On 21 January, the WES-BCA project organized an online webinar titled “Reporting Structures and Indicators for the 7th National Report under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).”
The event was co-organized with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat, the Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf (DG-MENA), and the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) of the European Commission. The webinar provided support to Partner Countries by offering guidance on reporting structures and indicators, in line with the CBD, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and other regional and international biodiversity commitments.
The webinar represented an important opportunity for knowledge exchange, regional cooperation, and peer learning on biodiversity challenges and commitments in the Mediterranean.
The meeting also helped participants understand how aligning national strategies with regional frameworks can ensure consistency with biodiversity commitments under the Barcelona Convention (UNEP/MAP and its protocols), the UfM, and relevant EU policies and initiatives.
The project provides targeted coaching to specific countries, promotes knowledge sharing, and strengthens regional capacities for the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity, including the conservation of marine and terrestrial areas.
Participants included the Focal Points of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the WES-BCA Environment and Water Focal Points, consultants supporting national efforts in preparing the 7th National Reports (7NRs), ministry representatives, and key stakeholders involved in CBD reporting in the Partner Countries.
The 7th National Report (7NR) assesses national biodiversity trends, policies, and strategies, and its submission by all Parties by February 2026 is essential for cross-sectoral data collection and stakeholder engagement.
Lijie Cai, Programme Management Officer at the CBD Secretariat, emphasized:
“The submission of the 7NRs by all the Parties before or by the deadline is crucial for the global review of collective progress in the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to be undertaken at COP 17 in Armenia in October this year, as the seventh national report has been identified in COP decision 16/32 as a primary source of information for the global review.”