ICLEI has been appointed to represent all local and subnational governments on the Informal Advisory Group (IAG) on the Mainstreaming of Biodiversity. ICLEI will be represented by Ingrid Coetzee, Senior Programme Manager: ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center.

The IAG consists of representatives from 15 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and 15 organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities who will advise the Executive Secretary and Bureau of the CBD on a long-term approach to mainstreaming biodiversity and on integrating mainstreaming into the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.

“This appointment is significant as it recognizes the impressive contribution that ICLEI and its Cities Biodiversity Center has made over the past decade in advocating for greater recognition of, and involvement by, local and subnational governments in the CBD. Secondly, it provides an opportunity to influence the global agenda and thinking on mainstreaming biodiversity, and to ensure that the voices of all local and subnational governments are heard and captured in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.”

~ Ingrid Coetzee, Senior Programme Manager: ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center

The IAG’s terms of reference are extensive and include taking into account the decisions of the CBD Conference of the Parties (COPs) on sectoral and cross sectoral mainstreaming of biodiversity, as well as the work of other relevant international processes and organizations. These include the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the International Labour Organization.

An ambitious work plan has been devised to deliver on the IAG’s task. This includes an online survey, consultations, sharing its conclusions and recommendations on a long-term approach to mainstreaming biodiversity at key milestone CBD post-2020 events, such as the Open-ended Working Group and Subsidiary Body on Implementation meetings, and developing a long-term approach to mainstreaming biodiversity.

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