15/8. Capacity-building and development and technical and scientific cooperation

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling Articles 15.6, 16, 17, 18 and 19 of the Convention,

Recalling also decisions XIII/23 and 14/24, Noting with appreciation the support provided by Parties, other Governments, the Global Environment Facility, relevant organizations and other stakeholders for capacity-building and development, and technical and scientific cooperation activities to assist developing country Parties, Parties with economies in transition, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth,

Reaffirming the need to promote strategic and coherent approaches to capacity-building and development and technical and scientific cooperation in supporting the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols,

Underscoring the critical importance of capacity-building and development, technical and scientific cooperation, and technology transfer for the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,

Recognizing that many Parties, in particular developing country Parties, might not yet have the necessary capacities to fully implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and related decisions taken by the Conference of the Parties at its fifteenth meeting, and highlighting the need for enhanced cooperation to address these capacity gaps,

Noting that the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and related decisions are to be implemented in accordance with national priorities and capabilities,

Taking into account the specific needs of developing country Parties, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, and countries with economies in transition, also taking into consideration the special situation of those that are most environmentally vulnerable, such as those with arid and semi-arid zones, coastal and mountainous areas, as well as indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth,

Taking note of the final report on the implementation of the short-term action plan (2017–2020) to enhance and support capacity-building for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, and the lessons learned,

Taking note also of the summary of the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity held on 30 September 2020,

Welcoming partnerships and commitments among organizations to support capacity-building and development, and technical and scientific cooperation for the implementation of the Convention,

Acknowledging the importance of increasing the provision and mobilization of resources from all sources for the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including its monitoring framework, particularly for capacity-building and development, and technical and scientific cooperation for all Parties, in particular developing country Parties,

Recalling Articles 20 and 21 of the Convention and taking into account decisions 15/7 on resource mobilization and 15/15 on the financial mechanism,

Recalling decisions 14/24 B, XIII/23, XIII/31, XII/2 B, X/16, IX/14, VIII/12 and VII/29 regarding technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer, Reaffirming that technical and scientific cooperation is essential to the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,

Acknowledging the close interlinkages between technical and scientific cooperation and the other means of implementation and the need for Parties to consider them as a package and not in isolation,

Taking note of the progress report on technical and scientific cooperation, including the achievements made under the Bio-Bridge Initiative presented in document CBD/COP/15/INF/8,

Taking note also of the results of the review of technical and scientific cooperation programmes contained in document CBD/COP/15/12, 3 Recalling decision 14/20 and noting decision 15/9, and further recognizing the need to support access to, and generation, analysis and use of, digital sequence information on genetic resources through capacity-building and development, technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer,

Affirming the need to align all capacity-building and development, technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer activities with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and related decisions and strategies,

A. Capacity-building and development

1. Adopts the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development to support priorities determined by Parties in their national biodiversity strategies and action plans for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, contained in annex I to the present decision;

2. Takes note of the Capacity-building Action Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which has been developed to be complementary to the long-term strategic framework referred to in paragraph 1 above;

3. Also takes note of the findings and recommendations of the evaluation of the strategic framework for capacity-building and development to support the effective implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, 7 and welcomes decision NP-4/7 requesting the Executive Secretary to prepare a revised version in line with the long-term strategic framework referred to in paragraph 1 above;

4. Urges Parties and invites other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth, the capacity-building task force of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, relevant organizations, and other stakeholders to use the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development referred to in paragraph 1 above as a flexible framework in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of their capacity-building and development initiatives and programmes supporting the achievement of the vision, mission, goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

5. Also urges Parties and invites other Governments to put in place enabling environments including relevant policies, legislation and administrative measures, as appropriate, to promote and facilitate capacity-building and development at various levels, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and local communities, and women and youth organizations;

6. Urges Parties, in accordance with Articles 20 and 21, and invites other Governments and relevant organizations to provide financial and technical support to biodiversity capacity-building and development activities, taking into consideration the specific situations of developing country Parties, in particular those of the least developed countries and small island developing States among them, and countries with economies in transition, also taking into consideration the special situation of developing countries, including those that are most environmentally vulnerable, such as those with arid and semi-arid zones, coastal and mountainous areas, in line with the priority needs identified in national biodiversity strategies and action plans and/or national capacity-building and development strategies, as well as those identified by indigenous peoples and local communities, and women and youth organizations;

7. Invites biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements and processes to consider the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development when designing their capacity-building and development strategies, action plans, work programmes and mechanisms, as appropriate, to foster synergies and avoid duplication;

8. Invites biodiversity-related conventions and other multilateral environmental agreements to prepare, following the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, thematic capacity-building and development action plans for specific targets or groups of related targets, and to develop dedicated global, regional and subregional programmes to implement those thematic plans, in line with the long-term strategic framework and the Gender Plan of Action, 8 as appropriate;

9. Urges Parties and invites other Governments to identify and prioritize capacity-building and development needs, in partnership with indigenous peoples and local communities, and with the participation of women and youth and other relevant stakeholders, to integrate capacity-building and development components in their national biodiversity strategies and action plans while updating them in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and/or develop dedicated biodiversity capacity-building and development action plans, and programmes, as appropriate;

10. Urges Parties and invites other Governments to include biodiversity capacity-building and development, as appropriate, in relevant development cooperation frameworks, partnerships and programmes;

11. Invites Parties in accordance with Articles 16, 18 and 19 of the Convention to enhance and support capacity-building and development cooperation activities, especially in developing countries, for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, as appropriate, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, taking into account synergies between capacity-building and technology transfer and technical and scientific cooperation, including biotechnology 9 research;

