Notification 2012-144

Dear Madam/Sir, The purpose of this notification is to inform you of several new products, developed by partner organizations in close cooperation with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, that seek to support implementation of recent decisions on valuation and incentive measures in the context of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, as requested by various decisions of the Conference of the Parties (decision X/44, paragraphs 13 and 14; decision XI/30, paragraphs 10 and 12 (e); and decision X/2, paragraph 17 (e) and (f)). Specifically, in decision X/2, on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, building on the results of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) study, the Conference of the Parties requested cooperation with relevant organizations and development of implementation tools for the integration of economic aspects of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The Secretariat, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and with financial support provided by the Government of Japan and TNC, has developed an e-learning module on valuation as a tool for mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystem services. The beta version of this module was launched at the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Hyderabad, India, in October 2012, and is now available online under https://www.conservationtraining.org/, for testing and provision of feedback. The Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Germany, and the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), in close cooperation with the Secretariat and the TEEB office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and with financial support provided by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), have developed implementation guides for Aichi targets 2, 3 and 11 (see Annex), with a view to support their national implementation including through the revision of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans. Building on the quick guides for the individual Aichi targets developed by the Secretariat, the implementation guides provide concise summaries of the salient conclusions of the TEEB studies relevant to these targets, and provide extensive references to individual chapters or sub-sections of the relevant TEEB studies, as well as references and links to other useful tools and case studies. They are available online under: http://www.teebtest.org/teeb-implementation/cbd-aichi-biodiversity-targets/. Hardcopies can be provided upon request to teeb@ufz.de. It is planned to use these tools, once finalized, in future regional or sub-regional post-TEEB capacity-building workshops on valuation and incentive measures. It is my hope that these products will be useful for countries in effectively mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society, and thus addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, as foreseen in Strategic Goal A of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration. ANNEX The Aichi Biodiversity Targets Target 2 By 2020, at the latest, biodiversity values have been integrated into national and local development and poverty reduction strategies and planning processes and are being incorporated into national accounting, as appropriate, and reporting systems. Target 3 By 2020, at the latest, incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity are eliminated, phased out or reformed in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts, and positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are developed and applied, consistent and in harmony with the Convention and other relevant international obligations, taking into account national socio economic conditions. Target 11 By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscape and seascapes.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points