Convenors: Caroline Lees
Aims:
To discuss this pillar of CPSG’s new strategic plan with a wider audience, review it and recommend improvements and potential activities.
Background:
The Convention on Biological Diversity is reaching the end of its 2011 – 2020 programme and is working to define the programme and targets for the next ten years.
Aichi Target 12 of the current programme reads: By 2020, the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained. We know that efforts to achieve this have largely failed and that we need new and different approaches in the coming decade.
Inspired by what has been achieved by the Protected Areas Community, at CPSG’s 2019 strategic planning meeting we discussed the need for a different global infrastructure and a single, coherent programme of work for the new species target (i.e. for whatever replaces Target 12. Ideas about how to build and power this became one of three main pillars of work for CPSG’s new strategic plan.
Process:
The workshop will take place over two sessions and will proceed as follows:
- Presentation of concept and progress so far (Caroline Lees)
- Q & A to support those not previously part of discussions
- World Café Session:
- Table 1) What do you know about how your government: a) assesses conservation status of species; b) plans conservation of species and c) moves that planning to action?
- Table 2) How is the work of your organisation connected to your government’s processes for assessing, planning for or implementing plans for, threatened species? What involvement would you like to have?
- Table 3) How does the work that your organisation does contribute to the current Target 12? How does it contribute to your country’s NBSAP? Through what mechanism is your work reported to the CBD?
- Table 4) Depending on numbers! What experience do you have of your IUCN National/Regional bodies: a) what do they do? b) how do you contribute? c) how do you benefit?
- Presentation and discussion of World Café outputs
- Presentation of relevant outputs from Session 1 - Roopali Raghavan and Karen Bauman
- Discussion of CPSG’s concept for the Shared Responsibility Pillar
- Brainstorm of potential activities for increasing the connectivity of global efforts on the new CBD Species Target
Outcomes:
- Summary of what is known about current national species conservation frameworks;
- Examples (good and bad) of how conservation organisations currently connect with this work;
- Ideas of how to improve on this.
Materials:
Please come to this workshop having read:
- The draft working group output from the San Diego strategic planning meeting (below)
- Your country’s NBSAP (or that of the country you do most work in): https://www.cbd.int/nbsap/
And, if possible, come with a working knowledge of how your country delivers its obligations to the CBD.
Back to the 2019 Annual Meeting Briefing Book
Working Group: Shared Ownership of Global Species Conservation Targets
GOAL: A united voice for species with shared responsibility for global species conservation targets. Inspired conservation leaders embrace and are united behind their collective responsibility for the success or failure of efforts to save species.
WHO WE ARE: champions for the SSC, extending our reach beyond enabling species conservation projects and into influencing global policy.
WHAT WE DID, WITH OUR PARTNERS:
- We embedded species conservation planning within governments by 1) lobbying successfully to create a network of National Species Champions (NSCs) and associated teams, within each government, dedicated to achieving global species targets; and 2) by supporting mainstreaming species conservation planning across all government planning agencies (e.g. agriculture, urban and infrastructure planning).
- We mobilized the power of the CBD by lobbying successfully for strong CBD species targets post-2020, and for a CBD focal point for species (modeled after the protected areas focal point), to support and connect the NSC network.
- We mobilized the power of the IUCN to help influence governments and other conservation leaders to get behind these initiatives.
- We supported a Global Species Conservation Summit, at which we brought together NSCs and other species conservation leaders and inspired them to unite behind a shared responsibility for saving species.
- We created ONE GLOBAL PLAN, with these conservation leaders, to lead species conservation efforts to success.
- We helped to drive national efforts by supporting NSCs to build and unite their own national, multi-sectoral networks of conservation actors dedicated to achieving global species targets.
- We supported a Global Species Championship in which countries competed to demonstrate national success in achieving species targets.
THE DETAILS:
Embedding species conservation planning within governments
Planning for species should be embedded at the government level. The Protected Areas community has been good at doing this and we can follow their lead. Ideally there would be a specific department or unit within government, dedicated to the achievement of global species targets (CBD, CITES, RAMSAR etc). As part of its work, and with support from external partners where needed, this entity would ensure the integrated presence of planning for species across all government policy and operations, especially those affecting agriculture, urban and infrastructure planning. This would ensure that planning for species is proactive rather than reactive and is integral to the operation of government rather than by invitation. As one mechanism for this, species conservation planning should be embedded within all national Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (EIAs and SIAs).
Areas of Activity
- Lobby to create a network of National Species Champions (NSCs) and associated teams, within each government, dedicated to achieving global species targets.
- Support mainstreaming species conservation planning across all government planning agencies (e.g. agriculture, urban and infrastructure planning).
Mobilizing the power of the CBD
The CBD is a powerful vehicle for change. Its post-2020 targets will chart a course for governments over the following decades and it is increasingly being see as a “docking station” for other biodiversity-directed conventions such as CITES and RAMSAR, to help these initiatives work more synergistically. The integration of CBD targets with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) presents a huge opportunity to access development funds to pursue projects that generate benefits to both wildlife and people.