12. Invites universities and other academic institutions to develop and integrate specialized and transdisciplinary academic courses and programmes into their curricula and/or expand and strengthen existing ones, generate and share new knowledge, and implement continuing education programmes to support the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework with the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth;

13. Invites relevant organizations and regional and subregional bodies, including regional economic integration organizations, to promote the sharing of expertise and information; to strengthen existing regional and subregional support networks or establish new ones, as appropriate, and to provide, upon request, assistance to enable national and subnational government institutions, local authorities and non-government actors, including indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth organizations, within the respective regions or subregions to strengthen their capacities, while also mobilizing and fostering effective use and retention of the capacities developed;

14. Invites regional teams of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group and the United Nations regional economic commissions to initiate and facilitate the coordination and synergistic implementation of capacity-building and development interventions in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

15. Invites United Nations Resident Coordinators and the United Nations Country Teams, in consultation with the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues and other relevant United Nations agencies, to integrate biodiversity capacity-building and development into country-level United Nations sustainable development cooperation frameworks to support national implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals;

16. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources:

(a) To promote awareness of the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development, including through the creation of a dedicated web page on the clearing-house mechanism portal;

(b) To make available through the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention, the Biosafety Clearing-House, and the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House, existing and additional guidance on capacity-building and development, including existing, new and innovative tools, methods and case studies on good practices and lessons learned that can assist Parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth organizations, and other relevant stakeholders in their capacity-building and development efforts;

(c) To facilitate the development of an island biodiversity capacity-building and development action plan, on the basis of the review of the capacity and technology absorption and sustaining abilities of small island developing States, and in line with the programme of work on island biodiversity;

(d) To enable Parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth organizations, and other relevant organizations to prepare, following the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, thematic capacity-building and development action plans for specific 2030 targets or groups of related targets, as appropriate, taking into account needs and gaps identified and decided by Parties;

(e) To support and advise Parties on ways to integrate capacity-building and development components into their national biodiversity strategies and action plans;

(f) To invite the United Nations Environment Management Group, in collaboration with the Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, to foster United Nations system-wide synergy, coherence and effectiveness in the provision of capacity-building and development support for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in line with the United Nations common approach to integrating biodiversity for sustainable development into United Nations policy and programme planning and delivery;

(g) To convene, in collaboration with partners, a forum to facilitate networking and sharing of experiences, good practices and lessons learned in capacity-building and development for biodiversity before each meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation;

(h) To undertake, in collaboration with other biodiversity-related conventions and partners, a review of the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development, in conjunction with the global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the means of implementation, for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its seventeenth meeting, to assess its use by Parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth organizations, and other relevant stakeholders and, if necessary, propose updates to ensure its effectiveness to assist Parties in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

(i) To commission an independent evaluation of the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development, in conjunction with the global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the means of implementation, and submit a report to facilitate its review by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation and by the Conference of the Parties at its nineteenth meeting;

B. Technical and scientific cooperation

17. Urges Parties and invites other Governments and relevant organizations to recognize the important role of, and to promote, science, technology, innovation and other knowledge systems in supporting the implementation of the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework towards achieving the 2050 Vision of living in harmony with nature;

18. Reminds Parties, pursuant to paragraph 6 of decision XIII/23, to identify and communicate their biodiversity-related technical and scientific needs and requests for assistance, and invites Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to register as providers of technical assistance and offer support to address the needs identified by Parties through the central portal of the clearing-house mechanism and the clearing-houses of the Protocols, to facilitate capacity-building and development and technical and scientific cooperation;

19. Urges Parties and invites other Governments to put in place enabling environments, including relevant policies, legislation and incentives, to promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation with other Parties, in particular developing country Parties, including through joint research programmes and joint ventures for the development of technologies relevant to the objectives of the Convention, ensuring the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth;

20. Encourages Parties, in accordance with Article 20 of the Convention, and other Governments, in collaboration with relevant partners and financial institutions, to promote, facilitate and support the development of biodiversity-related technologies and innovations, including biotechnology, as well as locally designed solutions and indigenous technologies of indigenous peoples and local communities, with their free, prior and informed consent, in accordance with national legislation and international instruments, including through incubator programmes relevant to the objectives of the Convention, and to increase technology transfer for all Parties, in particular for developing country Parties;

21. Encourages Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to take practical steps to promote and strengthen relevant networks of institutions and communities of practice to facilitate the exchange of biodiversity-related information, experiences, skills and technical know-how, among others, through networks of national and regional clearing-house mechanisms;

22. Takes note of the outcomes and key messages of the fifth Science-Policy Forum for Biodiversity and the eighth International Conference on Sustainability Science; 

23. Urges Parties, and invites other Governments and relevant stakeholders, to develop solutions based on innovative technologies embedded in local contexts to enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and to address the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals, and to scale up those solutions at the national, subregional and regional levels;

24. Decides to establish an informal advisory group on technical and scientific cooperation, to provide strategic advice on practical measures, tools and opportunities to promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation in accordance with the terms of reference contained in annex III to the present decision;

25. Also decides to establish a mechanism comprising a network of regional, and/or additional subregional technical and scientific cooperation support centres to be coordinated at the global level by a global coordination entity, as described in annex II to the present decision;

26. Further decides that the core functions of the regional and/or subregional centres will include the following:

(a) To promote and facilitate, on a demand-driven basis, technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer among Parties, especially from developed country Parties to developing country Parties, to support the implementation of the Convention and of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including through joint research programmes and joint ventures for the development of technologies relevant to the objectives of the Convention;

