The Advisory Committee of Subnational Governments on Biodiversity will present the report “Mainstreaming Biodiversity: the subnational government experience”, during the SBSTTA 23 side-event “Local and subnational governments taking action – using nature-based solutions to address biodiversity and climate challenges ” on 26 November at Room 7, 3rd Floor, ICAO.

The SBSTTA report on biodiversity and climate change (CBD/SBSTTA/23/3) makes the point that “the time is now to go beyond theory and principles and to develop concrete tools for decision-making and implementation of nature-based solutions.” Local and subnational governments are doing exactly this. Numerous examples exist of projects and initiatives being implemented at local and subnational level that go beyond theory and tackle biodiversity and climate challenges through ecosystem-based approaches and nature-based solutions in tangible ways. Through these projects and initiatives, local and subnational governments are able to mitigate climate change impacts; reduce disaster risks and vulnerability; conserve and restore ecosystems; establish area-based conservation measures; monitor climate change impacts on biodiversity, and integrate biodiversity and ecosystem-based approaches into planning and decision-making processes.

This side event will consist of an interactive panel presentation on the initiatives listed above, followed by a facilitated, interactive group discussion with invited Parties and all participants. The panellists will be guided by two questions, which will focus on the challenges faced, and results achieved from the initiatives presented.