The Global Biodiversity Framework and freshwater ecosystems: Moving to implementation

Multiple goals and targets of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework should be applied to freshwater ecosystems, but there is little guidance as to what that application can look like or how to measure progress. This session will provide a brief overview of where the Framework intersects with freshwater ecosystems and services. We will then highlight a subset of particularly relevant targets; for each target we will review how it could be operationalized for freshwater systems, using a combination of case studies, expert discussion, and audience participation. We will also examine the indicators that have been proposed to measure progress against the targets. An output of the session will be a summary guidance document that will be submitted to the Convention on Biological Diversity in advance of the October 2021 Conference of the Parties. The document will serve as a starting point for more detailed implementation guidance, to be developed by an existing consortium of partners.