The Edinburgh Process for Subnational and Local Governments on the development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework was a major milestone for the local and subnational government constituency on the Roadmap to COP 15. See more -> This process, originally planned as an in-person Workshop, took the form of an online consultation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Edinburgh Process was hosted by the Scottish Government, and co-organized and supported by a number of partner organizations, including ICLEI, Regions4 Sustainable Development, the European Committee of the Regions, the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish National Heritage, the Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, and the Governments of Quebec and Wales. For more information, click here. The Edinburgh Process was delivered through an online consultation (open from 30 April – 12 June 2020) – supported by a series of online regional information sessions (5 – 8 May 2020) and thematic webinars (11 May-12 June). The Edinburgh Process is part of the work programme of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) for the development of the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, as an official partner event. The virtual process brought together delegates from across the globe, representing all of the geographic groupings within the UN process, with the following objectives:
- To update Subnational Governments, Cities and Local Authorities on the progress in developing the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the evidence base underpinning it;
- To seek the views of Subnational Governments, Cities and Local Authorities on the development of the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and their role in implementing it and feed these back into the CBD’s Open Ended Working Group;
- To review and update the proposed principles for inclusion in a new stepped-up, dedicated Decision to renew the CBD Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (CBD Decision X/22) with the aim of adopting such a decision at the 15th CBD Conference of the Parties (COP15) in Kunming, China (date TBC); and
- To develop the Edinburgh Declaration on the role of subnational governments in the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Scottish Government and Edinburgh Process Partners have developed a draft Edinburgh Declaration (ED) for consultation as part of the overall Edinburgh Process. The Declaration represents high level aims of Subnational Governments, Cities and Local Authorities for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The Edinburgh Declaration opened for consultation on 26th June 2020, inviting inputs from participants until 24th July 2020. Following receipt of comments, the Scottish Government and the EP Partners will draft a final version of the Declaration. This final version will then be made available for senior political sign off up to CBD COP 15 (date tbd).
All inputs received through the online consultation and the outcomes of the process will be taken into account in the drafting of the Edinburgh Process reports that will feed into the relevant CBD processes. An overall consultation report will be developed for submission at the Third Meeting of the Open Ended Working Group on the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2021 in Cali, Colombia. A technical report and an Implementation report will each be submitted to the CBD ahead of the 24th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) and the 3rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI-3) respectively, which are tentatively scheduled for November 2020 in Montreal, Canada. Inputs made on the proposed principles for inclusion in a new stepped-up, dedicated Decision and renewed Plan of Action, as well as inputs to the table of achievements (2011-2020) will be incorporated in the Plan of Action Review Document and in the final consultation reports. The outcomes of the consultation and analysis of inputs received were reported back to participants at Online Information Session 2 which was held on 2nd July 2020.
The Edinburgh Process has established an online global community of local and subnational governments, networks, and partners who are committed to working together towards CBD COP 15. To join this online community, send an expression of interest to enquiries-subnationalworkshop@gov.scot
To view to the recordings of the online information sessions, thematic webinars, and other supporting videos, visit the dedicated YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbJX-xBxdjSHmprG-7k478Q