Webinar: The role and potential of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures in the Arab Region
Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the current biodiversity crisis calls for efforts to enhance biodiversity conservation outcomes and achieve global targets more than ever. To this end, on 15 December 2020 IUCN and its World Commission on Protected Areas hosted a webinar with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to discuss the role and potential of "other effective area-based conservation measures" (OECMs) in the Arab Region and the opportunities they offer in post 2020.
Photo: IUCN-Med
The term OECMs was first used in 2010, when Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed on Aichi Target 11, which calls to conserve at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, through systems of protected areas and "other effective area-based conservation measures". Since then, CBD Parties have set the term to discussion and finally agreed on a definition and technical guidance including criteria for OECMs during the CBD COP 14. (Decision 14/8).
The webinar informed governments, agencies in charge of Protected Areas and Civil Society Organizations about the evolution of area-based conservation targets and OECMs relevant for the new proposed target in the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. It also outlined the details of the CBD definition and highlighted the global guidance available on OECMs from IUCN/WCPA. Experiences and opportunities for identifying and reporting OECMs in the fisheries sector were presented. The webinar also focused on the recent experiences of Algeria and Morocco who were amongst the first countries that have identified and reported OECMs and discussed ways to tap into the opportunity offered by OECMs in the Arab region to increase recognition and support for de facto effective long-term conservation that is taking place outside currently designated protected areas.
Programme
All presentations are publically available through the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/aqoi3uthzxo1ibv/AADObQE_KjIpVkMBIR9jh_H-a?dl=0
Area-based conservation targets: where are we and where are we headed?
Trevor Sandwith - Director, IUCN Global Protected Areas Programme (starting 05’:50”)
OECMs: what are they, how to identify and report them?
Harry Jonas - Co-chair, IUCN/WCPA Specialist Group on OECMs (starting 18’:23”)
OECMs in the fisheries Sector: what is the latest?
Amber Himes-Cornell - Fisheries Officer, FAO (starting 30’: 37”)
OECMs in North Africa: how much are they contributing towards the targets?
Imèn Meliane - Vice Chair, IUCN/WCPA (starting 46’:27”)
OECMs reporting: How to get ready for CBD COP 15
Sarat Babu Gidda - Senior Programme Management Officer, CBD Secretariat (starting 59’:31”)
For further enquiries, please contact Maher Mahjoub at Maher.MAHJOUB@iucn.org
with support from
Photo: cbd
Photo: JBF
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