Position paper

IUCN Position Paper for CBD COP16 on scientific and technical issues

IUCN presents its views and recommendations on issues such as the scientific and technical needs for the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan, criteria for describing Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs), conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity, invasive alien species, the Global Action Plan for biodiversity and health, and biodiversity and climate change.

IUCN’s Main Messages

Scientific and technical needs to support the implementation of the Framework, including its implication for the programmes of work of the Convention (Agenda item 16)

IUCN urges Parties to make use of existing tools and guidance that support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) including the recently established regional and subregional technical and scientific cooperation support centres. It is critical that further guidance developed responds to the needs and gaps identified by Parties, avoiding duplication of work.

Marine and coastal biodiversity (Agenda item 20)

IUCN welcomes efforts to ensure the EBSA process continues based on the most up-to-date science, with the full participation of relevant experts and knowledge holders and supports the adoption of the proposed modalities to (re-)describe these important areas.

IUCN underscores that further efforts are needed to mobilize resources, build capacity, transfer knowledge and technology to implement the existing Programme of Work on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity and to address the gaps and areas in need of additional focus to ensure adequate implementation of the KMGBF targets.

Invasive alien species (Agenda item 21)

IUCN welcomes the IPBES Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and its findings, and highlights that managing biological invasions is realistic and achievable.

IUCN recommends that assessments on the impacts for all the 3,500 known invasive alien species recognised by the IPBES Assessment are undertaken and completed using the Environmental Impact Classification of Alien Taxa (EICAT), in order to provide Parties with detailed information to support the identification and prioritisation of IAS, and encourages Parties to make use of the resources developed in response to Decision 15/27, notably, the updated online toolkit on invasive alien species, for the implementation of Target 6.

Biodiversity and health (Agenda item 22)

IUCN welcomes the actions proposed in the Global Action Plan and urges Parties to adopt the Global Action Plan at COP16. IUCN further encourages Parties, other Governments and all stakeholders to implement the actions therein.

Biodiversity and climate change (Agenda item 25)

IUCN stresses that to achieve the goals and targets of the KMGBF, it is crucial to take decisive climate action, to avoid or minimize negative impact of climate change responses on biodiversity, to consider existing and projected impacts of climate change on biodiversity when implementing the entire Framework and to address the interconnected crises of climate change and biodiversity loss in a coherent and synergistic manner. The climate goals cannot be fully met without full achievement of the goals and targets of the KMGBF; climate, biodiversity conservation, and indeed global health are all intricately interconnected.

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