Side Event Highlights: National Clearing-House Mechanism and Bioland 2.0 Development
May 24, 2024 — On Friday, a side event was held at time 13- 15 in Conference Room-11, JUSCANZ room on the second floor of the UN Environment Headquarters in Gigiri Nairobi as part of the fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 4) The side event, titled "National Clearing-House Mechanism and Bioland 2.0," was organized to discuss advancements and collaborative efforts in developing and enhancing national clearing-house mechanisms (CHMs) and the Bioland tool. The National CHMs are important platforms to
a. Facilitating technical and scientific cooperation
b. Facilitating capacity building
c. Facilitating knowledge sharing
Event Background
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of Parties (COP), through its decision 15/16, has emphasized the need to support Parties in establishing and maintaining their national CHMs. This includes the continuous development of the Bioland tool, which aids in the organization and dissemination of biodiversity-related information. The Executive Secretary was tasked with further enhancing the central clearing-house mechanism portal to bolster technical and scientific cooperation, knowledge management, and communication.
Key Highlights of the Side Event
The event drew 56 participants from different countries and featured two presentations and discussions.
Updates on Bioland Instances: An update was given on the creation of Bioland instances for Parties lacking an active CHM portal. This initiative is based on the information provided on the respective country profile pages on the Convention's website, allowing for review and further development.
Bioland 2.0 Presentation: A detailed walkthrough of the redesigned Bioland 2.0 was provided, highlighting the new user interface, collaborative features, and interoperability enhancements. The presentation also covered the strategy for content migration.
Sharing National CHM Strategies: Kenya and Malawi shared their experiences and strategies in managing their national CHMs, providing insights into the diverse approaches taken to sustain and develop these mechanisms.
Presentations by Kenya
One of the key presentations was delivered by a representative from Kenya's National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Mr. Joseph Masinde the CHM Desk Officer. The presentation focused on Kenya's progress in advancing the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) process through its national CHM portal. The practical examples and insights shared demonstrated effective information mobilization and dissemination, which are critical for the implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and contribute to the CBD’s objectives and the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
Q&A Session
The event concluded with a lively Q&A session, where participants engaged with the presenters to gain deeper insights into the discussed topics. The session provided valuable clarifications and fostered a richer understanding of the challenges and opportunities in CHM development and Bioland 2.0 implementation.
Future Directions
In his closing remarks by Abhinav Prakash in charge of CHM at the CBD Secretariat extended sincere thanks to all presenters, particularly highlighting the contribution from Kenya. The Secretariat encouraged further sharing of resources, such as the presentation slides, on national CHM portals to benefit a wider audience. The session underscored the importance of continued collaboration and knowledge exchange among Parties, looking forward to more such valuable interventions during COP-16 and other relevant CBD meetings.
This side event marked a significant step in the ongoing efforts to enhance global biodiversity information sharing and cooperation, reflecting the commitment of Parties to the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
For detailed information from Kenya on the progress made under the clearing-house mechanism and knowledge management. Click here to download the presentation
COP 13 Cancun Mexico 2016
