Youth

A delegate urges people to take action to protect biodiversity saying 'biodiversity is life' The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Monday, 19 November 2018: Enhancing Progress Towards Aichi Target 11: Protected Planet and The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas From Aichi to Post-2020 – What We Should Do Next Decade 2021-2030 toward Biodiversity 2050 Vision “Living in Harmony with Nature” Trees on Farms as a Way to Accelerate Progress on Aichi Biodiversity Targets 7, 13, and 15 Marine Biodiversity – Creating and Exchanging Solutions for our Blue World Reflections and Lessons Learnt From International Climate Initiative (IKI) Projects For Achieving The CBD Aichi Targets and the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Enhancing Progress towards Aichi Target 11: Protected Planet and the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas Presented by UN Environment, in collaboration with the National Geographic Society and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Delegates during the event Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Monday, 19 November 2018 This side event discussed: implementation of the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas in a number of countries, capacity development, financing and investment, and the delivery of Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 on protected areas. Special note was given to the 2018 Protected Planet Report throughout the event. The IUCN Green List is the first global standard of best practice for area-based conservation. As a programme of certification for protected and conserved areas, such as national parks, natural World Heritage sites, community conserved areas and nature reserves, the List recognizes well-managed and well-governed protected and conserved areas, increasing the number of natural areas delivering long-lasting conservation results for people and nature. Trevor Sandwith, IUCN - Global Protected Areas Programme, moderated the event. Naomi Kingston,UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), presented the latest edition of the Protected Planet Report, highlighting its purpose in tracking international progress towards achieving biodiversity targets, notably Aichi Biodiversity Target 11. She noted the adoption of a new approach to data sharing, meaning that an online version will be updated monthly to include new information to track all achievements in different countries. She underscored the importance of effective management of protected areas and stated that they have the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework in mind for working towards giving the scientific basis on what comes next after 2020. Dan Myers, National Geographic Society (NGS), said NGS is investing in transformative ideas and looking for visionary countries and organizations to implement them. He stressed that NGS uses its resources to tell the story about the challenges the planet faces and that the Protected Planet Report is a crucial opportunity to unify the world under a single narrative. Moderator Sandwith discussed the IUCN Green List values, stressing that nature and culture are interwoven. He noted the establishment of the IUCN Green List Standard, which is a voluntary global sustainability standard that provides an international benchmark for quality and motivates improved performance and achievement of conservation objectives. He underscored the importance of the standard inspiring confidence and gaining the respect of governments, giving hope for the future. Hany El Shaer, IUCN, noted the importance of the IUCN Green List in the delivery of conservation outcomes through equitably-managed conserved areas and stated that protected areas are needed to conserve biodiversity. He welcomed the fact that 13 sites in Jordan have been green-listed in just one year. Marc Hockings, University of Queensland, presented lessons learned from Australia and stated that it was a moment of great inspiration when the first site was green listed and the first certificate was obtained. He noted that indigenous peoples manage half of the protected areas in Australia, which therefore necessitates greater cooperation with them. Keping Ma, Secretary-General for CNC-DIVERSITAS, presented on the IUCN Green List in China, noting lessons learned from the China pilot process, which included numerous training workshops for assessment. Fernando Camacho, National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, Mexico, spoke on the achievement and incorporation of Aichi Target 11 in Mexico, noting that Mexico has 182 protected areas and stressing that marine protected areas are more difficult to manage. He said that Mexico needed to construct a system and tools to measure effectiveness in reaching its goals. Marina von Weissenberg, Ministry of the Environment, Finland, noted the existence of 3000 protected area and 10,000 private protected areas in Finland and stressed that these numbers should not make us complacent. She underscored the need for urban districts to find a way to promote social and ecological sustainability and the importance of networks between protected areas and the building of indicators for policymakers. In the ensuing panel discussion, panelists answered questions on the inclusion of oceans under the IUCN Green List, whether this list can be applied in situations where the protected area system is managed by national agencies, and ideas and solutions regarding the difficulties of collecting accurate data from all the national parks. Panelists stated that sometimes areas are