Target 23 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims for gender equality as well as a gender-responsive approach for biodiversity action
This article is by Meenal Tatpati (meenal.tatpati@women4biodiversity.org), Research and Policy Associate, Women4Biodiversity, India
At the fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a monitoring framework to ensure the progress of implementation was adopted along with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). This framework includes a set of agreed indicators designed to track progress toward the framework’s goals and targets. Indicators are essential tools that summarize data on environmental and socio-economic issues, helping to measure overall status, trends and progress toward objectives. They play a vital role in monitoring biological diversity, and offer feedback to enhance biodiversity management programmes. When used to evaluate national or global trends, these indicators connect policymaking with scientific research.
The monitoring framework features headline or binary indicators recommended for national, regional and global monitoring. They are meant to capture crucial elements of each goal and target of the KMGBF. The framework also features component indicators that capture key elements not adequately captured by the headline indicators, and complementary indicators that provide an additional resource that could be used to track specific aspects of the goals and targets. While the latter are optional, they can provide additional insights into the monitoring of the targets.
While delegates approved the text decision on the updated monitoring framework, it was not adopted due to the suspension of the COP
The framework is critical for member countries to prepare their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), as well as to submit their national reports on implementation of the NBSAPs. Parties to the Convention decided to establish an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on Indicators to advise on the further operationalization of the monitoring framework for the KMGBF. At the 26th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA26) the outcomes of the AHTEG on Indicators was reviewed. At COP16 in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1, 2024, Parties were expected to consider the recommendations of SBSTTA26 towards furthering the development of the monitoring framework. While delegates approved the text decision on the updated monitoring framework, it was not adopted due to the suspension of the COP. However, the Parties recognized that an indicator for the national implementation of the Gender Plan of Action (2023−2030) was developed in response to the adoption of the framework. It sits as a component indicator for Target 23.
The work towards building the methodology began in 2023, with the first draft being developed by UNEP-WCMC in April 2024 and Women4Biodiversity facilitated the co-development of the indicator by involving key stakeholders and several Parties, by facilitating dialogues and bilateral testing with Gender and Biodiversity Focal Points, National Focal Points and members of the AHTEG on indicators to test the metadata. In August 2024, the metadata also underwent a process of peer review. This updated and peer-reviewed metadata is now available for use.
At COP15, the Parties adopted Target 23 on gender equality and participation. The KMGBF also stresses that the successful implementation of the framework will depend on ensuring gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. At the same time, the Parties also adopted the post-2020 Gender Plan of Action (2022-2030) or GPA at COP15. The 2023-2030 GPA is a framework that highlights specific gender-responsive actions, deliverables and timelines for various stakeholders, including the Parties to the Convention, the secretariat, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), women’s groups/networks, and other relevant organizations, marking significant progress from previous plans. The component indicator on the National Implementation of GPA is, therefore, crucial in enabling the Parties to track progress towards Target 23 more accurately and in providing valuable information that can feed into the binary indicator for this target.
The developed indicator methodology includes 18 survey questions that have been translated from 18 indicative actions outlined in GPA for which the Parties are the lead responsible actors. These questions have been updated to include a link to the binary indicator 23.b. The answer options have bracketed guidance and the option to provide supporting evidence or examples to further illustrate the chosen answers. The indicator methodology is accompanied by an index-calculation tool that will enable the Parties to quantify their progress towards the national implementation of the GPA, based on their responses to the 18 survey questions. The calculation tool has been updated to reflect categorical levels of progress for each response as well as to track progress for each expected outcome and cumulative progress towards GPA.
Gender-sensitive indicators are essential for measuring progress towards the commitments made by the Parties…
At a side event to launch the indicator methodology at COP16, organized by Women4Biodiversity, UNEP-WCMC and Swedbio, the Parties highlighted that the component indicator provided a clear actionable direction to implement GPA and helped them analyse areas of work on gender-responsive biodiversity planning and management, in their respective contexts.
Till date, 19 Parties from Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Oceania have provided their valuable feedback and tested the methodology for their specific contexts. Overall, the Parties have expressed satisfaction about the methodology and the calculation tool. They found that the methodology was easy to understand and apply, and the calculation tool was easy to use. The member-states have also appreciated the methodology and tool for accessing progress on Target 23 and for implementation and planning of GPA since it identified gaps, and highlighted future areas of work. Currently, UNEP-WCMC is exploring the integration of the tool in relevant platforms used by CBD for monitoring and review.
Gender-sensitive indicators are essential for measuring progress towards the commitments made by the Parties regarding gender-responsiveness in the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
For more
Women4Biodiversity
https://www.women4biodiversity.org/
15/5. Monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-15/cop-15-dec-05-en.pdf
Monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/5044/ea79/105d29801a3efae8df742c93/cop-16-l-26-en.pdf
15/11. Gender Plan of Action
https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-15/cop-15-dec-11-en.pdf
Component Indicators – Indicators for the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework | Indicator Repository
https://gbf-indicators.org/component-indicators
COP16 Side event: Indicator methodology on national implementation of the Gender Plan of Action
https://www.youtube.com/supported_browsers?next_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DxpjKJDYMjIk&t=1s
