Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Plenary, 3 July 2022, Bonn
Biodiversity related MEAs statement - Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of CITES
I am speaking on behalf of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the 
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the International Whaling Commission and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
Previous assessments conducted by IPBES, notably the 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, have contributed to the scientific and stewardship roles of these Conventions. This assessment, for example, provided the main scientific basis for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework which is currently under negotiation in the CBD and Parties to CITES and Ramsar have recognized the importance of the findings of this assessment to the work of the Convention.
The Assessments to be discussed during this ninth plenary session – the methodological assessment of the multiple values of nature and its benefits, and the assessment on the sustainable use of wild species, are also relevant to the work of each of the Conventions and will help to inform the development and implementation of the post 2020 global biodiversity framework.
Parties to several of these Conventions have recognized in their decisions that the implementation of these Conventions may also benefit and draw strength from efforts being undertaken in other fora, and the linkages between them and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the findings of the IPBES 2019 Global Assessment Report have been highlighted in this regard.
Later this year the International Treaty holds the meeting of its Governing Body, the International Whaling Commission holds the meeting of its Commission, while CBD, CITES and Ramsar will hold the meetings of their respective Conference of the Parties. These reports are therefore timely and will strengthen the scientific basis of decision-making by the Parties.
We wish to warmly thank the experts who have contributed their time and expertise to these assessments. It is evident that bringing these experts together in one place to prepare these assessments is a monumental task and we thank IPBES for making it possible.
We look forward to the discussions during this meeting, the official launch of these important assessments and future engagements with IPBES.