The Edinburgh Declaration to exceed the 300 signatories  

More than 300 local and subnational governments have signed the Declaration that sets out the aspirations and commitments of local and subnational leaders, for biodiversity over the coming decade. The Declaration will remain open for signature up until  COP15. For instructions on how to sign please visit: https://www.gov.scot/publications/edinburgh-declaration-on-post-2020-biodiversity-framework/pages/how-to-sign/ 
 

Regions4 delegation at Biodiversity COP15 

At least 10 Regions4 members, formed by a group of over 50 delegates, will attend COP15 (7-19 December 2022, Montreal, Canada), an unprecedented number of subnational leaders will take the floor at the 7th Summit of Subnational and Local Governments. The Summit, an official parallel event to COP 15, will be co-hosted with the Secretariat of the CBD, ICLEI, and Regions4, along with the host Government of Québec and the City of Montréal. 

Regions4 is committed to supporting subnational leaders in their advocacy efforts towards the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, to be adopted at COP 15. The new framework is a historical opportunity for subnational governments to be recognized for the role they will play in their implementation, and also, to define the enabling conditions that will allow its successful execution at all levels of government. 

Regions4 and its partners are aiming for a stronger-than-ever presence at the COP15 and are inviting all regions willing to put an end to biodiversity loss to join their efforts in raising regions’ voices.  

Our dedicated briefing document with further details will be coming soon.  

Regions4 will be supporting a series of initiatives and events at CBD COP15, to know more and to stay up to date with the latest news and developments, including agendas and announcements, please visit the website here.

7th Summit for Subnational Governments & Cities: Taking Action for Biodiversity   

Host: Government of Quebec and Montreal 

Convened by ICLEI and co-hosted with the Secretariat to the CBD and Regions4  

Date & time: 11 & 12 December 2022 

Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue 

More information:  https://cbc.iclei.org/7thsummitandpavilion/#summit 

Pavilion associated to the 7th Summit for Subnational Governments and Cities  

Host: Government of Quebec and Montreal, convened by ICLEI  

Date & time: 8 – 18 December 2022 

Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue 

More information: https://cbc.iclei.org/7thsummitandpavilion/#pavilion

Official side-event: CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature: Mobilizing funding, projects, commitment to take action and reporting at subnational levels  

Host: ICLEI | REgions4 | IUCN | UNEP-WCMC 

Date & time: Wednesday 7 Dec – 18:15 EST 

Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Room Side-event 2 – 512F 

More information: https://www.cbd.int/side-events/4915  

Official side-event: Local solutions to global problems: How the Edinburgh Declaration highlights the critical role played by local, regional and subnational governments in delivering the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework  

Host: Edinburgh Process Partners, including Regions4 

Date & time: 10 December 2022, 13:15 EST 

Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Business, and Industry Organizations Meeting Room 514A . 

More information: https://www.cbd.int/side-events/4550  

Pavilion event: RegionsWithNature catalyzing biodiversity action and resources for implementation  

Host: ICLEI | REgions4 | IUCN | UNEP-WCMC 

Date & time: 10 December 2022, 15:00 - 16:30 EST 

Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Pavilion for Local and Subnational Governments. 

More information: https://cbc.iclei.org/7thsummitandpavilion/#pavilion  

Bioeconomy and Green&Blue Economy - tools to implement the GBF 
Host: Government of Sao Paulo  
Date & time: 10 December 2022, 18:15 EST 
Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Academia and Research 514C 
More information: https://www.cbd.int/side-events/4992 
 

Business and finance needs for mandatory requirements to assess and disclosure impacts and dependencies on nature (Target 15) 
Hosts: CDP and partners 
Date & time: 10 December 2022, 18:15 EST 
Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Contact Group 6. 516DE 

Speaking Up for Nature. Better Communications for the CBD/IUCN Communities 
Hosts: IUCN and Government of Catalonia 
Date & time: 11 December 2022, 9:30 EST 
Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Large Room, Nature Positive Pavilion 

Enriching Biodiversity in Production Landscapes through Ecosystem Restoration and Sustainable Forest Management in the Tropics 
Hosts: International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) 
Date & time: 15 December 2022, 18:15 EST 
Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Like-minded Mega Diverse Countries meeting room 513D 

Deepening synergies between the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and risk-informed sustainable and regenerative development 
Hosts: UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) 
Date & time: 17 December 2022, 18:15 EST 
Venue: CBD COP 15 official venue, Side-event 1. 512E 

Report: “Mainstreaming Biodiversity: The Subnational Government Experience” 

AC SNG & Regions4 Biodiversity Learning Platform information document to the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3) 

The report aims at identifying existing strategic actions that can help achieve further progress on mainstreaming biodiversity. Additionally, it showcases how subnational governments contribute to the much-needed transformative change and provides information on their role in linking the different levels of government to the actions needed for mainstreaming biodiversity into and across all sectors of modern human life. It explores the potential of subnational governments and advances solutions and ideas to overcome the impediments to embedding biodiversity considerations into all sectors, and to enthusiastically advance into new paradigms, goals and societal values. 

> Read the full report here
 

Draft Decision and Plan of Action: Engagement with Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities to Enhance Implementation of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework 

CBD’s Conference Room Paper 8 from the Subsidiary Body on Implementation 

Conference Room Paper 8 is the draft Decision and Plan of Action that resulted from the Edinburgh Process consultation; it includes an updated version of the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (Decision X/22) that builds upon its legacy and scales up the ambitions and commitments of the subnational and local government constituency. Regions4 and its partners have been advocating for its adoption for the past two years, the document will be negotiated at CBD COP15. 

> Read the full document here 
 

CBD COP 15 official documents and website 

> Draft Decisions and all official documents are available here. 

> Official conference page: https://www.cbd.int/conferences/2021-2022 

RegionsWithNature platform is a partnership initiative that supports regional and subnational government officials and other stakeholders to enhance ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation and nature-based solutions in their regions. It is a dedicated space to support subnational biodiversity ambitions and to enhance multi-level governance for nature. RegionsWithNature is the place for regions and their partners to make their voices heard, to share their experiences, and to showcase their commitments toward achieving national and global biodiversity targets. 

All regional governments of the world are welcome to join!

To sign up, please visit https://regionswithnature.org or email us at rgomez@regions4.org 

The Case Study Database is a collection of case studies that documents regional success stories and good practices with the objective of making them replicable and accessible to other subnational governments with similar challenges. Each case study provides detailed information on the project’s catalyst, the institutional framework that enables it, the key components of the project, their direct and indirect impacts, its financial sustainability, as well as successes and challenges among other key components. It’s a featured tool of the RegionsWithNature platform and a permanent project of Regions4, that will be formally launched at the CBD COP15. 

All members of the RegionsWithNature platform are welcome to submit their case studies, as well as all Regions4 members.

To learn more about how to participate and be a part of the CSD please email us at gcarrera@regions4.org 

Follow our social media campaign #MembersinAction! for the Case Study Authors:

• Regions4 at LinkedIn 

• Regions4 at Twitter: @Regions4SD
   

The Advisory Committee on Subnational Governments and Biodiversity (AC SNG) is a permanent structure officially recognised by the CBD through Decision X/22 of COP 10 that aims at bringing the voice of regions to the biodiversity agenda. Regions4, together with the government of Quebec, coordinates the AC SNG and its activities. 

To join the AC SNG please email us at rgomez@regions4.org or visit: https://regions4.org/project/advisory-committee-on-subnational-governments-and-biodiversity/  

Please visit the SCBD information note for participants that includes detailed logistical information on access to venue, accommodation, documents, side-events, visa and much more. https://www.cbd.int/conferences/2021-2022/info-note 

Note that all events listed are inside the official venue, participants must have official SCBD accreditations to enter. 

For more information contact:
Renata Gómez - Biodiversity Programme Manager
rgomez@regions4.org