conserved, but not reported, and underscored the need to incentivize reporting processes. Panelists also replied to questions regarding the unwillingness of local communities to share knowledge on conservation measures and on financial gaps. The final message of a National Geographic video about the importance of protecting biodiversity Naomi Kingston, Head of Programme for Protected Areas, UNEP-WCMC Keping Ma, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Secretary-General for CNC-DIVERSITAS Trevor Sandwith, Director, IUCN - Global Protected Areas Programme Dan Myers, National Geographic Society Delegates during the event Fernando Camacho, National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), Mexico Marc Hockings, University of Queensland Marina von Weissenberg, Ministry of the Environment, Finland Hany El Shaer, IUCN Delegates participate in an interactive discussion at the end of the presentations CONTACT Fae Jencks | fjencks@ngs.org MORE INFORMATION https://www.livereport.protectedplanet.net/ From Aichi to Post-2020 – What We Should Do Next Decade 2021-2030 toward Biodiversity 2050 Vision “Living in Harmony with Nature” Presented by the Japan Committee for UN Decade on Biodiversity (UNDB) and Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Ministry of Environment, Japan, with support from the Nature Conservation Society of Japan and Japan Committee for IUCN A video is presented during the event This session complemented a series of debates during the UN Biodiversity Decade (UNBD) Day on the sidelines of COP 14 at the Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) Fair. Teppei Dohke, Vice-President and Secretary-General, Japan Committee for IUCN, introduced the session, noting a focus on lessons learned for the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework. Kazuhiko Takeuchi, UN University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), presented on the synergies between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework. He said the SDGs and their targets are integrated and indivisible, stressing the importance of of integrally improving the implementation of sustainable development. He mentioned that the ultimate goal is to have a better global overview to create stronger links between humans and nature and suggested that participants learn more about the UNU-IAS project ‘Predicting and Assessing Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services in Japan’ (PANCES), in collaboration with the assessment process of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Günter Mitlacher, WWF, spoke on the initiative ‘Scaling Up Biodiversity Communication for Achieving Aichi Target 1,’ which aims to enhance understanding on awareness measurements. He focused on the results of the ‘Baseline Study on Biodiversity Awareness in 10 Countries,’ which consisted of 25-minute online quantitative surveys with around 10,000 respondents, explaining that the understanding of “biodiversity” is largely attributed to the “diversity of living organisms” but that “genetic diversity” is less apparent. On a communications strategy up to 2020, he underscored the need to: broaden the understanding of the “biodiversity” concept beyond “diversity of living organisms” and include “diversity of habitats and ecosystems”; associate biodiversity and nature with resources like food, air, water and overall wellbeing; and recognize current efforts with a view to adopting significant changes in lifestyle. Melina Sakiyama, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, reported on the work of youth articulation to implement the objectives of the CBD that can “push for change on the ground.” She said that 76 countries and 184 youth leaders are engaged in this work, and connecting to replicate the information about the importance of biodiversity conservation among future generations. As a network, she presented infographics that can raise awareness in a simpler manner and encourage action. She stated that “young people are valuing principles that support biodiversity, including, for example, justice, human rights, power balance, and health as essential elements to be used in biodiversity communication” and that “we need to reconnect with people.” Christian Schwarzer, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, said that the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework will be the “start of a process” and not an “endpoint.” He stressed that young people are struggling with power asymmetries, anti-democracy, post-truth, anti-science and populism, which are all contributing to the loss of faith and trust in our leaders. He noted that the Post-2020 Framework must be built in a bottom-up manner, stressing that the most fundamental action is to ensure effective implementation. David Ainsworth, CBD Secretariat, on behalf of the Commission for Education and Communication of IUCN, spoke on #NatureForAll, a global campaign, which aims to demonstrate the need to inspire love for nature. He underscored that this movement encompasses 300 partners, who are raising awareness of nature and its values, and supports “life in harmony with nature,” while protecting earth’s natural resources on the premise that people who are detached from nature are less likely to care for it. This campaign, he said, recommends that biodiversity communication includes aspects of health, the elderly, community planning and policies that connect people with nature at a deeper level. Xu Jing, China, emphasized that the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framewok is a priority for his country, given that the next COP