First meeting of the Informal Working Group on trade and biodiversity statistics

The importance of biodiversity, trade and particularly trade in biodiversity-based products for global efforts to tackle biodiversity loss is recognized by internationally agreed objectives, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Data on commercialization and trade would help countries develop better informed policies related to the management and trade of biodiversity-based products and services. However, there is limited data publicly available on sustainable trade in biodiversity-based products and services, and the information available is not comparable and dispersed in many different databases.

In September 2022, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s BioTrade Initiative and Statistics Service launched the pioneer Trade and Biodiversity statistical tool (TraBio) as an initial step to enable open access to reliable trade-related information on biodiversity-based 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 to improve collection of data and analytical capacity for informed decision-making on trade in biodiversity-based products and support the monitoring and reporting under the SDGs and relevant processes such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, UNCTAD convened the Informal Working Group of Experts on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics.

The Informal Working Group is expected to convene four times between Autumn 2023 and Spring 2024, mainly through hybrid and/or virtual meetings. These meetings aim to advance knowledge of trade and biodiversity statistics by discussing ways to enhance data collection and compilation (e.g., common definitions, data gaps, new data sources and technologies) and consider how the biodiversity-based goods data could best contribute to current initiatives and frameworks as an open-source asset. Experts are invited to discuss progress towards a comprehensive trade and biodiversity methodology and identify priorities and partners for the development of statistics on biodiversity-based products.

In order to kick-start the discussions, UNCTAD’s BioTrade Initiative and Statistics Service organised an Informal lunch event on trade and biodiversity statistics on 17 October 2023.  At the event, experts shared information on priorities and other relevant initiatives/events on biodiversity and trade statistics as well as discussed the findings of a survey conducted to identify relevant gaps and opportunities. This event was part of the Twentieth session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Joint Task Force on Environmental Statistics Indicators.

Objective

The first session of the Informal Working Group of Experts on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics aims to:

• Finalise the Informal Working Group Terms of Reference (ToR) based on the feedback received from members.
• Exchange information on existing data sources, databases and initiatives related to trade and biodiversity statistics.

The output of the meeting will be a common understanding of the work to be undertaken by the members of the Working Group, as well as a mapping of the different data sources/databases and initiatives. We expect to focus on other priorities from the second meeting, such as finding bridges between different definitions and measurements.

What will take place?

The first session of the Informal Working Group will be organized virtually on 23 November 2023 from 13:00 to 14:30 CET.

Target audience

The event target members of the Informal Working Group of Experts on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics.  
Membership to the WG is open to all demonstrating expertise and interest in biodiversity, statistics and trade from developed and developing countries. It aims to ensure a broad participation, a balanced geographic and gender representation. Participants will have experience on the topic being discussed and agree with the Terms of Reference of the Informal Working Group. If interested in joining or other related query, kindly send an email to biotrade@un.org  with the Subject: Informal Working Group of Experts on Trade and Biodiversity Statistics.

This event is organized as part of the Global BioTrade Programme “Linking trade, biodiversity and sustainable development” with the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.