UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The CBD is the treaty closest to IUCN’s heartland. It takes a comprehensive rather than a sectoral approach to conservation of the Earth's biodiversity and sustainable use of biological resources.

IUCN at CBD COP15Photo: IUCN

Beyond conserving nature, we need to conserve its biological diversity - for its intrinsic value but also because it underpins human well-being and sustainable development.

IUCN has been involved in the CBD since its drafting and through its development, providing technical and policy advice to the Parties to the CBD and supporting the CBD Secretariat for the implementation of the Convention and its protocols. IUCN has produced numerous policy papers and background papers for the meetings of the Subsidiary Bodies to the Convention and the Conference of the Parties, leveraging the experience of its thematic teams, its regional presence and its wide membership.

IUCN's knowledge products provide data for biodiversity assessments, inform the setting of global and national targets and contribute to the development of biodiversity indicators.

IUCN's work with the CBD includes:

  • supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;
  • providing support for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing;
  • contributing and assisting Parties in the revision, update, and development of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs); 
  • influencing the CBD negotiations to promote conservation through the development and advocacy of policy papers

IUCN at recent meetings of the Convention

IUCN at WG8J-12 and WGDSI

The Convention on Biological Diversity recognizes the dependency of indigenous peoples and local communities on biological diversity and their unique role in conserving life on Earth. The Working Group on Article 8(j) and related provisions was established to enhance the role and involvement of Indigenous peoples and local communities in the achievement of the objectives of the Convention.

IUCN will participate at the 12th meeting of the Working Group on Article 8(j) (WG8J-12), and support Parties in producing a new programme of work on this and other provisions of the Convention that are relevant to Indigenous peoples and local communities, aligned to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

IUCN will also have a presence in the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Benefit-sharing from the Use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources (WGDSI-1), closely monitoring the development of a multilateral mechanism for benefit-sharing from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources, including a global fund.

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Story | 09 November, 2023
Indigenous peoples and local communities at the heart of CBD negotiations in Geneva
From 12-16 November will take place the 12th meeting of the Working Group on Article 8(j) and…

IUCN at CBD SBSTTA25

 

As a leading provider of biodiversity knowledge, tools and standards that help conservation planning, IUCN participated from 15-19 October 2023 in the 25th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the CBD (SBSTTA25), in Nairobi, continuing with its engagement with the CBD process to advance the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

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External event | 29 September, 2023
CBD Nairobi meetings 2023
As a leading provider of biodiversity knowledge, tools and standards that help conservation…

IUCN at CBD COP15

IUCN participated in the CBD COP15 in Montreal to advocate for a post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that sets coherent and ambitious goals and targets to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030.

The Conference of the Parties (COP)  adopted a new strategic plan to transform society’s relationship with biodiversity and ensure that by 2050, we live in harmony with nature.

For IUCN, this means protect what we still have, restore degraded ecosystems, and address direct threats to biodiversity to avoid further damage. But also, there is a need to change the way we consume and the way we produce. Making this plan work will need everyone to be involved, not just Parties to the Convention, and we need to allocate sufficient resources – both financial and non-financial.

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Large event | 17 October, 2022
IUCN at CBD COP15
IUCN participated in the CBD COP15 in Montreal to advocate for a post-2020 Global Biodiversity…