Magazine of the species survival Commission specialist Group - IUCN

nagoya defines future for life on earth
SOS Press Launch – Monique Barbut, Robert Zoellick, Kirsi Sormunen, Jean-Christophe Vié and Julia Marton-Lefèvre. © Dena Cator
groups such as mosses in GSPC considerations and
indicated that groups like algae and fungi (including lichenforming
species) could be more appropriately served by
separate strategies of their own. In paragraph 5, the text
reads “While the Strategy addresses the plant kingdom with
main focus on higher plants, and other well-described groups
such as bryophytes and pteridophytes, Parties, other
Governments and other relevant stakeholders may consider
developing conservation strategies for other groups such as
algae and fungi (including lichen-forming species).”
Singapore also emphasized the importance of focusing
attention on plants in the marine environment and this
wording was incorporated into paragraph 4 of the document.
Marine and coastal biodiversity
The final document that was adopted on this agenda item
can be found in L.42. Many of the IUCN Marine Programme’s
recommendations were included in the final text, for
example, reference to the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative
(GOBI) in paragraph 35 relating to the Executive Secretary
working with others to facilitate availability and interoperability
of the best available marine and coastal
biodiversity data sets, and the Executive Secretary working
with others to establish a repository for scientific and
technical information and experience related to the
application of the scientific criteria on the identification of
EBSAs in annex I of decision IX/20, as well as other relevant
compatible and complementary nationally and intergovernmentally
agreed scientific criteria that shares
information and harmonizes with similar initiatives. The
original document is here (p. 102).
Invasive Alien Species
The final document that was adopted on Invasive Alien
Species can be found in L.35. An Ad Hoc Technical Expert
Group (AHTEG), which IUCN is a part of, was created to
further explore issues on invasive alien species. The
mandate of the AHTEG is “to suggest ways and means,
including, inter alia, providing scientific and technical
information, advice and guidance, on the possible
development of standards by appropriate bodies that can be
used at an international level to avoid spread of invasive alien
species that current international standards do not cover, to
address the identified gaps and to prevent the impacts and
minimize the risks associated with the introduction of
invasive alien species as pets, aquarium and terrarium
species, as live bait and live food with the present terms of
reference”. Geoffrey Howard led this issue at CBD COP 10
and Piero Genovesi, Chair of the Invasive Species Specialist
Group, was also instrumental in contributing to the
preparation and discussions for this agenda item.
IUCN communications at CBD COP 10
IUCN released a number of key stories at CBD COP 10,
among them:
1. an update of the IUCN Red List at CBD COP 10 that had
incredible pick-up by media;
2. an assessment of all vertebrates in the world;
3. the launch of the Save Our Species (SOS) Fund;
4. a story on plant conservation in Asia; and
5. an article on invasive species and climate change.
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