Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat

Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat
Name	Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat
Type	Secretariat
Formation	1993
Headquarters	Montreal
Location	Montreal
Leader title	Executive Secretary
Leader name	Elizabeth Maruma Mrema

Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat leads administrative support for the Convention on Biological Diversity process and implements mandates from the Conference of the Parties to coordinate international action on biodiversity. It functions at the nexus of multilateral environmental policy, interfacing with institutions such as the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature to advance implementation of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and post-2020 global biodiversity frameworks. Located in Montreal, the Secretariat liaises with national parties, regional organizations, and non-state actors including the World Wide Fund for Nature, Conservation International, and the Global Environment Facility.

History and Establishment

The Secretariat was established following the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the treaty’s entry into force in 1993, operating under mandates from the Conference of the Parties and the Meeting of the Parties. Early institutional links included the United Nations Environment Programme and financial arrangements with the Global Environment Facility. Key milestones involved coordination with the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, which expanded the Secretariat’s remit and required new technical, legal, and diplomatic support capacities. Over time, the Secretariat engaged with multilateral processes such as the United Nations General Assembly sessions on biodiversity and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to integrate biodiversity policy across regimes.

Organization and Structure

The Secretariat’s leadership comprises an Executive Secretary appointed by the Conference of the Parties and supported by divisions organized around substantive areas including policy, legal affairs, science, and administration. It maintains regional and thematic teams that coordinate with national focal points, regional blocs like the African Union and the European Union, and umbrella groups such as the Group of 77. The Secretariat operates subsidiary bodies such as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body on Implementation, facilitating technical experts, negotiators from parties, and observers from intergovernmental organizations including the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Administrative units liaise with service partners such as the International Civil Aviation Organization for logistics and the United Nations Office at Nairobi for protocol alignment when relevant.

Functions and Responsibilities

The Secretariat services the Conference of the Parties and its subsidiary bodies by preparing meeting documents, synthesizing scientific assessments, and assisting in implementation of decisions on themes including protected areas, invasive species, traditional knowledge, and benefit-sharing under the Nagoya Protocol. It compiles national reports and supports monitoring frameworks tied to targets such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the post-2020 global biodiversity framework negotiated at the UN Biodiversity Conference. The Secretariat also develops technical guidance, convenes expert meetings with partners like the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, and supports capacity development for parties including small island developing states such as Maldives and Samoa, and countries participating in regional initiatives like the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization.

Meetings, Conferences and Decision-making

The Secretariat organizes major events including sessions of the Conference of the Parties, meetings of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, and regional capacity-building workshops. It prepares agendas, decision texts, and synthesis reports for ministerial segments and technical contact groups representing parties such as Brazil, China, India, and South Africa. Decision-making follows consensus practice within multilateral forums, drawing on inputs from observer organizations like IUCN and indigenous representative bodies including the World Indigenous Nations Alliance. The Secretariat facilitates intersessional working groups, contact groups, and high-level roundtables to advance implementation of outcomes from venues such as the UN Biodiversity Conference and the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

Funding and Resources

Funding for the Secretariat arises primarily from assessed and voluntary contributions by parties, multilateral funding mechanisms such as the Global Environment Facility, and partnerships with foundations including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Budgetary approvals occur through the Conference of the Parties budget process, with oversight by subsidiary budget committees and audits coordinated with entities like the United Nations Board of Auditors. Resource mobilization efforts target innovative finance instruments, engagement with bilateral donors such as Japan and Germany, and collaboration with multilateral development banks including the Asian Development Bank to catalyze project financing and technical assistance.

Partnerships and Capacity-building

The Secretariat forges partnerships with international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme, scientific networks including the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, and civil society coalitions like BirdLife International and The Nature Conservancy. Capacity-building initiatives support national implementation through regional workshops, training for national focal points from countries including Kenya and Peru, and thematic programmes on issues such as marine biodiversity linked to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Collaborative projects engage indigenous and local communities represented by organizations such as the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs to integrate traditional knowledge into Nagoya Protocol implementation and national biodiversity strategies.

Category:International environmental organizations Category:Multilateral treaties