Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed a definition, guiding principles, common characteristics and criteria for identification of ‘other effective area-based conservation measures’ (OECMs) at the 14th Conference of the Parties (Decision 14/8, November 2018).

State agencies, private entities, Indigenous Peoples and local communities are now turning to assess the extent of their potential OECMs and to begin to recognize, report and support them.

The meeting brought together representatives of a number of local-to-international agencies and organisations who are engaging with OECMs. The 23 participants from 15 countries:

1.         Explored CBD Decision 14/8 and the draft IUCN Technical Report.

2.         Shared and discussed examples of potential OECMs within (sub-)national contexts. 

3.         Provided inputs to a draft OECM Assessment Methodology.

4.         Considered capacity development and training needs to further promote recognition and reporting of OECMs.

5.         Developed the conceptual foundation for a motion on OECMs for the World Conservation Congress and inputs to the CBD post-2020 biodiversity framework.

The WCPA is about to publish a Technical Report for Recognising and Reporting Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures, a core output of the Task Force. The Technical Report, meeting report and draft Assessment Methodology are available on the Task Force webpage.

In response to Parties and other rights and stakeholders interest in recognizing, reporting and supporting OECMs, the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN-WCPA) Task Force on OECMs hosted the meeting of experts on Vilm Island (Germany) from 11-15 June 2019. The task force was keenly involved with the development of the concepts that informed the CBD Decision.

The meeting was organized in collaboration with the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Germany (BfN) and co-funded by the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety and IUCN-WCPA.