(b) To provide a “one-stop service centre” for Parties to biodiversity-related conventions, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to access technical and scientific knowledge, expertise, tools and other resources, taking into account the science, technology and innovation capability gaps identified by Parties, especially developing country Parties;

(c) To provide Parties, especially developing country Parties, with access to information on opportunities for technical and scientific cooperation, technology transfer and innovations, including biotechnology 12 research;

(d) To mobilize resources to provide timely and targeted support for projects and activities that address specific identified technical and scientific needs;

(e) To facilitate matchmaking between Parties with specific needs and Parties or organizations in a position to provide assistance in response to the priority needs identified;

(f) To catalyse and support the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of technical and scientific cooperation projects and programmes that:

(i) Promote and incubate international and regional cooperation and partnerships using a programmatic approach;

(ii) Facilitate the development, transfer and diffusion of technologies and innovative national, regional and local solutions, including those of indigenous peoples and local communities, with their free, prior and informed consent, through scalable initiatives;

(iii) Facilitate access to, and utilization of, available scientific knowledge, information and data;

(g) To strengthen capacities of regional, subregional and national institutions to facilitate technical and scientific cooperation with an emphasis on science, technology and innovation;

(h) To facilitate knowledge sharing and organizational learning;

(i) To identify, collate and disseminate good practices and lessons learned regarding biodiversity-related technical and scientific cooperation, technology transfer and innovation, including biotechnology research;

(j) To maximize synergies and collaborate with other technology transfer initiatives and mechanisms;

(k) To perform such other activities related to science, technology and innovation as may be determined by the Conference of the Parties;

27. Decides that the modalities for operationalization of the global coordination entity will be developed by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its sixteenth meeting, taking into account the core functions listed below:

(a) To facilitate coordination, collaboration and synergies among the regional and/or subregional centres;

(b) To facilitate the sharing of experiences and lessons learned among the network members;

(c) To coordinate a standardized approach in the delivery of support tools;

(d) To mobilize additional resources for the technical and scientific cooperation programmes of the regional and/or subregional centres;

(e) To operate a global helpdesk to provide information, advice and technical support at the request of the regional and/or subregional centres;

(f) To ensure balance and equity among regions while implementing the technical and scientific cooperation mechanism’s mandate to facilitate access to information on opportunities for technical and scientific cooperation;

(g) To support the regional and/or subregional centres to align their work with the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the implementation of the Convention;

(h) To assist the regional and/or subregional centres in the reporting of their work for the consideration of the Conference of the Parties;

28. Also decides in the interim to strengthen and scale up the Bio-Bridge Initiative for the coming biennium, subject to the availability of resources, taking into account the results of the terminal evaluation of phase I of the Initiative, and urges Parties, other Governments, relevant organizations and other stakeholders to scale up financial, technical and human resources to further promote technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, at the global, national, regional, and subregional levels;

29. Invites the Global Environment Facility to support eligible activities of the regional and/or subregional technical and scientific cooperation support centres and the global coordination entity contributing to technical and scientific cooperation, technology transfer, and capacity-building and development at global, regional, subregional and national levels, as appropriate; 

30. Urges Parties, in accordance with Articles 20 and 21, and invites other Governments, relevant organizations and other stakeholders to provide financial and technical support to the regional and/or subregional support centres and to the global coordination entity referred to in paragraph 25 of the present decision;

31. Requests the Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation established pursuant to paragraph 24 of the present decision to prepare recommendations on how to monitor progress against the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development and the mechanism to strengthen technical and scientific cooperation for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at its fourth meeting, with the aim of informing the periodic review, update and enhancement of the technical and scientific cooperation mechanism;

32. Requests the Executive Secretary, subject to the availability of resources:

(a) To further promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in collaboration with Parties, relevant partners, the regional and/or subregional support centres and the global coordination entity, other organizations and indigenous peoples and local communities;

(b) In consultation with the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties, to implement and support the following process and modalities for selecting entities and organizations to host the regional and/or subregional support centres to promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation, as appropriate:

(i) Issue a notification to all Parties inviting entities and organizations that meet the selection criteria mentioned in paragraph 4 of annex II to the present decision and wish to host regional and/or subregional technical and scientific cooperation support centres to submit expressions of interest and a detailed proposal of their offer;

(ii) Provide responses to any inquiries or points of clarification from interested entities and organizations, as appropriate; (iii) Prepare an assessment report, with a ranked shortlist of up to three entities and organizations per (sub)region, also providing information on how the selection criteria were applied;

(iv) Convene a meeting of the Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation to consider the top shortlisted candidates and provide advice on the most suitable entity(ies) and organization(s) and the number of centres required;

(v) Invite Parties to submit views on the assessment and the report of the Informal Advisory Group;

(vi) Submit the report of the Informal Advisory Group as well as a compilation of the views of Parties to the Bureau of the Conference of the Parties and invite the Bureau to select the most suitable entities and organizations;

(vii) Communicate the final decision to the selected entity(ies) and organization(s) and invite them to confirm acceptance of their selection within a period of one month;

(viii) Initiate and facilitate a process to identify donors that could provide additional funding to the selected entity(ies) and organizations to facilitate technical and scientific cooperation in support of implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

(ix) Initiate within a period of three months and facilitate the process of signing the host agreement(s) with the selected entity(ies) and organization(s);

(c) To communicate to the regional and/or subregional support centres and the global coordination entity the priorities established by Parties regarding capacity-building and development, technical and scientific cooperation, and technology transfer;

