WCC 2016 Res 041 - Activity Report

"Guidelines for Using the Global Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas" drafted by the KBA Standards and Appeals Committee and the KBA Technical Working Group

Training sessions on the global KBA Standard held in Cartagena, Colombia; Washington, DC; and Quebec City, Canada

KBA Committee, the highest level decision-making body of the KBA Partnership, is established and two meetings were held in 2017.

KBA Community created to grant a voice and proper recognition to, and foster engagement with, individuals and organisations that actively support the development and implementation of the KBA Programme at the national and local level through providing data, and/or participating in the identification and monitoring of KBAs.

KBA Consultative Forum established to provide a mechanism for end-users of KBA Data to provide input and advice to the KBA Committee on the dissemination and use of KBA data, management decisions, marketing, funding, etc. of the KBA Programme, and in turn, be informed about progress and plans in the implementation of the KBA Programme. First meeting of the Forum held in December.

KBA National Coordination Group established for Australia

KBA National Coordination Group established for South Africa

KBA National Coordination Group established for Uganda

Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership of 12 international organizations formally launched a KBA Programme to support the identification, monitoring and safeguard of KBAs (BirdLife International IUCN, Amphibian Survival Alliance, Conservation International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Global Environment Facility, Global Wildlife Conservation, NatureServe, Rainforest Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Wildlife Conservation Society and WWF)

The KBA Secretariat is responsible for centralized coordination activities (including supporting the KBA Committee, the KBA Consultative Forum and the KBA Community; coordination of joint fundraising and communication activities); management of the KBA Data, development and management of the KBA Database and the KBA Website; coordination of Regional Focal Points; and coordination of the process to confirm sites as KBAs. The Head of the KBA Secretariat was appointed in January 2018.

Workshop "Key Biodiversity Areas: Supporting Sustainable Development in Myanmar" held on 28-30 March 2017 in Naypyidaw, Myanmar

Workshop "Reporting on Conservation: Key Biodiversity Areas and Ecosystem Services" held on 8-10 Nov 2017 in Quebec City, Canada

Article on Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership and Programme published in Biological Conservation

Article on Key Biodiversity Areas published in Encyclopedia of the Anthropocene

Module on Key Biodiversity Areas produced for IUCN PAPACO Massive Open Online Course on Species Conservation

Symposium "Key Biodiversity Area identification and safeguard: development and application of the new standard" organized at the 28th International Congress for Conservation Biology on 24 July 2017 in Cartagena, Colombia

Webinars on the Key Biodiversity Areas Standard, KBA Partnership, Business Guidelines, and KBA Community held for KBA Partners and other organizations

"Guidelines on Business and KBAs: Managing Risk to Biodiversity" developed to support the effective management of biodiversity risks to KBAs that may arise from business activities

A workshop on Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas was held in December where the link between KBAs and EBSAs was promoted by KBA Partners

Side event on KBAs held at meeting of the World Heritage Committee on 4 July 2017 in Krakow, Poland

Alliance for Zero Extinction sites (KBAs holding Critically Endangered or Endangered species restricted to single sites globally) updated for comprehensively assessed taxonomic groups globally

Freshwater KBAs identified for Canada according to the global KBA Standard

Freshwater KBAs identified for Lake Victoria basin according to the global KBA Standard

Freshwater KBAs identified for Madagascar according to the global KBA Standard

KBA Standards and Appeals Committee, reporting to the Chairs of the IUCN SSC and WCPA, established to ensure that KBA identification is objective, transparent and science‐based

KBA Technical Working Group of the KBA Committee established to ensure that the KBA identification, documentation and monitoring efforts of the KBA Partners are implemented in a consistent manner

KBAs identified for the Mountains of Central Asia biodiversity hotspot according to the global KBA Standard as part of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund ecosystem profile

KBAs identified in Uganda according to the global KBA Standard

KBAs identified/updated for the Caribbean biodiversity hotspot according to the global KBA Standard as part of the Criticial Ecosystem Partnership Fund ecosystem profile

KBAs identified/updated for the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot according to the global KBA Standard as part of the Criticial Ecosystem Partnership Fund ecosystem profile

Technical workshop convened to test methods for applying KBA Criterion C for sites of outstanding ecological integrity