Strengthening compliance under the Convention on Biological Diversity

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the strategies for reviewing compliance and implementation within the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), particularly under the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020. It compares them to the approach followed in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), particularly the Paris Agreement adopted under the UNFCCC in 2015. The UNFCCC has the same starting date as the CBD, which in itself makes for an interesting comparison on how obligations and institutional arrangements have evolved over time. Therefore, the establishment of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation under the CBD has been welcome by the international community, as a favourable step towards strengthening compliance CBD. The obligations contained in Articles 6 to 22 for the operationalization of the core objectives of the CBD, along with Article 26 on national reporting, define well-differentiated collective and individual-state responsibilities.