SCBD

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity was established (Article 24) to support the goals of the Convention. Its principal functions are to prepare for, and service, meetings of the Conferences of the Parties (COP) and other subsidiary bodies of the Convention, and to coordinate with other relevant international bodies. The Secretariat is institutionally linked to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), its host institution and, pursuant to decision II/19, is located in Montreal, Canada since 1996. The Secretariat plays a significant role in supporting the implementation of the Convention. In spite of the considerable advancements achieved by the Convention since its entry into force, the extent of the biodiversity challenge facing the international community requires urgent additional efforts as well as enhanced international cooperation and inter-agency collaboration on the scale necessary to translate the three objectives of the Convention into reality if the 2010 biodiversity target is to be achieved.

At its tenth meeting, the COP adopted, in decision X/2, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 with 20 global targets known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, to guide national and international efforts to conserve biodiversity. While all the Targets have potential linkages to health and well-being, Target 14 focuses explicitly on ecosystem services that contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being. Actions that support implementation of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets provide opportunities to improve both global human health and ecosystem health.

As such the SCBD highlights and supports the critical health-supporting ecosystem services and benefits of biodiversity and stresses the need to link health and biodiversity sectors.

Introduction to Health and Biodiversity

Learn more about the SCBD’s efforts to link biodiversity and health here