Economic and Social Council

 Distr. GENERAL
7 February 1997
ORIGINAL: ARABIC/CHINESE/
                                                         ENGLISH/FRENCH/
                                                         RUSSIAN/SPANISH

COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests
Fourth session
10-21 February 1997


            Decision III/12 of the Conference of the Parties to the
                      Convention on Biological Diversity

                         Note by the Secretary-General


     The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit to the fourth
session of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests the text of
decision III/12, adopted by the third meeting of the Conference of the
Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Buenos
Aires, Argentina, from 4 to 15 November 1996.

     The Conference of the Parties decided to transmit this decision,
as well as the related recommendation II/8 of the Subsidiary Body on
Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, to the fourth session
of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests as a contribution to
its deliberations.

     Decision III/12 is attached.


            Decision III/12 of the Conference of the Parties to the
                      Convention on Biological Diversity

         FUTURE PROGRAMME OF WORK FOR TERRESTRIAL BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

     The Conference of the Parties,

     Affirming that some forests can play a crucial role in conserving
biological diversity, and recognizing that some forests are becoming
degraded and their biological diversity lost,

     Recognizing that issues related to forests must be dealt with in a
comprehensive and holistic manner, including environmental, economic
and social values and issues,

     Affirming also that the Convention has a clear role and mandate in
issues of forest biological diversity,

     Noting that the conservation and sustainable use of forests cannot
be isolated from the conservation and sustainable use of biological
diversity in general,

     Noting also that the conservation and sustainable use of
biological diversity must be an integral part of sustainable forest
management practices,

     Noting further that the implementation of forest conservation and
sustainable use policies depends, inter alia, on the level of public
awareness and policies outside the forest sector,

     Recognizing the vital role played by forest ecosystems for many
indigenous and local communities,

     Reaffirming the statement on biological diversity and forests
contained in the annex to decision II/9 transmitted from the
Convention on Biological Diversity to the Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests,

     1.  Welcomes the comprehensive work taking place under the
Intergovernmental Panel on Forests and acknowledges the cooperation
between the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests and the Convention on
Biological Diversity;

     2.  Endorses recommendation II/8 of the Subsidiary Body on
Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice as contained in the
annex to this decision; 

     3.  Affirms that the Convention on Biological Diversity will be
working in a complementary way with the Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests and other forest-related forums on forests and biological
diversity, with a view to avoiding duplication of effort;

     4.  Decides to invite its President to transmit this decision on
forests and its annex to the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests at its
fourth meeting; 

     5.  Requests the Executive Secretary to explore ways and means to
cooperate with the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests or any successor
process on matters relating to biological diversity and forests
including inter-sessional work, with a view to developing common
priorities for further consideration.  In this process the Executive
Secretary should take account of the research and technical priorities
listed in recommendation II/8 of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological Advice;

     6.  Further requests the Executive Secretary to develop a focused
work programme for forest biological diversity.  Optional elements for
such a work programme should initially focus on research, cooperation
and the development of technologies necessary for the conservation and
sustainable use of forest biological diversity.  In addition the
programme should:

     (a) Take account of the outcome of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests and other forest-related forums;

     (b) Facilitate the application and integration of the objectives
of the Convention on Biological Diversity in the sustainable
management of forests at the national, regional and global levels, in
accordance with the ecosystem approach;

     (c) Complement and not duplicate the work of relevant
international forums, notably the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests;

     (d) Complement existing national, regional or international
criteria and indicator frameworks for sustainable forest management;

     (e) Incorporate traditional systems of forest biological
diversity conservation;

     7.  Requests the Executive Secretary in developing this draft
work programme, to work closely with the Intergovernmental Panel on
Forests and relevant institutions, and also to take full account of
the decisions of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable
Development, noting in particular the report on institutional aspects
contained in the programme element V.1 of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Forests mandate resulting from the Swiss/Peruvian initiative on
forests held in support of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, and
encourages all Parties actively to assist the Executive Secretary in
carrying out this work;

     8.  Requests the Executive Secretary to report on progress in the
draft programme of work to the next meeting of the Conference of the
Parties for its discussion and consideration;

     9.  Requests the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice to contribute advice on this draft programme of
work and report back to the fourth meeting of the Conference of the
Parties, and also requests the Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological Advice, in providing its advice, to bear
in mind for possible future action, inter alia, the remaining forest
research priority items listed in its recommendation II/8;

     10. Directs the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice, in the light of the proposed work programme and
taking account of the research and technical priorities already
identified in its recommendation II/8, to advance its scientific,
technical, and technological consideration of forest biological
diversity by initially focusing on the synthesis and development of
scientific information in the following research areas:

     (a) Methodologies necessary to advance the elaboration and
implementation of criteria and indicators for the conservation of
biological diversity as part of sustainable forest management;

     (b) Scientific analysis of the ways in which human activities, in
particular forest management practices, influence biological diversity
and assessment of ways to minimize or mitigate negative influences.


                                     Annex

                INPUT TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON FORESTS


     The Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological
Diversity wishes to transmit to the fourth session of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF), for its consideration, the
decision of the third meeting of the Conference of the Parties on
biological diversity and forests, as well as the related
recommendation II/8 of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical
and Technological Advice (SBSTTA).  The decision by the third meeting
of the Conference of the Parties requested the Executive Secretary to
develop a draft work programme for forest biological diversity and
gives guidance to SBSTTA on research priorities.  These documents are
presented as contributions to the IPF deliberations and in the spirit
of continuing our positive dialogue and cooperation.

Related recommendations

     (a) Biodiversity considerations should be integrated fully into
the IPF recommendations and proposals for action.  IPF should also
consider ways to deal with identified gaps in forest biodiversity
knowledge.

     (b) In relation to the programme element I.1 of IPF on national
forest and land use plans, strategies for sustainable forest
management should be based on an ecosystem approach, which will
integrate conservation measures (e.g., protected areas) and
sustainable use of biological diversity.  Methodologies need to be
developed to assist countries in identifying sites of high interest
for biodiversity.  These recommendations should take into account
national financial circumstances, laws and regulations.

     (c) In relation to the programme element III.2 of IPF dealing
with criteria and indicators, conservation of biological diversity and
the sustainable use of its components, as well as the maintenance of
forest quality, as part of sustainable forest management, should be
substantively included in the deliberations of IPF.

     The following research and technological priorities were also
identified:

     (a) Building the scientific foundation and methodologies
necessary to advance the elaboration and implementation of criteria
and indicators for forest quality and biodiversity conservation as
part of sustainable forest management;

     (b) Analysing the role of biodiversity in forest ecosystem
functioning;

     (c) Analysing measures for mitigating the underlying causes of
biodiversity loss;

     (d) Advancing scientific and technical approaches to (i)
rehabilitating degraded and deforested ecosystems and (ii) enriching
biodiversity in forest plantations;

     (e) Identifying gaps in knowledge in the areas of fragmentation
and population viability, to include mitigation options such as
corridors and buffer zones;

     (f) Assessing ecological landscape models, the integration of
protected areas in the ecosystem approach to sustainable forest
management and the representativeness and adequacy of protected areas
networks;

     (g) Analysing scientifically the ways in which human activities,
in particular forest management practices, influence biodiversity and
assessing ways to minimize or mitigate negative influences; and

     (h) Developing assessment and evaluation methodologies for the
multiple benefits derived from forest biodiversity.


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Date last posted: 7 December 1999 12:45:30
Comments and suggestions: DESA/DSD