(d) To maintain synergy and collaboration with biodiversity-related conventions, and relevant organizations, initiatives and networks, including the Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity, the Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity, and others that have technical and scientific expertise, technologies and information, and/or are involved in biodiversity-related technical and scientific cooperation activities;

(e) To maintain active communication with Parties and relevant stakeholders with a view to keeping them and the public informed of the achievements of the technical and scientific cooperation support activities;

(f) To organize, in collaboration with relevant organizations and indigenous peoples and local communities, biodiversity science forums, technology and innovation expos, round tables and other events to showcase technical and scientific cooperation initiatives, technologies and opportunities;

(g) To compile relevant information related to technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer in the field of biological diversity for the implementation of the three objectives of the Convention and to make it available to Parties through the clearing-house mechanism; (h) To perform such other activities as may be necessary;

(i) To prepare relevant documents and reports on technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer, including the work of the mechanism established in paragraph 25 of the present decision, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at a meeting to be held prior to the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, and by the Conference of the Parties at its seventeenth meeting, in conjunction with the global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the means of implementation;

(j) To undertake a review of the technical and scientific cooperation mechanism, in conjunction with the global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the means of implementation, for consideration at the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties and, if necessary, propose updates to ensure its effectiveness to assist Parties in implementing the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

(k) To submit a report on the work of the Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation at a meeting to be held prior to the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.

Annex I

LONG-TERM STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR CAPACITY-BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT

I. INTRODUCTION

1. The long-term strategic framework is intended to guide the capacity-building and development efforts of government and non-government actors,13 including indigenous peoples and local communities, in support of priorities determined by Parties in their national biodiversity strategies and action plans for the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It seeks to catalyse institutionalized capacity-building and development interventions and ensure that they are robust, coordinated and delivered in a holistic and complementary manner. It also seeks to promote coherence, efficiency and effectiveness of capacity-building and development efforts at all levels through strategic and harmonized approaches.

2. The study carried out to provide the knowledge base for the strategic framework noted that capacity-building and development efforts, especially in developing countries, were fragmented and undertaken in silos, largely through externally funded short-term projects. Many countries had not yet adopted systemic, long-term and institutionalized approaches to capacity-building and development. Interventions were often implemented in an ad hoc manner and not as part of coherent long-term programmes, and without an adequate enabling environment. Consequently, many had not succeeded in bringing about the desired changes in a sustainable manner. The strategic framework aims to help address the above shortcomings.

3. In this strategic framework, capacity is described as “the ability of people, organizations and societies as a whole to achieve the biodiversity-related goals and action targets”, and capacity-building and development is understood as “the process whereby people, organizations and society as a whole unleash, strengthen, create, adapt and maintain capacity over time to achieve positive biodiversity results.” 15 Capacity-building and development is considered at three levels: the enabling environment, organizational and individual levels.

II. STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND OUTCOMES

A. Overall vision and theory of change

4. The long-term vision of this strategic framework is that by 2050 all societies will be fully empowered to effectively live in harmony with nature. The medium-term vision is that by 2030 governments and relevant non-government actors will have the requisite capacities to effectively and sustainably contribute to the achievement of the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to the implementation of the three objectives of the Convention and its Protocols.

5. The overall goal is to support the development and strengthening of the capacities necessary for achieving the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and to enhance the coherence, efficiency and effectiveness of capacity-building and development initiatives at all levels and ensuring alignment with relevant initiatives supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development 13 In this framework, government actors include, as appropriate, government institutions at national and subnational levels. The term “non-government actors” includes United Nations organizations and programmes, multilateral environmental agreements, intergovernmental organizations, community organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities, academia, faith-based and religious groups, women and youth organizations, non-governmental organizations, media, the scientific community, and private sector entities such as private financial institutions, businesses, industries, insurers, producers and investors.

Goals. These changes can only be achieved by having in place effective, agile and continuously learning organizations16 supported with adequate financial, technical and human resources.

6. The strategic framework, similar to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, is underpinned by a theory of change, which is elaborated and visualized in figure 3 of document CBD/SBI/3/7/Add.1. 17 The theory of change outlines the intended pathways of change in capacity, the underlying assumptions and the anticipated high-level changes/outcomes. The purpose of the theory of change is to ensure that relevant actors are conscious of the causal relationships, the change pathways, the expected changes/capacity results, and the important contextual factors and underlying assumptions.

B. Capacity results

7. The strategic framework establishes indicative high-level and long-term capacity-building and development results relevant to the implementation of the three objectives of the Convention, the achievement of the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (see Box 1). Government and relevant non-government actors are also encouraged to set capacity-building and development targets at various levels and clearly include them in relevant documents, such as national biodiversity strategies and action plans, programme strategies and plans. Capacities can be categorized as “functional” capacities (cross-cutting skills needed to get things done and not associated with any one particular sector or theme); and “technical” capacities (associated with specific areas of expertise, sectors or themes). 

Box 1. Expected capacity results 1. Long-term, high-level outcomes: (a) Successful implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans; (b) Achievement of 2030 targets and 2050 vision of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; (c) Biodiversity mainstreamed throughout sectors and society; (d) Strengthened access to and transfer of technology and effective participation in scientific and technical cooperation, particularly for developing countries. 2. Medium-term outcomes: (a) Successful development, where appropriate, and update of the national biodiversity strategies and action plans; (b) Sound enabling frameworks and institutional arrangements support achievement of national biodiversity strategies and action plans; (c) Strategic partnerships and learning networks enhance biodiversity conservation and sustainable use efforts along with the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources; (d) High-quality programmes and projects that are technically sound have realistic and achievable plans, address gender and youth considerations, and embed monitoring; (e) Effective monitoring and evaluation and learning processes embedded into projects and programmes from the start, to support evidence-based decision-making at all levels; (f) Reinforced mechanisms, incentive structures and investments ensure utilization and retention of capacity of all types at all levels.

III. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

8. Governments and non-governmental actors are encouraged to apply the following overarching guiding principles, in support of priorities for capacity-building and development determined by Parties in their national biodiversity strategies and action plans, which, if applied, would contribute to more effective and sustainable capacities to support the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework:

(a) Inclusive analysis of existing capacities and needs is essential to ensure effective interventions;

(b) Country ownership and commitment should be cornerstones for capacity-building and development actions;

(c) Strategic and integrated system-wide approaches to capacity-building and development should be promoted;

(d) Interventions should be designed and implemented according to recognized good practice and lessons learned;

(e) Indigenous peoples and local communities, gender and youth perspectives should be fully integrated into biodiversity capacity-building and development efforts, taking into account the Gender Plan of Action;18 (f) Monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks should be incorporated into capacity-building and development strategies, plans and programmes from the start. 18 Decision 15/11, annex. 

IV. KEY STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE CAPACITY-BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT

9. Government and non-government actors are encouraged to adopt, as appropriate, the strategies below to enhance capacity-building and development initiatives in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and ensure alignment and synergy with the Sustainable Development Goals and other relevant national and global processes. Each country should decide which strategies to apply, taking into account its needs, circumstances and local contexts:

(a) Institutionalize capacity-building and development. Ensure that capacity-building and development interventions are planned and delivered as an integral part of the institutions’ broader corporate strategic plans, ongoing human resources and organizational development and knowledge management, organizational learning, mentorship and peer-to-peer support, nurturing of communities of practice, and systematic sharing of experiences, best practices and lessons learned;

(b) Integrate long-term capacity-building and development into national biodiversity strategies and action plans. Integrate capacity-building and development components into national biodiversity strategies and action plans and similar strategic documents or develop dedicated national capacity-building and development action plans, as appropriate,19 to identify the core capacity-building and development needs, goals, targets and milestones and foster their alignment with the strategic framework, alongside initiatives on related Sustainable Development Goals. This would help ensure that capacity-building and development for biodiversity is planned strategically and streamlined into national development investments and budgeting processes. It is encouraged to include plans on youth engagement and capacity-building and development, and to integrate intergenerational initiatives in these documents;

(c) Increase focus on life-long learning. Increase focus on formal, non-formal and informal education at all levels, including adult education, ensuring that knowledge, skills, values and norms are in line with the goals and targets as well as capacity-building and development needs of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework;

(d) Align biodiversity capacity-building and development with broader cross-sectoral plans and programmes. Apply the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to national implementation proposed in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to galvanize capacity-building and development for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the global biodiversity goals and targets. Focal points of the Rio conventions, biodiversity-related conventions and the Sustainable Development Goals, and representatives of line ministries and sectors should adopt a road map for alignment and coordinated action. The United Nations Country Teams should also play a key role in promoting integrated programming and coordination of capacity-building and development as part of United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks;

(e) Undertake measures to fully utilize and retain existing capacity. Undertake context-specific assessments and stocktaking processes to identify existing capacity, and the obstacles preventing its utilization and retention. Likewise, identify and promote incentives that will help retain and fully utilize existing capacity and minimize not only loss of expertise and institutional memory, but also discontinuity of partnerships/relationships built;

(f) Develop thematic and regional and/or subregional capacity-building and development action plans and programmes. It is recommended that, following the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal 19 At least 30 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity have prepared biodiversity capacity-building and development strategies or plans, either as a chapter or section within their NBSAP or as stand-alone documents: https://www.cbd.int/cb/plans/. 20 Capacity-building and development is one of the core outcome areas of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), renamed United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework by General Assembly resolution 72/279 in a number of countries, as demonstrated by the example of Bhutan (https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/index_70552.html). Global Biodiversity Framework, thematic capacity-building and development strategies or action plans be developed to support the achievement of the respective targets or groups of related targets. Parties, other governments, biodiversity-related conventions, international organizations and other relevant stakeholders in a position to do so should, as appropriate, consider developing dedicated regional, subregional, national and subnational capacity-building and development action plans and programmes across multiple thematic sectors, with specific capacity targets and indicators;

(g) Promote partnerships and networks for implementation. Establish and strengthen partnerships for effective mobilization of capacities and resources; the sharing of existing knowledge, expertise and technologies; and implementation of medium to long-term capacity-building and development programmes on specific issues related to the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in line with national priorities;

(h) Enhance synergies between capacity-building and development efforts of relevant processes. Enhance synergies with the capacity-building and development initiatives and the implementation processes of the biodiversity-related conventions, the Rio conventions and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, at the global, regional and national levels. At the national level, the focal points of relevant conventions and processes, and of funding mechanisms, such as the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund, should consider establishing a mechanism to foster integrated and/or coordinated planning, programming, monitoring and evaluation, as appropriate;

(i) Promote North-South cooperation. Support capacity-building and development in developing countries, with a view to addressing institutional and technical constraints that could undermine access to and transfer of technology, access to scientific and technical cooperation, and the effective participation in biotechnological research, in line with Article 19 of the Convention. This could include joint research programmes and joint ventures for the development of technologies that are relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity;

(j) Promote South-South and triangular cooperation. Support capacity-building and development in developing countries that have common challenges and share similar characteristics (e.g. economic and social conditions and language), as a complement and not a substitute to North-South cooperation. This could include sharing of knowledge, expertise, technologies and resources and establishment of regional nodes, networks or centres of excellence;

(k) Engage the private sector. Engage the private sector, proactively and as appropriate, in the development of national capacities, as many technical and financial resources and relevant expertise and technologies lie in the hands of private entities. In doing so, ensure transparency and accountability. Also strengthen the capacity of small and medium enterprises to address biodiversity-related issues;

(l) Strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of capacity-building and development interventions. Develop and implement adaptive management systems for monitoring and evaluation of biodiversity capacity-building and development efforts, to assess whether the intended capacity results are achieved in an impactful and sustainable manner, to identify and correct mistakes, and to capture and share good practices and lessons.

V. MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

A. Governance and coordination mechanisms

10. There is a need for mechanisms that could provide strategic leadership and foster coordinated capacity-building and development action for biodiversity at the global, regional and national levels. Specifically, the roles of such mechanisms may include: (a) enhancing synergy, by facilitating inter-agency coordination and cooperation among relevant organizations, initiatives, and funding agencies; (b) providing guidance and advice to government and non-government actors; (c) promoting strategic and coherent approaches to capacity-building and development; (d) fostering partnerships and multi-stakeholder initiatives; (e) identifying opportunities to mobilize additional resources for biodiversity capacity-building and development efforts; and (f) proposing innovative ideas to improve and advance the implementation of the long-term strategic framework.

11. At the global level, the above roles will be accomplished through the establishment of a capacity-building and development committee under the Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation (annex III below);

12. At the regional level, biodiversity capacity-building and development coordination and coherence could be achieved with the support of the United Nations regional economic commissions and the regional teams of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group;

13. At the country level, coordination of biodiversity capacity-building and development could be done through the national biodiversity committees or similar mechanisms and facilitated through the United Nations Country Teams, within the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the country.

B. Mutual supportiveness between various implementation strategies and processes

14. This long-term strategic framework should be synergized with the other means of implementation and enabling conditions for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (including technical and scientific cooperation, technology transfer, knowledge management and resource mobilization), the long-term approach to mainstreaming biodiversity and with the mechanisms for reporting, assessment and review of implementation.

C. Resource mobilization for capacity-building and development

15. There is a need to mobilize resources from all sources to support national capacity-building and development and help create an enabling environment. The provision of financial resources in line with Article 20 of the Convention, and the efforts by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (BIOFIN) could support countries to include options to mobilize resources for capacity-building and development in their national resource mobilization strategies, in line with decision 15/7 on resource mobilization.

D. Regional and global support networks

16. Existing regional and global support networks should be strengthened, to provide, upon request, capacity-building and development support to national government institutions, subnational governments, local authorities and non-government actors within the respective geographic regions or subregions.

E. Enhanced review mechanisms

17. The enhanced planning, reporting and review mechanism should consider the capacity-building and development dimension. The guidelines for national reporting by Governments should also include provisions for reporting on capacity-building and development and provide opportunities for countries to share experiences and lessons learned. The review and revision process of the national biodiversity strategies and action plans and the voluntary peer review of their implementation should also include a review of the capacity-building and development strategies and approaches in line with decision 15/6 on planning, monitoring, reporting and review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

F. Outreach and dissemination of the long-term strategic framework

18. A campaign targeting various stakeholders and actors will be undertaken to raise awareness of, and support for, the long-term strategic framework. Key partners and stakeholders will be invited to support the implementation, including through alignment of their capacity-building and development actions with the framework, and establishment of coalitions and communities of practice. A dedicated web portal within the clearing-house mechanism will be created and linked to the websites of biodiversity-related conventions and organizations to share information about the framework and the activities and experiences of various actors.

G. Reporting and review of the long-term strategic framework

19. The long-term strategic framework is intended to be a living document. It will be reviewed periodically and, if necessary, updated to ensure its continued relevance, effectiveness and use by government and non-government actors. A first review will be carried out in 2025, and an independent evaluation will be undertaken in 2029, to coincide with the review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Reporting on its application and the lessons learned by Governments will be done through national reports in line with decision 15/6 on mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting and review. 

Annex II

MECHANISM TO STRENGTHEN TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION IN SUPPORT OF THE KUNMING-MONTREAL GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY FRAMEWORK

I. GOAL, OBJECTIVES AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

A. Goal and objectives

1. The overall goal of the mechanism is to promote and facilitate cooperation among Parties and relevant organizations to enable them to effectively utilize science, technology and innovation to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The specific objectives are:

(a) To enhance local, national, subregional, regional and international capacities in relation to science, technology and innovation by means of human resource and institutional capacity-building and development;

(b) To enable technology assessment and monitoring of appropriate technologies;

(c) To promote and facilitate the development, transfer and use of appropriate technologies, including indigenous and traditional technologies subject to free, prior and informed consent, according to national legislation;

(d) To promote and encourage joint research, cooperation and collaboration in the use of scientific advances and good practices in research;

(e) To promote the development, implementation and scaling-up of innovative solutions;

(f) To facilitate access to and exchange of relevant technical and scientific data, information and knowledge.

