UNECE Updates Monitoring Guidelines to Help Countries Implement GBF | News | SDG Knowledge Hub | IISD
UNECE Updates Monitoring Guidelines to Help Countries ... IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub
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The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Publishes Updated Guidelines for Developing National Biodiversity Monitoring Systems
The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has published updated guidelines for developing national biodiversity monitoring systems in countries in the UNECE region and beyond. The guidelines build on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) agreed at the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP 15) in December 2022.
Issued at a critical moment when global biodiversity is declining faster than at any time in human history, the guidelines will help countries take informed decisions on how to minimize health, environmental, and socioeconomic risks resulting from biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation, and to maximize benefits from biodiversity and ecosystems, according to a UNECE press release.
Emphasis on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
“The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offers hope when we need it most,” said UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova, welcoming the guidelines. “But commitment is only as good as the action that follows,” she cautioned.
Key Objectives of the Guidelines
- Linking biodiversity monitoring to National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs);
- Aligning national biodiversity monitoring with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs;
- Harmonizing national biodiversity monitoring with the GBF;
- Integrating biodiversity monitoring with commitments under other biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs); and
- Linking biodiversity monitoring with climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.
The guidelines are intended to make biodiversity monitoring a practical tool to support environmental policy, including by:
- Linking biodiversity monitoring to National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs);
- Aligning national biodiversity monitoring with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs;
- Harmonizing national biodiversity monitoring with the GBF;
- Integrating biodiversity monitoring with commitments under other biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs); and
- Linking biodiversity monitoring with climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.
The guidelines will help countries modernize and upgrade national biodiversity monitoring and information systems, including national targets and indicators, by aiding in the development of consistent conceptual frameworks for national biodiversity monitoring systems, application of available international guidance, standards, and good practice in biodiversity monitoring, and development of effective institutional set-ups for biodiversity monitoring, among other actions.
The guidelines will also support improved coordination between government and other organizations involved in, and strengthen international and subregional cooperation on, biodiversity monitoring.
The updated guidelines reflect international policy developments, innovation in approaches and methodologies in monitoring and data management, and experiences and lessons learned by UNECE member states since they were first issued in 2013. They draw on experiences from countries “where coherent systems of biodiversity surveillance and management have been developed and implemented,” and are informed by the sixth and seventh Pan-European Environmental Assessments, among other resources.
Anchored in the 2030 Agenda, the guidelines also take into account relevant international requirements and recommendations, including those developed under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and strengthen synergies with countries’ efforts under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, among other key treaties.
Publication: UNECE Guidelines for Developing National Biodiversity Monitoring Systems
Publication Landing Page: UNECE Guidelines for Developing National Biodiversity Monitoring Systems
UNECE Press Release: UNECE Issues Biodiversity Monitoring Guidelines to Help Countries Implement
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements. | No specific indicators mentioned in the article. |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries. | No specific indicators mentioned in the article. |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 15: Life on Land
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
The article discusses the development of national biodiversity monitoring systems, which is directly related to SDG 15: Life on Land. The guidelines aim to minimize risks resulting from biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation while maximizing benefits from biodiversity and ecosystems. Additionally, the guidelines emphasize the importance of aligning national biodiversity monitoring with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, connecting it to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
- Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries.
The article does not explicitly mention specific targets, but the development of national biodiversity monitoring systems aligns with the overall objectives of SDG 15: Life on Land. The guidelines aim to ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of ecosystems and their services, which is in line with Target 15.1. Additionally, the guidelines emphasize the importance of partnerships and cooperation to support the achievement of the SDGs, connecting to Target 17.16.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
No specific indicators are mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.
The article focuses more on the guidelines for developing national biodiversity monitoring systems rather than specific indicators for measuring progress towards the targets.
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Source: sdg.iisd.org
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