CHINA warned against synergy’s use as a pretext for reducing the total financial input to developing countries.


Above photo L-R: Lei Cai, Han Yingda and Weixue Cheng (China) 

PAKISTAN called for research on the carbon sequestration potential of species and ecosystems.


Above photo: Shahzad Jehangir (Pakistan)

PERU supported the development of pilot projects involving joint actions for meeting the objectives of the Rio Conventions.


Above photo: Maria Luisa Del Rio Mispireta (Peru)

AUSTRIA underscored the role of the Joint Liaison Group of the Rio Conventions.


Above photo: Gabriele Obermayr (Austria)

NEW ZEALAND said the CBD should focus on practical advice regarding adaptation activities.

Above photo: Jonathan Curr (New Zealand)

The UK welcomed the informal joint meeting of SBSTTA-11 and the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice.

Above photo: Karen Dickson (UK)

Delegates met in two parallel informal consultations to broker compromise text on the establihsment of a special fund for addressing capacity-building needs and on assisting developing countries to obtain, collate and curate biological specimens. 

The GEF requested that the meeting report reflect his concern that the language of the recommendations overstepped the Memorandum of Understanding between the GEF Standing Committee and the CBD COP.

Above photo: Mario Ramos (GEF)

UN FORUM ON FOREST  (UNFF) highlighted collaboration between CBD and UNFF, in particular regarding using common indicators and streamlining forest-related reporting. Many emphasized taking into account the outcomes of UNFF-6 in February 2006.

Above photo: Catalina Santamaria (UNFF)

TANZANIA for the AFRICAN GROUP called for capacity building.




Above photo: Rawson Piniel Yonazi (Tanzania)

Outi Berghäll (Finland), Co-Chair of the CBD AHTEG on interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change, stressed that both adaptation and mitigation activities may have negative impacts on biodiversity, and noted that the climate community has a good awareness of the biodiversity-related implications of climate change.

Robert Watson (World Bank), Co-Chair of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) and Former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, presented the process and findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, particularly with regard to biodiversity and climate change. While the MA found that climate change has not been a major threat to ecosystems in the last 50 years, it projected that climate change is likely to be a major threat to biodiversity over the next 50-100 years.

Braulio Dias (Brazil), Member of the AHTEG on interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change, presented the main outcomes of the AHTEG meetings. He stressed that diversity is an important property of nature, and gives it the capacity to resist and adapt to change, and noted that, while climate change is a major driver of biodiversity loss, biodiversity management can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Halldor Thorgeirsson, UNFCCC Secretariat Coordinator, acknowledged the excellent cooperation between the CBD and UNFCCC Secretariats and highlighted that synergies start at the national level.