Over the years, the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the CBD has adopted a number of decisions regarding the review of the operations of the Convention. For example, at COP 6, the Parties decided that better methods should be developed to objectively evaluate progress in the implementation of the Convention and its Strategic Plan (Decision VI/26).
At COP 7, the Parties established the Ad Hoc g[Open-ended] Working Group on Review of Implementation (WGRI) of the Convention, through Decision VII/30. The Working Group is open to all Parties, inter-governmental organisations, and other observers. Its mandates include: (1) to consider progress in the implementation of the Convention, the Strategic Plan, and achievements leading up to the 2010 target of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss; (2) to review the impacts and effectiveness of existing processes under the Convention, such as meetings of the COP, SBSTTA, national focal points, and the Secretariat, as part of the overall process of improving the operations of the Convention and implementation of its Strategic Plan; and (3) to consider means of identifying and overcoming obstacles to the effective implementation of the Convention.
The WGRI met in September 2005 and developed a number of recommendations to improve the Convention processes and enhance effective implementation of the Convention and the Strategic Plan. The WGRI also recommended that it hold a further meeting in the inter-sessional period between COP8 and 9 to continue reviewing progress toward the 2010 biodiversity target.
For more information, see http://www.biodiv.org or contact secretariat@biodiv.org