BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6a75a9d2ef573 DTSTART:20240705T120000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20240705T133000Z LOCATION:Geneva\, Switzerland SUMMARY:Fourth meeting of the Informal Working Group on trade and biodivers ity statistics CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:BackgroundThe importance of biodiversity\, trade and particular ly trade in biodiversity-based products for global efforts to tackle biodi versity loss is recognized by internationally agreed objectives\, includin g the Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiv ersity Framework (GBF).Data on commercialization and trade would help coun tries develop better informed policies related to the management and trade of biodiversity-based products and services. However\, there is limited d ata publicly available on sustainable trade in biodiversity-based products and services and its environmental and socio-economic impact\, and the in formation available is not comparable and dispersed in many different data bases.In September 2022\, the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD )’s BioTrade Initiative and Statistics Service launched the pioneer Trad e and Biodiversity statistical tool (TraBio). It is an initial step to ena ble open access to reliable trade-related information on biodiversity-base d products. TraBio applies a product classification of biodiversity-based products covering 1814 HS sub-headings\, a database on trade flow in these products and related indicators\, and a visualisation tool.With the aim o f improving data collection and analytical capacity for informed decision- making on trade in biodiversity-based products\, including considering its environmental and socio-economic impact\, and supporting the monitoring a nd reporting under the SDGs and relevant processes such as the GBF\, UN Tr ade and Development convened the Informal Working Group (iWG)  on Trade a nd Biodiversity Statistics.The Informal Working Group is expected to conve ne between Autumn 2023 and Autumn 2024\, mainly through hybrid and/or virt ual meetings. These meetings aim to advance on the development of statisti cs on biodiversity-based products (e.g.\, common definitions\, data gaps\, new data sources and technologies\, identification and assessment of soci o-economic and environmental impact). These also consider how the biodiver sity-based goods data could best contribute to current initiatives and fra meworks as an open-source asset. Experts are invited to discuss progress t owards a comprehensive trade and biodiversity framework and identify prior ities and partners for knowledge of trade and biodiversity statistics by d iscussing ways to enhance related information.UN Trade and Development’s BioTrade Initiative and Statistics Service kick-started the discussion wi th an Informal lunch event on trade and biodiversity statistics\, organise d at the margins of the Twentieth session of the United Nations Economic C ommission for Europe’s Joint Task Force on Environmental Statistics Indi cators on 17 October 2023. The first iWG meeting (23 November 2023) allow ed to open a platform of discussion and exchange of information on existin g trade and non-trade related databases and their linkages to biodiversity issues\, based on a mapping of 38 databases prepared by UN Trade and Deve lopment.The second iWG meeting allowed to identify and agree on a common u nderstanding of what “Trade and Biodiversity statistics” shall cover: statistics on biodiversity-based products as defined by UN Trade and Devel opment BioTrade Initiative\, and an holistic approach to include aspects o f the overall supply chain of such products\, including harvesting and cat ch\, cultivation and farming\, production\, trade and consumption.The thir d iWG meeting generated agreement on a framework to develop indicators cap turing economic\, social and environmental aspects of sustainability\, wit h a fourth “policy” component that is transversal. Members learned fro m other experts/agencies experiences on the integration of biodiversity re lated data from integrated supply chains\, showcasing interlinkages betwee n different data areas and topics.ObjectiveThe fourth meeting of the infor mal Working Group on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics is expected to:Disc uss the detailed analysis of potential indicators shared by UN Trade and D evelopment ahead of the meeting based on:The Monitoring Framework of the K unming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The Global Indicator Framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Indicators linked to 38 databases shared by iWG members.Learn from other experts/agencies expe riences on the integration of biodiversity related data from integrated su pply chains\, showcasing interlinkages between different data areas and to pics.The expected outcome of the meeting is:Consensus on the lines of work that will contribute to the identification of relevant indicators and dat a based on the extensive review of indicators shared to iWG.Discussions of the output of the concluding meeting of the iWG\, scheduled in September 2024\, as well as the strategy for the dissemination of these data.Target audienceThe event targets members of the iWG of Experts on Trade and Biodi versity Statistics.  Membership to the iWG is open to experts with intere st in biodiversity\, statistics and trade from developed and developing co untries. It aims to ensure a broad participation\, a balanced geographic a nd gender representation. Participants will have experience on the topic b eing discussed and agree with the Terms of Reference of the Informal Worki ng Group.  If interested in joining or other related query\, kindly send an email to biotrade@un.org with the Subject: Informal Working Group of Ex perts on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics. UNCTAD’s work on trade and biodiversity statistics\, including the Informal Working Group and this ev ent\, is developed under the Global BioTrade Programme “Linking trade\, biodiversity and sustainable development” funded by the Swiss State Secr etariat for Economic Affairs SECO.<\;h4>\;Background<\;/h4>\;<\; p>\;The importance of biodiversity\, trade and particularly trade in bio diversity-based products for global efforts to tackle biodiversity loss is recognized by internationally agreed objectives\, including the Sustainab le Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framewor k (GBF).