

The Environment Management Group has been invited to provide a UN system contribution on the review of the targets and the development of the post 2010 biodiversity agenda.

In a two year UN inter-agency consultative and writing process through the Issue Management Group on biodiversity, the EMG has prepared a contribution in form of a UN wide report titled “ Advancing the biodiversity agenda: A UN system-wide contribution”.

The report presents a UN-system wide perspective on the post 2010 biodiversity challenges and their relevance to human well-being and social and economic development goals, including poverty reduction. The report includes information provided by individual members on biodiversity aspects of their strategies, programmes, plans and initiatives relevant to the future biodiversity targets. It will also provide selected areas in which collaborative programmes and initiatives are under way and areas that might warrant further cooperation.

The report includes a statement from the Executive Heads of members of the EMG on their commitment to mainstream future biodiversity targets into the work of their respective organizations and continue their cooperation for a multi-sectoral approach to the development and implementation of the international biodiversity agenda.

The foundation for a new and multi-sectoral paradigm of cooperation is sketched out in this report. The report is not the end of the process. Rather, it signifies a milestone in a unique effort by the UN system to join hands in supporting the implementation of the biodiversity agenda by ‘delivering as one’.

The report will be launched at the CBD 10th Conference of the Parties in Nagoya Japan in October 2010.

EMG Biodiversity Publications

Report of the first meeting of the IMG on 2010 biodiversity targets (14 April 2009, Paris, France)

Outline of the EMG report on 2010 biodiversity targets

Progress Report by the EMG Chair to the 14th Session of the CBD SBSTTA and WGRI 3 and the preliminary working draft report entitled: Advancing the biodiversity agenda: - A UN system-wide contribution

 Website of the Issue Management Group on 2010 biodiversity targets (restricted access)

CBD: More on 2010 Biodiversity Target