will be hosted in Beijing, China. He declared that China is open for collaboration with all stakeholders for a successful COP 15. Zou Yueyu, Foreign Economic Cooperation Office (FECO), China, spoke on COP 15 preparations. “Transformative,” she said, is at the core of China’s vision for COP 15, which has the key goals of: demonstrating the construction of ecological civilizations as a role model for the world; sharing experiences that can inform others; providing substantial contributions and sharing resources; and ensuring collective leadership that can build coalitions and send a strong message to the world. Delegates during the session Kazuhiko Takeuchi, UNU-IAS Günter Mitlacher, WWF Germany Teppei Dohke, Vice-President and Secretary-General, Japan Committee for IUCN David Ainsworth, CBD Secretariat Melina Sakiyama, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Christian Schwarzer, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Xu Jing, China Zou Yueyu, FECO, China CONTACT Teppei Dohke | iucn@nacsj.or.jp David Ainsworth | david.ainsworth@cbd.int MORE INFORMATION https://www.nacsj.or.jp/ http://www.cbd.int/ Trees on Farms as a Way to Accelerate Progress on Aichi Biodiversity Targets 7, 13 and 15 Presented by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Center for International Forest Research (CIFOR) and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) Delegates during the event This side event, moderated by Martina Fleckenstein, WWF, explored ways to overcome the loss of on-farm biodiversity by increasing tree cover on farms to provide income and livelihoods to households to restore and enhance biodiversity to agricultural landscapes. In the first part of the side event, participants discussed a monitoring toolkit to measure the contribution of trees to biodiversity on farms, in terms of both benefits for conservation and to production systems. In the second part, a panel of country delegates shared their views and expectations regarding national policies and practices that encourage on-farm tree-planting. In identifying ways to improve National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plans (NBSAPs) based on the experience of Peru, Yves Zinngrebe, Göttingen University, discussed: identifying different narratives of biodiversity conservation; targeting the causes of biodiversity loss; implementing political objectives; and building trust and collaboration. On biodiversity narratives, he noted a dominance of “capitalist and protectionist narratives” within the multilateral biodiversity agenda. On targeting causes, he stressed that agriculture is directly linked to biodiversity loss and that trees on farms are not directly targeted within NBSAPs. On improving the potential for trees on farms for biodiversity, he noted the need to: design participatory processes; bring agroforestry on the political agenda to achieve Aichi Target 7; offer agroforestry options for implementation; and link global and national actors to the political process through innovative platforms. Philip Dobie, ICRAF, explained that while agroforestry is often presented as a “productive” set of processes to improve farming systems and livelihoods, it must also be viewed as a more ecologically-sound way to manage agricultural landscapes. He presented on ways to improve agroforestry within Aichi Target 7 by incorporating indicators, including: land areas under organic production; the use of the Wild Bird Index for farmland birds; and the Living Planet Index. He stressed that trees on farms play a critical role for Aichi Target 7 in maintaining and restoring high levels of landscape biodiversity through in situ conservation, connecting fragmented habitat, and conserving soil biodiversity. Anja Gassner, ICRAF, presented on the identification of suitable proxy indicators to assess and monitor biodiversity through trees on farms. She described work being done to: develop a tool with 30 national biodiversity experts from Honduras, Peru, Rwanda, Uganda and Indonesia; field-test proxy indicators through farm inventories; consult with country Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) focal points to ensure complementarity; and widely consult with experts outside of pilot countries. On specific challenges to measuring trees on farms through remote sensing, she noted that such imagery is often difficult to interpret when cloud-free coverage is not possible and that higher resolution images involve higher costs. She stressed the need to “bridge the divide” between a scientifically accurate tool and its practicality. In the panel discussion, Roxana Solis, Ministry of Environment, Peru, spoke about the challenges of realizing an ambitious NBSAP that necessarily requires involvement of sectors beyond the Ministry of Environment in her country. She stressed the need for in situ pilot projects that integrate both agrobiodiversity conservation and production to better implement NBSAP objectives. Francis Ogwal, National Environment Management Authority, Uganda, emphasized that trees are rapidly disappearing in the landscape, largely as a result of farmers cutting trees to sell charcoal feeding urban demand. He also said that: more data is needed on what species remain on farms; planting trees on farms is not a sufficient indicator of whether species diversity is increasing or decreasing on farms; and clear indicators are required that accurately pinpoint changes in the landscape and identify impacts associated with the loss of trees on farms. In the ensuing discussion, participants raised questions to the panelists on, inter alia: the type of