Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Youth Consultation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Youth Take Part in Shaping Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

Dhaka (Thursday, March 5, 2020): GYBN Bangladesh Chapter has organized a

consultation to discuss the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The youth

consultation was held in Dhaka on last Wednesday, March 4th, 2020.

Selected young conservationists from across the country participated in the

consultation and discussed the way forward for biodiversity mainstreaming on the

national and international levels. They mainly discussed the Zero Draft of the Post 2020

Global Biodiversity Framework and gave their opinion to reshape the various aspects of

the Zero Draft.

The participants at the consultation came up with specific suggestions to work on the

draft and built consensus about proposed amendments; several additions to the draft,

and many modifications.

There was a group activity where the groups choose their related sections of the draft

and gave their opinions. They opined to rephrase some words and sentences of the

draft.

Most notably, the participants emphasized on including indigenous people and local

communities rights in the main goals of the post-2020 framework; they have also

stressed on using strong and clear langue to include ‘states, governments, and

businesses’ in the one-liner mission statement of the framework, which currently is

absent.

The consultation was supported by Edward M. Kennedy Center. GYBN Bangladesh

Chapter coordinators Pimple Barua, Sultan Ahmed, and 14 other conservationists took

part in the consultation. Member of Alumni Committee Fahmida Khalique Nitu and Md

Kutub Uddin facilitated the consultation.

GYBN Bangladesh plans to organize more consultation in the coming weeks. 

The global plan to conserve biodiversity — known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets,

expires at the end of this year. So starting this month, representatives of the

international community is discussing a new plan under the auspices of international

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). As the leading CBD youth platform, the Global

Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) is contributing to the consultation process

globally. 

Zero Draft of Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is the basis of all negotiations

among all parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) leading the next CBD

Conference of the Parties. This is the initial iteration of the landmark global agreement to conserve the diversity of life on our planet for the coming decades. The agreement is

finally set to be adopted in October 2020 at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the

Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15).

Before CBD COP15 and other international meetings, the main purpose of these national

consultations is to represent youth voices and ensure that the opinion of the youth is

reflected in the next global plan to conserve biodiversity post-2020.