IUCN Position paper for CBD SBSTTA27

Key messages

With only five years left to achieve the 2030 targets, Parties must ensure that the implementation, monitoring and review mechanisms are robust, science-based, and inclusive. SBSTTA27 must provide sound recommendations to support decision-making at the COP in order to keep the Parties - and non-Parties- on track to meet the targets.
 

• The timely submission of the national reports will be crucial to the development of the global report and the entire review process. IUCN urges Parties to submit their seventh national reports on time and encourages them to make use of the headline indicators and other globally available data, in addition to any available nationally-specific data.
   
• IUCN reiterates the importance of considering the contributions of actors other than national governments and highlights that rich information is available through existing intergovernmental platforms and processes like the IUCN Contributions for Nature.
   
• IUCN encourages Parties to consider the findings of the IPBES assessments in the implementation of their NBSAPs and recommends SBSTTA to invite regional and subregional Technical and Scientific Cooperation (TSC) centres to draw from these assessment results.
   
• IUCN also recommends SBSTTA to collaborate with the scientific bodies of the other Rio Conventions to identify specific scientific and technical themes shared by these Conventions and to provide advice on how these can be addressed, including by drawing on relevant existing CBD guidance and tools. IUCN highlights that Nature-based solutions offer a high-integrity framework for operationalizing synergies across the Rio conventions.
   
• In relation to the Programmes or Areas of Work, IUCN recommends these are considered in dedicated agenda items, linked to corresponding KMGBF Targets, where Parties could request new or updated guidance and tools to fill in the gaps, as necessary, and to include in the multi-year programme of work of the Convention a rota of agenda items that would allow to assess the effectiveness of such tools and refine guidance on implementation, as needed.
   
• IUCN and its SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) reiterate their continued support towards the implementation of Target 6, including in the development of capacity building materials to address the technical and scientific needs of Parties.
   
• SBSTTA could consider expanding its recommendations to the COP in relation to biodiversity and agriculture to go beyond soil biodiversity and address various elements of Target 10.