restoration that is being targeted; whether the goal is to produce biomass or conserve intrinsic biodiversity of native species; whether the proxy indicators will incorporate a dynamic aspect to understand how biodiversity changes with tree planting on farms; and whether broad political and economic demands on farmers is brought under consideration when examining the outcomes of planting trees on farms. Ogwal emphasized the distinction between targeting groups of farmers for promoting trees on farms, based on whether they refer to small-scale or large-scale commercial farmers. Gassner noted the importance of incorporating “crowd-sourced” information in complementing limitations with remote sensing data on how tree planting influences on-farm biodiversity. She also said that we “cannot just plant trees for the sake of planting trees,” noting that tree planting on agricultural land must align with the development agenda for farmers. Solis stressed the importance of bringing together the “social” and the “ecological” in the process of restoring forests on farmlands. Panelists speakers during the event Moderator Martina Fleckenstein, WWF Philip Dobie, ICRAF Yves Zinngrebe, Göttingen University Anja Gassner, ICRAF Francis Ogwal, National Environment Management Authority, Uganda Roxana Solis, Ministry of Environment, Peru A participant listens to the response to his question CONTACT Adriana Vidal | Adriana.vidal@iucn.org MORE INFORMATION https://www.worldagroforestry.org/project/harnessing-potential-trees-farms-meeting-national-and-global-biodiversity-targets/ Marine Biodiversity – Creating and Exchanging Solutions for our Blue World: Reflections and Lessons Learned from International Climate Initiative Projects for Achieving the Aichi Targets and the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity Presented by Blue Solutions and hosted by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) Delegates during the event This event was organized to share experiences from the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU). The event showcased how 13 IKI projects, promoting sustainable management and conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems in Latin America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, offer a platform for international and cross-sectoral knowledge sharing. Project partners shared lessons learned and how the projects are contributing to the Aichi Targets and the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity, as well as to the development of international activities for sustaining oceans. The event also shared the experience of Blue Solutions, an initiative funded by IKI, as an opportunity to promote relevant training materials and other information around the PANORAMA partnership and corresponding online platform. The event concluded with a poster session featuring the 13 IKI projects. Christian Neumann, GRID-Arendal, and Mae Bruton-Adams, The Nature Conservancy, moderated the event. Christiane Paulus, BMU, welcomed participants saying that marine and coastal areas around the world are in urgent need of protection. Germany, she said, has now legislated 30% of its exclusive economic zone for marine protection and is working on fisheries regulation policies. She drew attention to her government’s support for marine protection around the world through the IKI, noting that the side event provides an opportunity to take stock of achievements and lessons learned. Jihyun Lee, CBD Secretariat, congratulated BMU IKI for achievements over the past 10 years and the contributions these have made regarding implementation of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. She mentioned that the CBD Secretariat has received constructive and scientific advice from IKI projects, including from the Global Oceans Biodiversity Initiative. She also lauded the Blue Solutions and Marine Spatial Management and Governance Programme (MARISMA) in supporting developing countries in the application of ecosystem approaches and marine spatial planning. Spencer Thomas, Ambassador for Climate Change, Grenada, presented an IKI project on community-based mangrove management in Grenada on Restoration and Community Co-Management of Mangroves. The project, he noted, aims to build resilience to climate change risks through integrated adaptation strategies. He emphasized that the achievement of co-managed resources depends on ensuring social, economic and environmental co-benefits, adding that “a healthy ecosystem means healthy people.” Alan Boyd, South Africa, presented the MARISMA project, which is enabling sustainable ocean use in the Benguela Current region of southern Africa. The programme, he noted, uses marine spatial planning to designate Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs). He highlighted successes, including the training of over 200 government officials in marine spatial planning, knowledge exchange and joint learning within the region, and institutionalization of the Marine Spatial Planning Framework in Angola and Namibia. Gwen Sisior, Ministry of Natural Resources Management, Environment, and Tourism, Palau, presented reflections from a Micronesia-Melanesia Project. She reported on an assessment of the policy options for ecosystem-based adaptation in the Melekeok state in Palau. This study, she noted, was carried out to understand the dependencies of local communities on ecosystem services. Among these dependencies, she highlighted the critical role that the Ngerdorch watershed plays in providing water for close to 300 inhabitants of the state and as a source of drinking water for neighboring