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 Mainstreaming mountain biodiversity27.02.2020Member states and key decision makers met to discuss how to mainstream mountains into the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The Informal Mountain Gathering was held on the margins of the Second Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy on 25 February. The gathering aimed to review the latest scientific evidence related to mountain biodiversity, discuss the elevation of mountains into the discussions for a new Deal for Nature, and review and discuss preliminary 2050 goals and 2030 action targets and related indicators presented in the zero draft document. The mountain meeting and discussion was facilitated by Klaudia Kuraś, Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, and Gabriele Obermayr, Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria. Opening remarks were delivered by Obermayr; Ditta Greguss, Ministry of Agriculture, Hungary; Stéphanie Croguennec, Ministry of Ecology, France; and representatives of the Government of Poland, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and Federparchi. Ditta Greguss set the tone of the gathering in her opening remarks: “Mountain biodiversity has no borders. Regional cooperation is necessary.” Yuka Makino, Coordinator of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, delivered the keynote “Why Mountains Matter for Biodiversity”, highlighting that mountains are home to one-half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and mountain biodiversity supports local and national economies. She also outlined the Mountain Partnership’s work in biodiversity, both in advocacy and capacity training. “Considering their role as host of most of the world’s biodiversity, it is imperative that mountains are included in the post 2020 global biodiversity framework,” Makino stated. She also underlined to need to re-activate the CBD Programme of Work on Mountain Biological Diversity, which was adopted in 2004 to significantly reduce the loss of mountain biological diversity at the global, regional and national levels. Representing the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, Klaudia Kuraś launched the “Elevating Mountains in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework 2.0”, a new policy brief on the relevance of mountain biodiversity that builds upon its first edition, presented in August 2019 at the First Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group in Nairobi, Kenya. The Mountain Brief 2.0 highlights that mountains are rich, are exposed and offer opportunities. It also outlines specific policy recommendations related to mountain ecosystems. The gathering concluded with a discussion about next steps, including upcoming opportunities to advocate for mountains at the regional and global level. Examples include the CBD Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) meeting to be held in May in Montreal, Canada and the IUCN World Conservation Congress coming up in June in Marseille, France. The meeting was organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), GRID-Arendal (GRIDA), the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI), the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (GMBA), the Mountain Partnership, the Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, the Secretariat of the Alpine Convention, the Government of Austria, the Government of Hungary and the Government of Poland. |
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