The Future We Want: Biodiversity in the Sustainable Development Goals
Date: June 15
Location: RioCentro T-2, Rio de Janeiro
Time: 13:30-15:00
Focus: How to incorportate biodiversity into the sustainable development goals
Biological diversity underpins ecosystem functioning and the provision of ecosystem services essential for human well-being. It provides for food security, human health, the provision of clean air and water; it contributes to local livelihoods, and economic development, and is essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, including poverty reduction.
Accordingly the goals of the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, to promote a green economy for sustainable development and poverty eradication, and enhance the institutional framework for sustainable development can be realized by taking into account the contribution of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
In 2010, governments adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi biodiversity targets at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity. Subsequently, the plan was adopted as the guidance for the United Nations system as a whole.
The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi biodiversity targets provide a compelling vision and enabling framework for the realization of sustainable production and consumption in a participatory and inclusive manner and in that regard will support food security, sustainable water management and the foundations for a green economy for sustainable development and poverty eradication.
The successful implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity requires new and innovative approaches to link biodiversity conservation and sustainable use to development as well as the removal of perverse incentives. The development and promotion of such approaches should be supported within the enhanced institutional frameworks for sustainable development.
The development of national level targets within the framework of the Aichi biodiversity targets will support the monitoring and evaluation of progress towards sustainable development objectives and, as such, should be fully integrated into the development and adoption of sustainable development targets through Rio+20.
In addition, the Nagoya Protocol offers a unique opportunity to enhance universality, democracy and transparency in the use of biological resources for the benefit of all stakeholders. As such, action should be taken towards universal ratification of the Protocol and its rapid implementation at all levels.
The ten-year time frame of the Strategic Plan, and its longer term vision that extends to the middle of the 21st century represents an ideal model for other targets, associated with sustainable development.
This event is an opportunity to look at the linkages between the long-term vision of the Strategic Plan, and the long-term project of realizing sustainable development targets and goals.
