Sustainable Wildlife Management is essential to achieve key targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

CPW Workplan 2030-2035

The IPBES Sustainable Use of Wild Species Assessment¹ highlights how around 50,000 wild species of animals, plants, and fungi are used for energy, medicine, materials, and other purposes and a fifth of the global population relies on wild plants for food and income. These species are equally fundamental for the survival of the ecosystems that support them and are a cornerstone to the livelihoods and cultures of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (ILPCs). At the same time, the accelerating global biodiversity crisis, increasing human populations, technological advancements, and growing use and trade threaten wild species and their vital role for people and the planet.

The Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Management of Wildlife (CPW), a partnership of 13 organisations, remains committed to continue to support and help strengthen sustainable wildlife management as one of the tools to address these challenges. This commitment was underlined during the discussions on Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) at the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) twenty-fifth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-25) held in Nairobi, Kenya last week. The negotiations recognised how the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) has elevated the significance of sustainable wildlife management for the conservation of wildlife. SWM can provide a ground-up approach, especially contributing to the achievement of KMGBF Target 4, which aims to halt the decline of biodiversity and support management actions for the recovery and conservation of species and natural resources, as well as Targets 5 and 9, which aim to ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe and legal, preventing overexploitation, and providing benefits for people - actions that go hand-in-hand with the Sustainable Development Goals.

In an effort to provide an up-to-date overview of developments in the SWM field, the CPW hosted a side event for CBD Parties and other participants on the sidelines of SBSTTA-25. During this event, the Partnership officially launched its practical work plan for 2023-2025.

With experience in producing the CBD’s Voluntary Guidance for a Sustainable Wild Meat Sector adopted at the 14^th meeting of the Conference of Parties (CoP) to the CBD (CBD CoP14) (see CBD/COP/DEC/14/7), the CPW has been recognised by the CBD Parties as a key partner that the Secretariat of the CBD. The draft decision adopted by SBSTTA25 calls on the CBD Secretariat to collaborate with the CPW to identify other areas beyond the wild meat sector that might require complementary guidance, and to take into consideration the seven key elements of effective policy for the sustainable use of wild species that were identified in the IPBES Assessment Report on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species.

One of CPW’s first tasks will be to collaborate with the CBD Secretariat in responding to the recommendation by SBSTTA-25 Plenary on Agenda Items 4 and 6. This will involve conducting a gap analysis, in line with the mandate of the Convention and the goals and targets of the KMGBF, to identify areas not adequately covered by existing guidance developed by relevant multilateral environmental agreements and international organisations.

The draft decision adopted by SBSTTA 25 for consideration and adoption by the 16^th meeting of the CoP to the CBD (CBD CoP16), encourages CBD Parties to work together with partners, in particular through the CPW, to develop indicators for monitoring the status of and trends in the use of wild species, social, economic and environmental benefits and the implications for groups in vulnerable situations, taking into consideration the indicators of the monitoring framework. This is something which is clearly aligned with the CPW workplan which includes an activity to begin the process to create clear and effective monitoring frameworks and indicators for the Targets relevant to wildlife - particularly Targets 4, 5 and 9.

The draft decision also contains numerous other areas where the CPW can play a role. This includes the development of guidance to address the identified gaps. The decision also proposes to CBD CoP16 that the Executive Secretary collaborate with the CPW, Parties and others, including IPLCs, women and youth, to facilitate regional dialogues to build a common understanding regarding the application of the seven key elements of the IPBES Assessment Report on the Sustainable Use of Wild Species.

Established a decade ago through CBD Decision XI/25 the CPW continues to fulfil its mission to increase cooperation and coordination on sustainable wildlife management issues among its members, where such adds value, in order to promote the sustainable management of terrestrial vertebrate wildlife in all biomes and geographic areas, contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and to human food security, livelihoods and well-being.