In order to provide practical guidance on how to implement clusters of related agreements in a more effective and efficient way, UNEP is partnering with the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to develop Issue-Based Modules on topics that cut across related MEAs. This is done in close cooperation with the Secretariats of the five global biodiversity-related conventions – Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), Ramsar Convention, and World Heritage Convention. The Secretariats of the related climate change (UNFCCC) and desertification (UNCCD) conventions are also invited to participate. The project is being supported by the Belgian Government.
The Secretariats of the five biodiversity-related conventions identified four priority cross-cutting issues as issues of common concern to all five conventions. These issues are: climate change, inland water, invasive alien species, and sustainable use.
The modules will provide structured information on those four issues by identifying and grouping implementation requirements under the different agreements. The modules are based on existing articles, decisions, recommendations, and resolutions and do not impose extra requirements on Parties. They will be updated regularly to reflect relevant decisions taken at the governing bodies of the MEAs.
Both UNEP-WCMC and IUCN are collaborating with UNEP to support the development of the issue-based modules: IUCN has developed the two modules on climate change and sustainable use, while UNEP-WCMC developed the two modules on inland water and invasive alien species.
To provide easy access to a large amount of information and to facilitate the distribution and use of the modules, a Web site was developed. This Web site contains the four modules, as well as the text of the articles, decisions, recommendations, and resolutions that are referred to in the modules. It also provides users with some background information on the reviewed agreements to increase mutual understanding among experts of the different agreements.
The text and the database are still in draft form (as of February 2006). As such, the Web site facilitates the peer review process, and thereby ensures the involvement of end-users throughout the project. This transparent and participatory process seeks to ensure that the end-product is useful and relevant. Draft versions of the modules are available on the Web site in English, French, and Russian.
For more information, see http://www.svs-unepibmdb.net