<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Data on commercialization and trade would h elp countries develop better informed policies related to the management a nd trade of biodiversity-based products and services. However\, there is l imited data publicly available on sustainable trade in biodiversity-based products and services and its environmental and socio-economic impact\, an d the information available is not comparable and dispersed in many differ ent databases.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;In September 2022\, the United Nation s Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s BioTrade Initiative and Statistics Se rvice launched the pioneer Trade and Biodiversity statistical tool (TraBio ). It is an initial step to enable open access to reliable trade-related i nformation on biodiversity-based products. TraBio applies a product classi fication of biodiversity-based products covering 1814 HS sub-headings\, a database on trade flow in these products and related indicators\, and a vi sualisation tool.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;With the aim of improving data col lection and analytical capacity for informed decision-making on trade in b iodiversity-based products\, including considering its environmental and s ocio-economic impact\, and supporting the monitoring and reporting under t he SDGs and relevant processes such as the GBF\, UN Trade and Development convened the Informal Working Group (iWG) &\;nbsp\;on Trade and Biodive rsity Statistics.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;The Informal Working Group is expe cted to convene between Autumn 2023 and Autumn 2024\, mainly through hybri d and/or virtual meetings. These meetings aim to advance on the developmen t of statistics on biodiversity-based products (e.g.\, common definitions\ , data gaps\, new data sources and technologies\, identification and asses sment of socio-economic and environmental impact). These also consider how the biodiversity-based goods data could best contribute to current initia tives and frameworks as an open-source asset. Experts are invited to discu ss progress towards a comprehensive trade and biodiversity framework and i dentify priorities and partners for knowledge of trade and biodiversity st atistics by discussing ways to enhance related information.<\;/p>\;< \;p>\;UN Trade and Development’s BioTrade Initiative and Statistics Se rvice kick-started the discussion with an Informal lunch event on trade an d biodiversity statistics\, organised at the margins of the Twentieth sess ion of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Joint Task Fo rce on Environmental Statistics Indicators on 17 October 2023.&\;nbsp\; <\;/p>\;<\;p>\;The first iWG meeting (23 November 2023) allowed to open a platform of discussion and exchange of information on existing tra de and non-trade related databases and their linkages to biodiversity issu es\, based on a mapping of 38 databases prepared by UN Trade and Developme nt.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;The second iWG meeting allowed to identify and a gree on a common understanding of what “Trade and Biodiversity statistic s” shall cover: statistics on biodiversity-based products as defined by UN Trade and Development BioTrade Initiative\, and an holistic approach to include aspects of the overall supply chain of such products\, including harvesting and catch\, cultivation and farming\, production\, trade and co nsumption.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;The third iWG meeting generated agreement on a framework to develop indicators capturing economic\, social and envi ronmental aspects of sustainability\, with a fourth “policy” component that is transversal. Members learned from other experts/agencies experien ces on the integration of biodiversity related data from integrated supply chains\, showcasing interlinkages between different data areas and topics .<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;Objective<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;The fourth meeti ng of the informal Working Group on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics is e xpected to:<\;/p>\;<\;ul>\;<\;li>\;Discuss the detailed analys is of potential indicators shared by UN Trade and Development ahead of the meeting based on:<\;ul>\;<\;li>\;The Monitoring Framework of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).&\;nbsp\;<\;/li& gt\;<\;li>\;The Global Indicator Framework of the Sustainable Developm ent Goals (SDGs)<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Indicators linked to 38 databases shared by iWG members.<\;/li>\;<\;/ul>\;<\;/li>\;<\;li>\; Learn from other experts/agencies experiences on the integration of biodiv ersity related data from integrated supply chains\, showcasing interlinkag es between different data areas and topics.<\;/li>\;<\;/ul>\;<\; p>\;The expected outcome of the meeting is:<\;/p>\;<\;ol>\;<\; li>\;Consensus on the lines of work that will contribute to the identifi cation of relevant indicators and data based on the extensive review of in dicators shared to iWG.<\;/li>\;<\;li>\;Discussions of the output of the concluding meeting of the iWG\, scheduled in September 2024\, as we ll as the strategy for the dissemination of these data.<\;/li>\;<\;/ ol>\;<\;h4>\;Target audience<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;The event target s members of the iWG of Experts on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics. & \;nbsp\;<\;br>\;Membership to the iWG is open to experts with interest in biodiversity\, statistics and trade from developed and developing coun tries. It aims to ensure a broad participation\, a balanced geographic and gender representation. Participants will have experience on the topic bei ng discussed and agree with the Terms of Reference of the Informal Working Group. &\;nbsp\;If interested in joining or other related query\, kind ly send an email to biotrade@un.org with the Subject: Informal Working Gro up of Experts on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\; &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;<\;em>\;UNCTAD’s work on trade an d biodiversity statistics\, including the Informal Working Group and this event\, is developed under the Global BioTrade Programme “Linking trade\ , biodiversity and sustainable development” funded by the Swiss State Se cretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.<\;/em>\;<\;/p>\;\n\nView meet ing on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/node/45664 DTSTAMP:20260807T094802Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR