Software can ease the national reporting obligations under MEAs, and using a common structure in an electronic format can facilitate analyses of compliance over time and among nations, identifying thematic, functional, and geographic areas of high compliance as well as highlighting potential gaps in compliance. Software can be particularly useful for those MEAs that require permitting, as software can aid in synthesizing the information in numerous permits.
In this regard, CITES is a special case, since its reporting is mainly on issued permits and certificates for international trade in wildlife. Annual and biennial reporting is regulated by the text of the Convention. At least for the biennial reports, it would be possible to harmonise a reporting system for the biodiversity-related MEAs that address legal and administrative measures, information on fees for permits, enforcement issues, sanctions provided for offences, and court cases.
Slovenia — along with approximately 20 other States — has developed a computer program that allows easy preparation of annual reports for CITES specifically.
For more information, contact Mr. Robert Boljesic at Robert.Boljesic@gov.si
At the request of CITES Parties, UNEP-WCMC can assist Parties in producing national reports.
An ongoing initiative is seeking to harmonise reporting for the boidiversity-related agreements — including the CBD, CITES, CMS, Ramsar Convention, World Heritage Convention, and others — under the aegis of the CBD.
For more information contact the CBD Secretariat at secretariat@biodiv.org
See also the case study on the “UNEP/WCMC Project on Harmonisation of Information Management and Reporting for Biodiversity MEAs” following Guideline 34(h)
.