Understanding and engaging in the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Course overview

This course guides learners in discovering the processes and mechanisms of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Developed by the CO-OP4CBD Horizon Europe project (grant agreement n°101081778), in collaboration with the CBD Secretariat, it aims to answer the knowledge needs of newcomers in CBD processes, including researchers, experts, negotiators and ministers’ staff. The course explores the functioning of the CBD (ie. concepts, text, bodies) and how to concretely engage in its processes when working on biodiversity-related topics. It provides practical insights, examples, and tools to support the engagement into the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the processes and mechanisms of the CBD in which you could fit according to your own expertise and field of activity,
• Identify the type of knowledge that could be shared and used in UN CBD circuits, including the format and specific skills required for policy making,
• Evaluate your capacity to engage in the Convention circuits both in terms of skills, time and resources available,
• Be able to engage in policy processes, by identifying and interacting with the right contact points (e.g., specific Ministries, negotiators...) to contribute to CBD processes.

Acknowledgements

The CO-OP4CBD project would like to thank the contributors and reviewers of this MOOC, including the coordination team from the French Museum of Natural History and the production team from Pimenko. We also would like to thank all the CO-OP4CBD partners who have contributed by sharing their ideas and reviewing the content. Finally, we kindly thank the InforMEA learning platform for having agreed to host this course as well as the CBD Secretariat for supporting it.