20 June 2014, IISD news -  The fifth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group  on the Review of Implementation (WGRI 5) of the Convention on Biological  Diversity (CBD) adopted recommendations to the CBD Conference of the Parties  (COP) on a range of implementation, strategic and financial issues. An informal  dialogue session held during the meeting focused on mainstreaming biodiversity  in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and mobilization of resources for  achieving the Aichi targets.

Held from 16-20 June 2014, in Montreal, Canada, WGRI 5 adopted 12  recommendations that will be submitted to CBD COP 12, which will take place from  6-17 October 2014, in Pyeongchang, the Republic of Korea. The recommendations  address, among other issues: review of progress in updating and implementing  national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs); review of progress  in providing support in implementing the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity  2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; the strategy for resource  mobilization; the financial mechanism; gender mainstreaming; biodiversity for  poverty eradication; cooperation with other conventions; engagement of business  and other stakeholders; engagement with subnational and local governments; and  improving the efficiency of structures and processes under the Convention.

Increasing the efficiency of structures and processes under the Convention  and its Protocols was a major focus of the meeting. Parties recommended a  consolidation of proceedings for subsequent meetings of the CBD COP and Meetings  of the Parties to its Protocols. WGRI 5 also forwarded to COP 12 the Chennai  Guidance, which aims to integrate biodiversity in sustainable development and  poverty eradication programmes, serving as a tool for both biodiversity and  development communities.

Main issues of controversy concerned resource mobilization, and cooperation  with other conventions. Full agreement on the setting of final targets for  resource mobilization could not be reached, and the recommendation contains two  options in brackets. On cooperation, reference to efforts to promote and/or  safeguards related to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest  degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and  enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+) remain in brackets.

Source:  http://forests-l.iisd.org/news/cbd-wgri-5-adopts-recommendations-on-strategic-cooperation-and-financial-issues/