B. Guiding principles

2. Technical and scientific cooperation initiatives (activities, projects and programmes) would be guided by the following principles:

(a) Demand-driven. Initiatives should be started at the request of Parties and relevant institutions and stakeholders, including indigenous peoples and local communities, in response to their needs and in accordance with national legislation;

(b) Flexibility. Initiatives should be implemented in a flexible and adaptive manner, taking into account the varying needs, conditions and circumstances of the Parties and stakeholders involved;

(c) Efficiency. Measures should be taken to ensure that the initiatives achieve the intended results on time and with the least possible resources;

(d) Efficacy. Measures should be taken to ensure that the initiatives generate the desired changes while taking into account the potential interconnections and unintended impacts, and that results can be monitored, assessed and evaluated;

(e) Tailored. Initiatives should be adapted to local conditions and circumstances, also taking into account cultural and other considerations, to foster buy-in and uptake, ownership, and sustainability at the local level;

(f) Programmatic. Delivery should be done through sustained long-term engagement and in a holistic and integrated manner, whereby various interventions (activities, projects and other initiatives) unified by an overarching vision and common objectives, are interconnected to achieve larger-scale and sustained impact that is more than the sum of its components;

(g) Synergistic. Initiatives should be implemented in a collaborative, interlinked, complementary and mutually supportive manner to achieve enhanced impact in supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at all levels and across conventions, processes and sectors;

(h) Multi-stakeholder engagement. Initiatives should actively engage relevant societal actors, institutional partners and providers of technical assistance, including

(i) indigenous peoples and local communities and their networks; (ii) multidisciplinary research and professional networks;

(iii) civil society, including youth networks; (iv) academic and scientific institutions; (v) the private sector; (vi) subnational, national and regional governmental institutions;

(vii) national and international non-governmental organizations, including organizations engaging in citizen science;

(viii) bilateral and multilateral institutions; and (ix) funding institutions;

(i) Mutual respect. Initiatives should adhere to the principles of mutual respect and equality and mutual benefit, under a human rights approach, including respect for diverse knowledge systems including the knowledge and experience of practitioners, and of indigenous peoples and local communities;

(j) Respect for regulatory requirements. Initiatives should adhere to appropriate and proportionate safeguards and comply with the legal and regulatory requirements of collaborating countries;

(k) Continuous learning. Initiatives should incorporate provisions for continuous education and learning opportunities, including interdisciplinary education in the research and development of new and emerging technologies, as a part of the long-term programmatic approach to strengthen the technical knowledge of the recipients;

(l) Participation. Initiatives should seek to maximize participatory approaches, recognizing the value of drawing on diverse perspectives, including those from outside the technical and scientific realm;

(m) Precaution. Initiatives should operationalize the precautionary approach;

(n) Free, prior and informed consent. Initiatives should respect the principle of free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples and local communities when considering the introduction, dissemination or use of innovations that may potentially impact their rights, traditional practices and territories as set out in international instruments including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

II. MAIN FOCAL AREAS

3. Technical and scientific cooperation work in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework could be organized around the following focal areas:

(a) Science. Promotion of research cooperation to foster effective generation and use of relevant scientific and analytical information and facilitate science-policy dialogue to support evidence-based policies, actions, tools and mechanisms, based on or informed by the best available science;

(b) Technology. Technology assessment, development, transfer, promotion, monitoring, governance, and use of technologies, including biotechnology, existing know-how of relevant sectors and indigenous and traditional technologies and knowledge, subject to free, prior and informed consent, according to national legislation to scale up solutions;

(c) Innovation. Promotion of appropriate, supportive and socially responsible innovation, in line with the needs of people and the environment.

III. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING HOST INSTITUTIONS

4. Any organization or institution wishing to host a regional and/or subregional technical and scientific cooperation support centre should have the following: 

(a) Demonstrated ability to provide technical advice and support to Parties in planning and implementing country-led projects and/or programmes;

(b) Experience and expertise in the areas of work undertaken by Parties in implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols;

(c) Capacity to mobilize resources for technical and scientific cooperation programmes;

(d) Appropriate policies, procedures and other institutional mechanisms and demonstrated ability in place to manage multiple complex projects and programmes;

(e) Appropriate policies and procedures in place to disclose financial information regarding the operations of the organization or institution, including the sources of financial resources and how they are allocated;

(f) Active networks of collaborators, including institutions working at regional and subregional levels on biodiversity-relevant issues;

(g) Experience in working with biodiversity-related conventions, intergovernmental processes, indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society and other stakeholders;

(h) Experience in engagement in regional and subregional biodiversity-related networks and partnerships;

(i) Demonstrated experience in facilitating technical and scientific cooperation.

IV. ROLE OF THE SECRETARIAT OF THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

5. In line with Article 24 of the Convention, the Secretariat will:

(a) Prepare or submit, as appropriate, relevant documents and reports on technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer (Articles 16, 17 and 18 of the Convention) for the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies;

(b) Compile relevant information related to technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer in the field of biological diversity and make it available through the clearing-house mechanism;

(c) Maintain active communication with Parties and stakeholders involved or interested in technical and scientific cooperation;

(d) Coordinate, as appropriate, with biodiversity-related conventions, relevant Parties’ agencies, the Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity, the Global Partnership for Business and Biodiversity, and other relevant networks and initiatives with technical and scientific expertise and/or involved in technical and scientific cooperation;

(e) Organize, with partners, biodiversity science forums, technology and innovation expos and other events on the margins of international meetings;

(f) Perform such other activities as may be necessary to carry out its functions.

V. MONITORING AND REVIEW

6. The present mechanism will be monitored and reviewed periodically by the Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation. If necessary, the Informal Advisory Group will make recommendations on possible updates regarding the relevance and effectiveness of this mechanism in supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which will be submitted for the consideration of the Subsidiary Body of Implementation and the Conference of the Parties. A first review will be carried out in conjunction with the global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the means of implementation, for consideration at the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties. 

