Background
The ad hoc committee was established by ICRI at the 33rd ICRI General Meeting, December 2018, to follow the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework development process and to contribute on matters relating to the critical status of coral reefs and how these can be sufficiently addressed within the post-2020 framework.
One of the key objectives of this group was to develop a Recommendation from ICRI on the inclusion of coral reefs in the GBF. This was adopted in May 2020. The process for negotiating the new global framework has been delayed by the on going situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. With the continued support of ICRI members, including financial support from Vulcan, the ad hoc Committee has continued to develop and contribute to the process.
At the last two General Meeting meetings (December 2019 and February 2021), ICRI members agreed on extending the mandate of the ICRI ad hoc committee on the inclusion of a coral reef-related target in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
The updated objectives of the ad hoc committee for 2021 are to:
- Coordinate ICRI’s contribution to the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework; and
- Develop and implement a communications strategy to promote the ICRI Recommendation at important international meetings and events in preparation for and including the 15th COP of the CBD.
ICRI resolutions relating to the ad hoc committee
- ICRI GM 35 (Online, 2021) – Resolution to extend the ICRI ad hoc committee on the inclusion of a coral reef-related target in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (PDF File)
- ICRI GM 34 (Townsville, Australia, 2019) – Resolution for the Inclusion of a coral reef-related target in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (PDF File)
- ICRI GM 33 (Monaco, 2018) – Terms of reference for the ad hoc committee on developing a recommendation for a post-2020 coral reef target (PDF File)
Composition
Co-Chairs: ICRI Secretariat, Monaco, and Vulcan Inc
Membership: Australia, France, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Maldives, New Caledonia, Seychelles, UK, USA, CORDIO, ICRS, IUCN, Reef-World Foundation, SPREP, UN Environment, UNEP-WCMC, Vulcan Inc., Wildlife Conservation Society, World Resources Institute, WWF International.
The work of the ad hoc committee is facilitated by a consultant, Emily Corcoran, thanks to financial support provided by Vulcan Inc.
Working procedure
The ad hoc committee works virtually and takes advantage of any opportunities for face-to-face meetings on the sidelines of other meetings.
Coral Post-2020 hub
coralpost2020.org and the social media hashtag #ForCoral were established in May 2020. The hub provides access to all of the outputs of the ad hoc Committee, including links to the Recommendation (including translations); an FAQ; communication resources (translated); articles and Negotiation/ policy support tools.
Submissions to the CBD Secretariat
- February 2021: ICRI Statement to the informal virtual session of SBSTTA 24 (agenda Item 6)
- December 2020: Letter to the CBD Secretariat welcoming the inclusion of the ICRI Recommended indicators
- July 2020: ICRI’s response (PDF) to notification 2020-024 contributing to the peer review process relating to Agenda Item 3, the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. This work is being undertaken in preparation for SBSTTA 24, which will take place from 2-7 November 2020.
- February 2020: notification 2019-108 providing views on possible targets, indicators and baselines related to the drivers of biodiversity loss as well as on species conservation and the mainstreaming of biodiversity across sectors; notification 2019-115 providing views on possible targets and indicators for linking biodiversity to climate change. The submission also provides reflections on the Zero Draft of the Global Biodiversity Framework: view ICRI’s response (PDF File)
- January 2020: Through notification 2020-001: provide additional views and suggestions regarding the draft proposals to strengthen technical and scientific cooperation in support of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: view ICRI’s response (PDF File)
- September 2019: notification 2019-075 proposals on the structure of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework: https://www.cbd.int/api/v2013/documents/E4F6DF43-3A3C-A352-21A9-B1DC3A5B77EE/attachments/ICRI.pdf
- April 2019: notification 2019-008 providing views on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. See response: https://www.cbd.int/api/v2013/documents/5630FDC2-3C44-EA39-1BED-47319FD31D12/attachments/ICRI.doc
- December 2018: notification 2018-063 providing views on the proposed preparatory process for the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. See response: https://www.cbd.int/doc/strategic-plan/Post2020/postsbi/icri.pdf
Other Outputs
- Progress report to the ICRI GM 35
- Presentation used for Country Dialogue Virtual Calls (PDF File)
- Article in Reef Encounters: Coral Reefs and the Convention of Biological Diversity Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (July 2020)
- Progress report to the ICRI GM 34
- Update to the CBD co-chairs on the progress of the ad hoc committee provided by ICRI GM 34 (December 2019). See: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2evfyd7rr3y3gon/191210_Elizabeth-Maruma-Mrema.pdf?dl=0
- Information note: Ways and means to contribute to the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (May 2019)
About the post-2020 process
In 2020 the Convention on Biological Diversity will adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework as a stepping stone towards the 2050 Vision of “Living in harmony with nature”. In its decision 14/34 the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a comprehensive and participatory process for the preparation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
All updates, meetings and documentation relating to the Post-2020 process are shared here.
Other useful links/ material to support the Committee
- Approved IUCN Resolution 105- Conserving and protecting coral reef through the post-2020 global biodiversity framework
- A WCS Op-Ed entitled We Can Save Earth’s Coral Reefs- Members of the International Coral Reef Initiative have agreed on the steps we must take. Now governments have to act which details the work done by ICRI members for the inclusion of coral reefs in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework was published in Scientific American.
- WCS has produced a document in support of the ICRI recommendation “Recommendation: setting shared goals and targets for coral reefs“, available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Indonesian, Portuguese and Spanish.
- WWF’s Coral Reef Rescue Initiative shared a blog post “Achieving high ambitions from down below” about the need to include ecosystem-specific indicators in the CBD Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
- A post-2020 target on coral reef ecosystems – Policy recommendation from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
- Analysis of global and regional policy instruments and governance mechanisms related to the protection and sustainable management of coral reefs (PDF File)
- A review of the experiences of selected coral reef countries in addressing Aichi Biodiversity Target 10 (PDF File)
- Appendix 1: Experiences of identified coral reef countries and other stakeholders (PDF File)
- Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (IUCN): https://www.iucn.org/theme/global-policy/our-work/convention-biological-diversity-cbd/post-2020-global-biodiversity-framework
- OECD Expert Workshop on The Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework: Targets, Indicators and Measurability Implications at Global and National Level
Visit the Post 2020 page
The work of the ad hoc committee is supported by Vulcan Inc.