Informal Session for SBSTTA-24, Agenda item 2 | February 17th and 18th 2021
Post 2020 global biodiversity framework: scientific and technical information to support the review of the updated goals and targets, and related indicators and baselines
Speaker: Roger Rivero, Representative of the Government of Campeche
Honorable Chairs, co-chairs, and distinguished delegates,
I am taking the floor on behalf of the Advisory Committee on Subnational Governments, coordinated by Regions4 and the Government of Québec, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the Group of Leading Subnational Governments towards the ABTs, the European Committee of the Regions, and on behalf of the Edinburgh Process Partners.
We thank the Secretariat and the co-chairs for organizing this important meeting and congratulate the Secretariat for its ongoing effort to include all stakeholders’ voices in these virtual forums, as we truly believe that a whole-of-government and society approach will raise the ambition that we all share for Nature.
Our constituencies – local and subnational governments – are currently on the frontline of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, and we strongly believe that urgent action and leadership is needed. Like many Parties, we believe that we should oppose any delay in the adoption of the headline indicators until after COP-15, as well as all component and complementary indicators that already reach a consensus. The creation of a Technical Expert Group would be useful to fill the gaps in component and complementary indicators and to bring more details and precision to those indicators that need it, all by COP-16 at the latest.
It is important that the proposed monitoring approach tracks progress across all levels of governments. We praise the possible disaggregation into subnational levels as a further preference to indicators and propose to add all subnational levels of government in the headline, component and complementary indicators. It seems implicit that headlines indicators should be applied by those subnational governments willing to submit their reports on implementation. We therefore propose to explicitly reference the subnational level of governance when it comes to both the headline and component indicators and would be happy to provide some suggestions in writing.
Finally, we invite Parties to increase support, including financial resources, for local and subnational monitoring systems and the compilation of biodiversity indicators.
We remain committed to engage in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and look forward to discussing these points further and continuing the good work together.
Thank you!