7. An independent evaluation will be undertaken, together with the review of the long-term strategic framework for capacity-building and development and in conjunction with the global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including an evaluation of the means of implementation, and the Secretariat will submit a report to facilitate its review by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation and by the Conference of the Parties at its nineteenth meeting. CBD/COP/DEC/15/8 Page 21

Annex III

TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE INFORMAL ADVISORY GROUP ON TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION

A. Background

1. Article 18 of the Convention on Biological Diversity requires Parties to promote international technical and scientific cooperation with other Parties, in particularly developing country Parties, in the field of conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, where necessary, through appropriate international and national institutions, including by promoting cooperation in human resources development and institution-building, encouraging and developing methods of cooperation for the development and use of relevant technologies (including indigenous and traditional technologies), promoting cooperation in the training of personnel and exchange of experts, and promoting the establishment of joint research programmes and joint ventures for the development of relevant technologies. Article 18 also stresses the importance of the clearing-house mechanism for fostering technical and scientific cooperation.

2. In decisions, VII/29, VIII/12, IX/14, X/15, X/16, XII/2 B, XIII/23 and XIII/31, the Conference of the Parties adopted a number of measures and provided guidance on various aspects relating to technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer.

3. In decision 14/24 B, the Conference of the Parties decided to consider establishing, at its fifteenth meeting, an informal advisory group on technical and scientific cooperation, to be operational at the end of the mandate of the Informal Advisory Committee to the Clearing-house Mechanism, to provide the Executive Secretary with advice on practical measures, tools and opportunities to promote technical and scientific cooperation for the effective implementation of the Convention.

B. Purpose

4. The Informal Advisory Group on Technical and Scientific Cooperation will provide advice and guidance to the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and to other relevant bodies and stakeholders, on ways and means to promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation, technology transfer, capacity-building and development, knowledge management, and the clearing-house mechanism in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, in line with the three objectives of the Convention. In particular, the Informal Advisory Group will provide advice, guidance and recommendations on:

(a) Practical measures and approaches to promote technical and scientific cooperation for the effective implementation of the Convention;

(b) Measures to address the technological, technical and institutional capability gaps identified in particular by developing countries;

(c) Measures to enhance collaboration with other relevant international agreements, processes and organizations with respect to technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer initiatives, in particular for developing country Parties;

(d) Strategic approaches to addressing the needs and priorities of Parties through programmatic implementation of relevant technical and scientific cooperation initiatives established under the Convention;

(e) Monitoring the implementation of strategies and mechanisms on technical and scientific cooperation, capacity-building and development, and knowledge management in support of the KunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework to ensure coherence and consistency;

(f) Development and implementation of tools and mechanisms for promoting and facilitating technical and scientific cooperation, capacity-building and development, and knowledge management; 

(g) Matters relating to the clearing-house mechanism and, in particular, on how to improve its effectiveness as a mechanism for promoting and facilitating technical and scientific cooperation and exchange of information; (h) Potential opportunities for mobilizing technical and financial resources to promote and sustain technical and scientific cooperation activities on a long-term and predictable basis;

(i) Identification, mapping and promotion of existing collaboration activities, in the context of Article 18 of the Convention;

(j) Development of indicators for capacity-building and development and technology transfer related to monitoring the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the request of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Indicators;

5. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity will support the work of the Informal Advisory Group, including through the provision of the necessary logistical and secretarial support.

C. Membership

6. The Informal Advisory Group will be composed of experts nominated by Parties, with due regard to equitable regional representation and gender balance, and by indigenous peoples and local communities, the scientific community, and relevant organizations including those representing women and youth. The number of experts from organizations will not exceed the number of experts nominated by Parties. The membership will reflect a balanced representation of experts on matters regarding the three objectives of the Convention. Members will be selected on the basis of the following criteria, as evidenced in their curriculum vitae:

(a) At least five years of working experience on technical and scientific issues related to the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and/or other relevant international agreements and processes;

(b) Expertise relevant to technical and scientific cooperation, capacity-building and development, and knowledge management and the clearing-house mechanism or similar online informationsharing platforms;

(c) Demonstrated experience with regional or international cooperation processes and programmes related to biodiversity and/or the environment.

7. The co-chairs of the Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity will be invited as ex officio members.

8. Members of the Informal Advisory Group will be selected through a formal nomination process based on the above criteria. The Executive Secretary, in consultation with the co-chairs of the Informal Advisory Group, may invite additional experts knowledgeable in specific issues or thematic areas to be discussed at relevant meetings of the Informal Advisory Group, ensuring a balance of experts on matters related to the Convention. The members will serve in their personal capacity and not as representatives of a government, organization or other entity.

D. Modus operandi

10. The Informal Advisory Group will meet at least once per year, subject to the availability of resources, wherever possible in the margins of other meetings. The frequency of meetings may be adjusted by the members as the need arises. The Informal Advisory Group may work face-to-face or remotely via electronic means, as appropriate.

11. The Informal Advisory Group may, as appropriate, establish subcommittees to support it in addressing specific issues or thematic areas and co-opt relevant experts to assist. 

12. The Informal Advisory Group members shall not receive any honorarium, fee or other remuneration from the United Nations. However, costs for the participation of members of the Informal Advisory Group nominated by developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition will be covered, in line with the rules and regulations of the United Nations.

13. The Informal Advisory Group will elect two co-chairs and a rapporteur to serve for a two-year period.

14. The working language of the Informal Advisory Group will be English.