WCC 2020 Res 043 - Progress Report

While no activity reports were submitted for this Resolution in 2024, some progress was made:

Paragraph 1: The Secretariat

As stated in previous years' reports, considering the various COP decisions and developments since the adoption of this Resolution, the IUCN Secretariat's efforts to implement the provisions of this Resolution have been carried out in a way that does not duplicate other efforts. In this regard, the IUCN Secretariat collated and submitted to the CBD a comprehensive but non-exhaustive list of IUCN tools and guidance to support the implementation of the KMGBF, by target. Of all the information received by the CBD, 120+ resources out of 1200 were developed by IUCN, thus evidencing there is ample guidance already available for translating the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMBGF) into national planning processes. Further, the IUCN Secretariat conducted an internal survey to gather information on requests for support in updating NBSAPs that IUCN might have received, to identify the interested Parties and the type of support being requested. Preliminary results showed that 15 Parties approached IUCN with diferent requests - ranging from providing inputs to the NBSAPs, participate in workshops, specific assitance with a particular target. The mapping exercise will need to be updated in light of the recent NBSAP submission information and COP16 decisions.

The Secretariat, through 4 of its regional offices, applied and was successfully selected to host regional and subregional technical and scientific cooperation centres, as part of the Technical and Scientific Cooperation Mechanism, as established by decision 15/8. Coordinated by a global coordination entity, hosted by the Secretariat of the CBD, these centres are expected to support Parties among other things, to strengthen capacities of regional, subregional and national institutions to facilitate technical and scientific cooperation. Operationalization of the centres is expected to take place in 2025.

The Secretariat continued its engagement and advocacy work in the CBD meetings, in particular at SBI4 and COP16 but also was invited to provide technical expertise in the regional and sub-regional dialogues on NBSAPs, organized by the CBD Scretariat and supported by many partner organizations, including IUCN.

Finally, the IUCN Secretariat has secured some funding for activities to support the implementation of this Resolution in 2025.

Paragraphs 2 and 3: Governmental and non-governmental Members

In accordance to Decision 15/6, Parties to the Convention were to present their updated NBSAPs or updated national biodiversity targets before COP16, in 2024. 26 IUCN State/GA Members submitted updated NBSAPs by October 31 2024, while 60 Members presented national targets aligned with the KMGBF. Some of IUCN's national committees were involved in the preparatory process (Comité français de l'UICN, IUCN National Committee of The Netherlands, United Kingdom National Committee of IUCN Members, Israel National Committee of IUCN Members)

At COP16, Parties were also to adopt a common template for "Core reporting elements for commitments by actors other than national governments" which was to capture in a more systematic manner the contributions from Non-State Actors. In its position paper, IUCN highlighted that it is necessary not only to document the commitments from non-State actors but also to hold them accountable for their implementation. IUCN supported having standardized templates for reporting those commitments. IUCN noted however, that the information thus collected cannot remain a collection of commitments if it is to make a valuable contribution to the enhanced multidimensional approach to planning, monitoring, reporting and review. It should be analysed and considered as part of the elements of the global review of collective progress that, while being a Party-led process, would be incomplete without accounting for the contributions of the whole of society. Unfortunately, the decision was not adopted due to the suspension of the meeting. There is nevertheless a draft decision submitted by the President of the COP, that can be consulted (CBD/COP/16/L.33) and is expected to be adopted once COP16 is resumed.