Areas of Activity
- Contribute CPSG’s ideas to post-2020 species target discussions through the IUCN SSC Task Force, to ensure strong CBD species targets are recommended
- With partners, lobby for the adoption of strong post-2020 targets
- With partners, lobby for a CBD focal point for species (modeled after the protected areas focal point), to support and connect the proposed NSC network.
- Submit CPSG’s ideas on national species champions as an information document to CBD meetings
- Organize side events in CBD meetings to promote species conservation planning
- Seek out opportunities to connect with governments beyond CBD – use connections, sit with key people and talk!
Mobilizing the power of the IUCN
The IUCN has huge reach and a vast array of programs and areas of expertise. CPSG could both benefit and contribute to this, not only across the SSC but across the different IUCN Commissions and programs. Also, though non-binding, the Motions put forward at the four-yearly World Conservation Congress can influence the thinking and actions of governments, NGOs and the IUCN itself. Further, they can influence changes made to international treaties such as CITES and CBD, which have even greater power. We need to tap into this potential more deliberately and effectively.
Areas of Activity
- Embed the use of CPSG tools within the SSC and in the wider IUCN wherever relevant, providing training where useful.
- Work more closely with the other IUCN Commissions to develop a better understanding of what they are doing and to identify and exploit potential synergies.
- Partner with other IUCN teams to explore new ways to scale-up.
- Bring the expertise of multiple Commissions together through planning, to provide cross fertilization.
- Ensure that the IUCN program for the next quadrennium reflects CPSG priorities by contributing to IUCN Regional Forums and IUCN National Committees.
- Work with the wider SSC, other IUCN commissions and with the proposed CBD species focal point, on high-level strategic biodiversity conservation planning at country level. Ensure that species needs are met within those frameworks.
- Within the IUCN, increase awareness of how CPSG, SGs and Commissions can help governments with conservation planning.
- Use side events at the IUCN World Conservation Congress to promote 1) the value of a NSC network; 2) the importance of a CBD species focal point and c) the value of a Species Conservation Summit.
- Submit key Motions at the World Conservation Congress on 1) Global adoption of the One Plan Approach 2) Establishing a Global Network of Species Champions, connected through the CBD Secretariat and 3) Convening a Species Conservation Summit.
Supporting a Global Species Conservation Summit
A Global Species Conservation Summit would provide a forum in which the proposed network of National Species Champions (NSCs) and their teams could come together with the proposed CBD Species Focal Point, with IUCN Commissions and Specialist Groups, with NGOs, with Indigenous Peoples organisations, and with potential donors, to learn about current species conservation tools, to identify gaps in their current capability and resourcing, and to identify a broad way forward to address this. This would form the beginning of a high-level global program of work for species. The forum would be designed not only to inform and empower national teams, but also to inspire and unite them behind global species targets.
Areas of Activity
- With partners, convene a Global Species Conservation Summit.
- Embed the theme of Assess-Plan-Act into the fabric of the Summit, e.g. three differently themed pavilions – one for each of the Assess, Plan, Act pillars.
- Ensure integration of the human dimension: human well-being, human population growth, human consumption, economics, indigenous rights, human-wildlife conflict, One Health, etc.
Creating ONE GLOBAL PLAN,
As described above, there is potential to use a Global Species Conservation Summit as a springboard to a global program of work for species, which can be supported by a high-level, written plan to lead species conservation efforts to success.
Areas of Activity
TBD
Helping to drive national efforts
Both directly and through its partners, particularly the global zoo community, CPSG can support National Species Champions and their teams to build and unite their own national, multi-sectoral networks of conservation actors dedicated to achieving global species targets. In this way there is the potential to ensure that all efforts are pulling in the same direction and are reporting up to the CBD focal point to ensure better capture of global efforts. Public opinion and economics are drivers of political will and associated government action. Working on these two areas, galvanizing public support, ensuring that species conservation work is done sensitively with respect to affected communities and wherever possible ensuring clear benefits to them, will be key to elevating the importance and scale of species work undertaken or supported by governments.
Areas of Activity
- Incorporate human well-being dimensions into CPSG processes.
- Influence public opinion through social media.
- Connect with organizations that influence public opinion to promote national pride for wildlife.
- Capitalize on the popularity of zoos to engage the public and shape opinion.
- Explore/adopt/customise a tool kit for behaviour change.
- Encourage politicians to support species conservation, giving them the information through personal talks and short summary reports
- Partner with local NGOs to influence public opinion and government decisions
- Devise ways to challenge the view that saving species is something pursued by “hippies” or “bunny-huggers” as a hobby, rather than something necessary to the Planet’s survival.
- With partners, create outreach programs aimed at industry, government, academia, NGOs.
- Develop ideas from the marketing world to engage people and leaders: “conservation marketing”
Supporting a Global Species Championship
In which countries competed to demonstrate national success in achieving species targets.
Areas of Activity
TBD