states during cases of emergency. She also reported that the study identified, among other things, vulnerabilities that undermine resilience to climate change. Andreas Gettkant, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), discussed the Blue Solutions Initiative, and its role in implementing the CBD Strategic Plan for marine and coastal biodiversity programmes. He reported on activities such as: global knowledge management through PANORAMA; capacity building on marine special planning, ecosystem services and adaptation to climate change; and support for science-policy processes. During the panel session, discussants addressed opportunities for ensuring protection and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity beyond 2020 and the role that IKI can continue to play. Lee underscored the need to ensure that the tools and methodologies developed thus far provide guidance for future work. Thomas underscored that “turning destruction into restoration” requires projects that result in changes in communities. Participants subsequently gathered for a poster session to receive more information on 13 IKI marine projects and their impact and contributions to theAichi Targets, including concrete impacts in specific countries. Panelists during the event Jihyun Lee, CBD Secretariat Alan Boyd, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Moderators Mae Bruton-Adams, The Nature Conservancy, and Christian Neumann, GRID-Arendal Gwen Sisior, Ministry of Natural Resources Management, Environment and Tourism, Palau Christiane Paulus, Deputy Director General for Nature Conservation, BMU Participants during the event Spencer Thomas, Ambassador for Climate Change, Grenada Andreas Gettkant, Project Director, GIZ Participants engage in an interactive poster display at the end of the event CONTACT Andreas Gettkant | andreas.gettkant@giz.de Blue Solutions | bluesolutions@grida.no MORE INFORMATION https://www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/?iki_lang=en Around the Venue Traditional Egyptian crafts around the venue A biodiversity version of 'snakes and ladders' A giant bee around the venue, reminding delegates of the importance of maintaining biodiversity Materials on display around the venue

Seizo Sumida, Japan, in a conversation with COP 14 participants On Sunday, Working Group I (WG I) addressed: progress in the implementation of the Convention and the Strategic Plan; assessment and review of the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing (ABS); digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources; and specialized international ABS agreements. WG II considered: synthetic biology; risk assessment and risk management under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures under the Cartagena Protocol; transit and contained use of living modified organisms; the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress; and socio-economic considerations under the Cartagena Protocol. A contact group on synthetic biology met in the evening. For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page View of Working Group I Hayo Haanstra, (the Netherlands), Chair of Working Group I Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat L-R: Leina Al-Awadhi, Shareefa Sultan Al-Salem, and Abdullah Al-Zaidan, Kuwait Nouf Ali Al-Wasmi, Bahrain El Hadj Sy, Mali Ruth Spencer, CBD Women's Network Xu Jing, China L-R: Amelia Arreguín and Christian Schwarzer, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) Luciana Melchert, Brazil Parkinson Ndonye, Kenya Joji Cariño, IIFB Verona Collantes, UN Women L-R: Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat; Hayo Haanstra (the Netherlands), Chair of Working Group I; and Robert Höft, CBD Secretariat View of Working Group II Clarissa Nina, (Brazil), Chair of Working Group II Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat Manoela Pessoa de Miranda, CBD Secretariat Ahmed Birouk, Morocco Sujata Arora, India Biodiversity blocks around the venue featuring various wildlife and habitats Hesiquio Benitez Diaz, Mexico Keiko Okamoto, Japan Jaime Montoya, the Philippines Silvia Ribeiro, ETC Group Martin Krebs, Switzerland Gurdial Singh, Malaysia Eny Sudarmonowati, Indonesia L-R: Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat; Clarissa Nina, (Brazil), Chair of Working Group II; and Manoela Pessoa de Miranda, CBD Secretariat Sheila Vergara, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, with Delfin Ganapin, WWF L-R: Belal Alhayek, Syria; Raed Bani-Hani, Jordan; Issa Albaradeiya, State of Palestine; and Lahcene Rekik, CBD Secretariat COP 14 participants at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China, exhibition booth Virtual reality demonstration at the Costa Rica exhibition booth Egyptian pavilion at COP 14  

The second day of the Rio Conventions Pavilion (RCP), organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Regional Office for Africa and partners involved in the Africa Ecological Futures (AEF) project, focused on the future of sustainability in Africa. It included the launch of the AEF initiative on the conservation of nature, biodiversity and Africa’s important natural assets, and mainstreaming AEF thinking into various sector policies like conservation, food, forest and infrastructure. Five panel discussion sessions took place throughout the day on the following themes: Key findings from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Regional Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Africa, and the IPBES Thematic Assessment on Land Degradation and Restoration; The role of Protected Areas to secure Africa’s rich biodiversity; The potential of Forest Landscape Restoration in Africa; Urban development – challenges and risks to nature; The future of biodiversity, with a focus on youth perspectives. The day closed with a reception co-organized by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to celebrate the launch of The Pathfinder Award for innovation in nature conservation, which recognizes innovative solutions for ensuring investment in protected and conserved areas. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Chair Yemi Katerere, WWF Africa Fred Kumah, WWF Africa From L-R: Chair Yemi Katerere, WWF, Regional Office Africa; Sara Bertin, African Development Bank (AfDB); Rose Mwebaza, AfDB; Saliem Fakir, WWF South Africa; Fred Kumah, WWF Africa; and Corli Pretorius, UN Environment Sara Bertin, AfDB Luthando Dziba, Co-Chair, IPBES Regional Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Africa Corli Pretorius, UN Environment Rose Mwebaza, AfDB Jean François Timmers, WWF-Brazil Laurent Some, WWF Africa Julia Barske, WWF Germany Matthias Krause, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Ulrike Tröger, WWF Germany Adriana Vidal, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Heiko Warnken, BMZ Laetitia Marie Busokeye, Rwanda Environment Management Authority Charles Karangwa, African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR 100) Issa Katwesige, Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda Anja Gassner, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) Roseline Remans, Bioversity International Kate Newman, WWF US Bianca Notarbartolo, UNEP-WCMC Roseline Remans, Bioversity International, and Fred Kumah, WWF Africa Anja Gassner, ICRAF, and Heiko Warnken, BMZ From L-R: Monique Ntumngia, Green Girls Organisation and 2017 WWF Africa Youth Champion; Iddi Hamisa Nyachenga,Green Power Tanzania; Maoga Unelker, Konservation; Alexandra Rasoamanana, Malagasy Youth Biodiversity Network; and Mohamed Raouf, Nature Conservation Egypt Launch of the Pathfinder Award: In the evening, participants gathered to celebrate the winners of the 2018 Pathfinder Awards for innovation and excellence in protected area financing and resourcing. The event was co-organized by UNDP and IUCN. View of the panel during the Launch of the Pathfinder Award Around the Venue  

COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt, with Mirjam de Koning, Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust, winner of the Pathfinder Award On Saturday morning, the opening plenary of the main proceedings of the UN Biodiversity Conference heard from the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and high-level officials. The afternoon plenary addressed organizational matters, and heard reports and opening statements. The President of Egypt Abdel Fattah el-Sisi noted ancient Egypt’s awareness of ecosystems and the dedication of the pharaohs to nature, and stressed Egypt’s constitutional protection for nature and natural resources. Pointing out that the CBD did not manage to fully mobilize the international community to effectively preserve biodiversity due to lack of mainstreaming, he called for integration of CBD objectives across all sectors. For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).  IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Egyptian school children perform for COP 14 participants showing the importance of biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) José Octavio Tripp Villanueva, Ambassador of Mexico to Egypt, on behalf of COP 13 Presidency COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt View of the spill over room during the opening session of COP 14 Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary Abdel Fattah Khalil el-Sisi, President of Egypt A video message by Maria Fernanda Espinosa, President of the UN General Assembly L-R: David Cooper, CBD Deputy Executive Secretary; COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt; and Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary A video message by Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General Corli Pretorius, UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) Diego Ignacio Moreno, Argentina, for GRULAC Niall O'Dea, Canada Gabriele Obermayr, Austria Elena Makeyeva, Belarus Video by National Geographic Coletha Ruhamya, Rwanda Tatiana Degai, Indigenous Women's Network on Biodiversity Gadir Lavadenz, CBD Alliance Hoda Yacoub, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) L-R: Sanda Anjara Rakotomalala and Adina Arth, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) Clare Hamilton, Chair of the Compliance Committee of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Kaspar Sollberger, Chair of the Compliance Committee of the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing Hamdallah Zedan, Egypt 2018 Midori Prize winners CBD National Focal Point for Cameroon booth ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity booth Egyptian media interviewing COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt  

Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt, assisting Edson Gonçalves Duarte, Minister of Environment, Brazil, during a tree planting event at the margins of the UN Biodiversity Conference High-level Segment On Thursday morning, the High-level Segment of the UN Biodiversity Conference held two parallel round table discussions, on mainstreaming biodiversity in the energy and mining, and in the health sectors. In the afternoon, plenary heard reports from the round tables; adopted the Sharm El-Sheikh Ministerial Declaration; held a panel discussion on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and 2050 vision; and launched the International Alliance on Nature and Culture. During lunchtime, high-level participants planted olive trees at the Peace Park, a botanical garden in Sharm El-Sheikh.For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).  IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Round table: “Mainstreaming biodiversity in the health sector” Hala Zayed, Minister of Health and Population, Egypt Karolina Skog, Minister of Environment, Sweden L-R: Cristina Romanelli, CBD Secretariat, and Joy St. John, Assistant Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO) Joy St. John, Assistant Director-General, WHO Barbara Thomson, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Round table: “Mainstreaming biodiversity in the energy and mining sector” L-R: Tarek El-Molla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Egypt; Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat; and Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica Fatima Zohra Zerouati, Minister of Environment and Renewable Energies, Algeria Surasak Karnjanarat, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand Nestor Batio Bassiere, Minister of Environment, Green Economy and Climate Change, Burkina Faso Almoustapha Garba, Minister of Environment, Urban Sanitation and Sustainable Development, Niger L-R: Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt; and David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary, CBD Eugenie Sage, Ministry of Conservation, New Zealand Eugenia Arguedas Montezuma, Costa Rica Claire Tutenuit, Entreprises pour l' Environnement Martha Rojas Urrego, Secretary General, Ramsar Convention L-R: Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs, and Fisheries, European Union; Manuel Pulgar Vidal, Global Lead, Climate and Energy, WWF International; and Mirna Inés Fernandez, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Ghaith Fariz, Director of Regional Bureau for Sciences in the Arab States, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Inger Andersen, Director General, IUCN Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary Huang Runqiu, Vice Minister, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China Yeshing Juliana Upún Yos, Indigenous Youth Representative from Guatemala Ahmed Kamali, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform, Egypt Mohamed Salem, Ministry of Environment, Egypt View of the plenary during the High-level Segment L-R: Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary; Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt; and Huang Runqiu, Vice Minister, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China Coletha Ruhamya, Director General, Rwanda Environment Management Authority Fiame Naomi Mataafa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, Samoa Sean Fraser, Parliamentary Secretary to Environment, Canada Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt, gaveled the meeting to a close at 6:54 pm. Photos from the Tree Planting Event Participants at the tree planting event              

Lobby outside the Summit Hall, venue of the COP14 High-Level Segment On Wednesday morning, the High-level Segment of the UN Biodiversity Conference heard opening statements and engaged in a panel discussion on “Investing in biodiversity for people and planet.” In the afternoon, participants heard from the Prime Minister of Egypt Mostafa Madbouly. They then held two parallel round table discussions, on mainstreaming biodiversity in the infrastructure sector, and on mainstreaming biodiversity in the manufacturing and processing sectors.  IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: View of the dais during the opening session of the High-level Segment with Siim Kiisler, Minister of Environment, Estonia, President of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA); Khaled Fouda Saddiq Mohammed, Governor of South Sinai, Egypt; Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt; Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme (UNEP); and José Octavio Tripp Villanueva, Ambassador of Mexico to Egypt, COP 13 Presidency Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt José Octavio Tripp Villanueva, Ambassador of Mexico to Egypt, COP 13 Presidency Khaled Fouda Saddiq Mohammed, Governor of South Sinai, Egypt View of the opening session of the High-level Segment Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UNEP Siim Kiisler, Minister of Environment, Estonia, President of UNEA Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica Mohamed Maait, Minister of Finance, Egypt Jonathan Baillie, Executive Vice-President and Chief Scientist, National Geographic Society Emmanuelle Wargon, State Minister of Ecological and Inclusive Transition, France Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) L-R: Rene Castro Salazar, Assistant Secretary-General for Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO); Adriana Dinu, Deputy Director, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and Emad El Din Adly, General Coordinator, Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED)   Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt Round table: “Mainstreaming biodiversity in the infrastructure sector” Round table: “Mainstreaming biodiversity in the manufacturing and processing sectors” COP 14 theme displayed prominently at the venue Participants from the Global Youth Biodiversity Forum and the WWF with Edson Gonçalves Duarte, Minister of Environment, Brazil Delegates from the EU and the Austrian Presidency Delegates from South Africa