Morning Plenary
In the morning, Vice-Chair Watson introduced the Chairs' summary highlighting the key messages of the meeting. Delegates agreed that the meeting had shown broad consensus on the need to strengthen the science-policy interface on biodiversity and human wellbeing, but that there were different opinions on the need for a new mechanism, its main objectives, legal status and institutional structure. Regarding the objective of a new mechanism, delegates agreed to reflect in the report that some countries felt it should focus on building capacity in developing countries, while others thought it should represent a "network of networks" which should synthesize and compile existing information, and make it available to policy makers in an understandable language and format.
Michel Loreau (International Mechanism of Scientific Expertise on Biodiversity - IMoSEB) reminded delegates of the IMoSEB outcome that recommends creating an overarching mechanism, which was based on an extensive gap analysis.
Vice-Chair Robert Watson (UK) said that a crucial part of any assessment for policy makers is to understand the uncertainties and gaps in science.
Fernando Coimbra (Brazil)
Joseph Toussaint (Haiti)
Christine Dawson (US)
Thomas Rosswall (International Council for Science)
Meryl Williams (Scientific & Technical Advisory Panel, Global Environment Facility)
Peter Hazlewood (World Resources Institute)
Robert Lamb (Switzerland)
Shirin Karriyeva (Turkmenistan)
Mehrasa Mehrdadi (Iran)
Rebecca D'Cruz (RAMSAR Convention)
Mario Diaz Anzueto (Guatemala)
Meziane Yamina (Algeria)
Afternoon Plenary
In the afternoon, delegates continued discussions on the meeting's recommendation to the UNEP Governing Council. After extensive debate, the meeting agreed to recommend that UNEP convene a second meeting with a view to strengthening the science-policy interface on biodiversity and ecosystem services, including consideration of the establishment of a new science-policy platform. They also recommended that UNEP conduct a preliminary gap analysis of current MEA advisory bodies and mechanisms, covering the types of information required and generated as well as the organizations requiring and supplying that information.
Dan Wicklum (Canada)
Weixue Cheng (China)
Laurent Stéfanini (France, on behalf of the EU)
Christopher Joseph (Grenada)
Antonio Lizcano Palomares (Spain)
Alfred Perrings (Arizona State University)
Anne Larigauderie (Diversitas)
Snapshots
.gif)
