The Conference of the Parties agreed on a limited number of trial indicators, to
assess progress at the global level towards the 2010 target, and to effectively
communicate trends in biodiversity related to the three objectives of the
Convention (paragraphs 3 and 4 of
decision VII/30).
The COP agreed on eight indicators for immediate testing (listed in column B of
annex 1 of decision VII/30 reproduced in the table below) and another 13
indicators requiring further development (listed in column C of annex 1 of
decision VII/30 reproduced in the table below).
PROVISIONAL INDICATORS FOR ASSESSING PROGRESS TOWARDS THE 2010 BIODIVERSITY TARGET
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A: Focal area
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B: Indicator for immediate testing
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C: Possible indicators for development by SBSTTA or Working Groups
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Status and trends of the components of biological diversity
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- Trends in extent of selected biomes, ecosystems and habitats
- Trends in abundance and distribution of selected species
- Coverage of protected areas
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- Change in status of threatened species (Red List indicator under development)
- Trends in genetic diversity of domesticated animals, cultivated plants, and fish species of major socioeconomic importance
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Sustainable use
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- Area of forest, agricultural and aquaculture ecosystems under sustainable management
- Proportion of products derived from sustainable sources
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Threats to biodiversity
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- Numbers and cost of alien invasions
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Ecosystem integrity and ecosystem goods and services
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- Marine trophic index
- Water quality in aquatic ecosystems
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- Application to freshwater and possibly other ecosystems
- Connectivity/fragmentation of ecosystems
- Incidence of human-induced ecosystem failure
- Health and well-being of people living in biodiversity-based-resource dependent communities
- Biodiversity used in food and medicine
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Status of traditional knowledge, innovations and Practices
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- Status and trends of linguistic diversity and numbers of speakers of indigenous languages
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- Further indicators to be identified by WG-8j
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Status of access and benefit-sharing
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- Indicator to be identified by WG-ABS
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Status of resource transfers
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- Official development assistance provided in support of the Convention (OECD-DAC-Statistics Committee)
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- Indicator for technology transfer
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The COP established a process for testing and developing the indicators, with inputs from SBSTTA, the ad hoc Working Groups on ABS and Article 8(j), and an AHTEG. A series of task forces have been established to contribute to this process.
The outcome should be a balanced set of indicators which ideally:
- may be used at the global, regional, national and local levels as tools for the implementation of the Convention and of national biodiversity strategies and action plans;
- relates to one or more of the various programmes of work of the Convention;
- takes into consideration relevant Millennium Development Goals and indicators developed by other relevant international processes; and
- uses existing data sets.
