This report is a literature review to assess the current state of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 2010 target. The authors explore the potential for aligning the achievements under the two platforms. This is done in order to support mutually supportive implementation of the two work programmes in preparation for the 2010 Year of Biological Diversity.
The report finds that:
- there is no clear reference to environmental issues outside of MDG-7;
- emphasis on environmental issues is given to water availability and sanitation issues, particularly regarding health development goals;
- countries are better placed to monitor progress and evaluate the results of local action on issues such as conservation of species and ecosystems rather than assessing impacts of action on cross cutting areas. This includes issues such as access and benefit sharing, impacts of climate change and variability and social impacts of conservation.
It is recommended that in order to improve progress and link the 2010 and 2015 targets and goals, it is important to:
- use the programme of work under the CBD as an interim indicator of progress towards biodiversity related targets of the MDGs;
- establish an inter-agency task force comprising representatives of MEA secretariats and development agencies to provide guidance for countries to link environmental management plans with development plans;
- indicate clearly to countries that the indicators suggested by the MDGs are result based and that there is a need to develop pressure, response and process indicators for national actions;
- encourage a better understanding of result based indicators for achieving 2010 targets at the national level;
- develop additional indicators related to environment and biodiversity spanning all the MDGs as well as socio-economic components;
- link the indicators of the MDGs and 2010 targets through local actions.
