A statement from the subnational and local governments in the first session of the SBSTTA/SBI Special Virtual Sessions, on GBO-5, on 15th September 2020
Speaker: Mr. Teru Kisuna, Aichi Prefecture (Japan)
Category: Subnational and local governments (Local Authority)
Honorable Chairs, and distinguished delegates,
I am taking the floor on behalf of the global networks of subnational and local governments.
Firstly, we would like to congratulate the team of GBO for the successful launch of GBO-5 report.
We hope this marvelous report will help the on-going discussion on the post-2020 GBF and amazing achievement to be done at COP15 in China.
COP10 held in Aichi-Nagoya gave birth ten years ago to the Strategic Plan 2011-2020 including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The meeting also adopted the Plan of Action on subnational governments, cities and other local authorities for biodiversity, in the decision X/22.
Over the past decade, subnational and local governments, and their networks, have achieved a lot, individually and collectively. These efforts and achievements have contributed to, and been in line with those of the Parties.
That is why actively and formally involving subnational and local governments is one of the priorities we should be pursuing in this and future decades.
At SBI-2, we made a call for Parties to cooperate with subnational and local governments, into their 6th national reports.
Therefore, we are glad to find the GBO-5 recognizes the importance of cities management and subnational planning. Such mentioning encourages all of us to act more in the coming decade.
We sincerely hope the on-going preparatory process toward COP15 would consider a more ambitious role and more recognition of the importance of subnational and local governments in implementing the new framework.
A webinar on the role of subnational and local governments in the post-2020 framework is going to be held on 23rd September, as notified by SCBD on 10th September. We would be pleased if many Parties and other stakeholders take this opportunity to discuss how the CBD could best work together with the subnational and local constituency over the coming decade.
Thank you.