SEEA and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: a side event of the UNSC53

This side event, held in the lead-up to the 53rd Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission, on Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework brought together over 120 participants from national statistics offices (NSOs), Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), government ministries and scientific communities to discuss the cutting-edge issues on data and statistics for biodiversity and the role of NSOs on the post-2020 global biodiversity monitoring (GBF).

Currently, the GBF monitoring framework is being developed for adoption at the Convention of Parties of the CBD late in 2022 in Kunming, China. The recognition of the role of the national statistical offices in developing and implementing the framework, as well as the role of the SEEA as an important statistical framework in support of the monitoring framework and the indicators therein, provides a unique opportunity for the official statistical community to help shape the monitoring framework and develop nationally owned statistical information which is mainstreamed within the national statistical system.

The side event called for the engagement of NSOs in the biodiversity monitoring process, emphasizing that a successful GBF monitoring framework requires collaboration among NSOs and national biodiversity communities to build on country level data that is policy relevant.

The engagement of the NSOs is critical to provide metrics and create policy-relevant indicators to support global progress and a compass for national biodiversity planning.

Mr. David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary of the CBD said:

Collaboration between biodiversity experts, the parties to the CBD and national statistical communities is fundamental to create a robust Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to address the challenges derived from biodiversity loss.

Mr. Basile van Havre, co-Chair for the CBD Open Ended Working Group (OWG) for the post-2020 GBF remarked:

A better monitoring system to support the GBF relies on useful and consistent data that can measure progress towards goals and targets to address the challenges from the loss of biodiversity. The success of the monitoring framework is critical on the engagement of NSOs.

Effort has already been made to align the proposed headline indicators for the GBF monitoring framework with the statistical frameworks developed under the UN Statistical Commission, including the SEEA.

Harnessing the power of data organized under these international statistical frameworks will contribute to build an integrated and robust system for biodiversity monitoring.

The side event was jointly organized by the CBD Secretariat, the European Union and UNSD. More information, including a recording of the event, can be found on the meeting page.