WCC 2016 Res 087 - Progress Report

Some activities were undertaken late in 2018 and were not recorded in any previous report
The Center for Large Landscape Conservation co-organized various events with CCSG members at the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in November 2018 in Egypt. CCSG members were able to amplify the key role of connectivity conservation to combat biodiversity loss and climate change by co-sponsoring three side events: 17 November: “Sustainable Infrastructure Day”, 19 November: “Areas of Connectivity Conservation - A New Conservation Designation for Ecological Networks”, and 21 November: “Likeminded Megadiverse Countries as Leaders for the Ecological Belt and Road Initiative”.
In fulfillment of IUCN World Conservation Congress Resolution 2016-087 “Awareness of connectivity conservation definition and guidelines,” the Group continued to work towards establishing consistent global approaches for the development, designation, planning, and management of connectivity areas and expanded ecological networks. A series of consultations continued around the world in 2018 with CCSG Members convening in Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Romania, and Tanzania.
Based on input from these consultations, a “leadership group” produced a second advanced draft of a guidance document intended to be published in IUCN WCPA’s “Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series”. Currently titled “Safeguarding Areas of Connectivity Conservation in the context of Ecological Networks”, the draft is being prepared for a global consultation among approximately 1,000 experts and institutions around the world. Consultations ran n throughout 2019 with goal of producing a document that supports protected area agencies, NGOs, communities, private sector partners, and others to meet their commitments and goals under the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the Sustainable Development Goals, and new biodiversity targets foreseen under the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework.