Introduction to the online discussions of the Liaison Group
Discussions will be held from 7 to 21 February 2024.
Participation is restricted to members of the Liaison Group on the Cartagena Protocol.
Background
Past involvement of the Liaison Group in the development of Target 17
In decision CP-9/7, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety expanded the mandate and scope of the Liaison Group and adopted new Terms of Reference for the Group, renaming it “Liaison Group on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety”. The COP-MOP requested the Liaison Group to contribute to the development of the biosafety component in what was later adopted as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Further to decision CP-9/7, the Liaison Group, at its thirteenth meeting, held in 2019, developed draft text for a biosafety target, sub-targets and indicators. The text of the biosafety component was transmitted by the co-Chairs of the Liaison Group to the co-Chairs of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, to facilitate its inclusion in the zero draft of the global biodiversity framework (see CBD/CP/LG/2019/1/6, Annex I).
The work of the Liaison Group is still reflected in the list of complementary indicators adopted by the COP in decision 15/5, which largely follow the indicators suggested by the Liaison Group for the biosafety target and sub-targets it developed for inclusion in the zero draft of the KMGBF.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and Target 17
By decision 15/4, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and noted that its implementation would be supported by decisions 15/5, 15/6, 15/7, 15/8, 15/9 and 15/13.
Target 17 of the KMGBF addresses biosafety and biotechnology and reads as follows: “Establish, strengthen capacity for, and implement in all countries, biosafety measures as set out in Article 8(g) of the Convention on Biological Diversity and measures for the handling of biotechnology and distribution of its benefits as set out in Article 19 of the Convention.”
Monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
By decision 15/5, the Conference of the Parties adopted a monitoring framework for the Global Biodiversity Framework, composed of:
- Headline indicators, which are to be used for tracking national, regional and global progress and in national reports and national biodiversity strategies and action plans, as elaborated in decision 15/6, by which the Conference of the Parties adopted a mechanism for planning, monitoring, reporting and review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;
- Global-level indicators, which are to be used to track global progress and collated from binary responses to questions in national reports, as elaborated in decision 15/6;
- Component indicators, which are optional and, together with the headline indicators, cover all components of the goals and targets of the Framework in order to track national, regional and global progress on implementation;
- Complementary indicators, which are optional indicators for thematic or in-depth analysis.
For Target 17, decision 15/5 only provided a list of complementary indicators. The Terms of Reference of the AHTEG on Indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework included in Annex II of decision 15/5, provided furthermore an indication of the type of binary indicator that might be considered for Target 17, for information only.
In decision 15/6, the Conference of the Parties requested Parties to provide responses on binary yes/no questions, as set out in the monitoring framework of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in decision 15/5, in their national reports, and supplemented, as appropriate, by optional component and complementary indicators also included therein and other national indicators providing flexibility in the progressive implementation of this paragraph to countries, particularly developing countries, in the light of the fact that not all indicators are currently ready and of the need for capacity-building and development on the headline indicators.
Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
In decision 15/5, the Conference of the Parties established an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to advise on the further operationalization of the monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in accordance with the terms of reference contained in Annex II to the decision.
Among other tasks, the AHTEG on Indicators was mandated to keep under review the list of binary, component and complementary indicators and advise on the wording to construct binary questions for the indicators to be used in national reports (see decision 15/5, Annex II, table 1).
The AHTEG on Indicators met twice online and once in person prior to the 25th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and two more meetings of the AHTEG on Indicators are planned to be held. Among others, it developed a suggested global level indicator for Target 17 (see CBD/IND/AHTEG/2023/3/2 , Annex 1, Table).
Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
An update on the work of the AHTEG on Indicators was provided to the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, at its 25th meeting, including a proposed way forward for the global indicators constructed from binary responses as well as related questions for Target 17 (see CBD/SBSTTA/25/2, Annex). SBSTTA considered the information and discussed the binary questions for the global indicator for Target 17, making several suggestions for change.
In recommendation 25/1, the SBSTTA requested the AHTEG on Indicators to continue to work on outstanding issues and invited the AHTEG, time permitting and as appropriate, to provide advice on the wording of the list of binary questions, with the support of the Executive Secretary and in a manner consistent with the agreed language of the Goals and Targets of the KMGBF, which would be provided in the form of an explanatory note based on the annex to recommendation SBSTTA-25/1 to facilitate the discussions at the twenty-sixth meeting of the SBSTTA.
SBSTTA-25 also requested the AHTEG to provide additional explanatory information on the list of binary questions, including guidance on the methodologies that will be used to compile the global indicators based on the binary responses, the thresholds for responding to the questions and a glossary of key terms, and to make such information available in due time for review by the Parties before the twenty-sixth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice.
At its 26th meeting, SBSTTA is expected to consider the full monitoring framework, including the list of binary questions for the global indicators developed from binary responses, with a focus on targets not discussed at its 25th meeting and to adopt a recommendation for consideration by the Conference of the Parties, at its sixteenth meeting.
Invitation to the Liaison Group to contribute to the indicator process regarding Target 17
The terms of reference of the AHTEG on indicators allow the invitation of other experts, as appropriate, to contribute to specific expertise and experiences on specific issues related to the terms of reference of the AHTEG.
At its third meeting, held from 3 to 6 October 2023, the AHTEG on Indicators discussed how to link with other groups that are working on specific indicators. It recognized that “in some cases, there are groups that have been coordinated by the Secretariat, including, for example, the expert group on financial reporting (which is working on Goal D and Target 18 and 19 indicators), the biosafety liaison group (which could be requested to assist with Target 17), the technical and scientific cooperation informal advisory group (which has provided assistance and could provide further advice on Target 20), and the Working Group on Article 8(j) (which is working on indicators related to IPLCs and traditional knowledge).”
At its eighteenth meeting, held from 24 to 26 October 2023, the Compliance Committee under the Cartagena Protocol, noting Target 17 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, stressed the importance of involving biosafety experts in the development of the monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and recognized that the Liaison Group on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety could contribute to the further development of the indicators for Target 17, including to ensure consistency with reporting under the Protocol.
Online discussions of the Liaison Group
In response to the invitation by the AHTEG on indicators, online discussions of the Liaison Group on the Cartagena Protocol will be organized from 7 to 21 February 2024 to provide a contribution to the development of the monitoring framework as it relates to Target 17.
A ‘live’ opening event will be held on 7 February 2024 at 7.00 AM Montreal time. During the opening event, a presentation on the relevant work of the AHTEG on indicators and SBSTTA will be delivered, and the co-Chairs of the Liaison Group will explain the organization of the ensuing online discussions. The opening event will also comprise a question-and-answer session, which aims at preparing members of the Liaison Group for their active engagement in the online discussions that follow the event.
More information on past meetings of the Liaison Group on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is available here.
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