BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:unctad.org BEGIN:VEVENT UID:6af87c99d81ee DTSTART:20210922T110000Z SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE DTEND:20210922T130000Z LOCATION:Online\, SUMMARY:Workshop on trade and biodiversity: Evidence and options for using sustainability standards to strengthen the post-2020 global biodiversity f ramework CLASS:PUBLIC DESCRIPTION:Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) are norms and standard s that are used to ensure that a product is harvested\, produced\, process ed and/or transported in accordance with certain sustainability metrics\, such as environmental impact\, basic human rights\, labour standards and g ender equality.  With VSS increasingly being referenced in trade agreemen ts to foster sustainable development and good governance\, it can be an ef fective tool to provide incentives for governments and companies to adopt practices that are in line with environmental\, social and economic object ives. VSS can also play a vital role in biodiversity conservation. Biodiv ersity is aggravating at a record pace and is among the global top threats according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). The trade of unsustainable p roduction and consumption patterns of biodiversity based products and serv ices have been identified as one of the indirect drivers of biodiversity l oss in a report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiv ersity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). In recent years\, there has been e vidence that VSS are playing an increasingly important role in biodiversit y conservation. For example\, the United Nations State of the World’s Fo rests 2020 report recommends using VSS to trace responsibly managed forest products\, improve environmentally friendly agricultural practices\, and to support companies in meeting sustainability targets. With the Conventio n of Biological Diversity (CBD) currently negotiating its new global biodi versity framework\, VSS can be used as an effective tool for monitoring an d implementation of the new targets and indicators. Nevertheless\, VSS ar e often not well understood and have not played their full potential withi n the area of biodiversity conservation. Moreover\, the complexity of sust ainability standards can be challenging\, and can lead to inequalities and vulnerabilities\, especially for small producers and developing countries .  ObjectiveThe workshop will bring together leading experts and stakehol ders to emphasize and strengthen the importance of sustainable trade for t he post-2020 global biodiversity framework and how VSS can be used as effe ctive tools for achieving biodiversity targets. Through panel and discussi on groups\, the workshop will explore how sustainable and legal trade of b iodiversity-based products and services can create effective incentives fo r the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Additionally\, it will look at ways on how VSS can be a vital component to strengthen the im plementation and monitoring mechanisms within the new framework based on e vidence-based studies and academic research. With UNCTAD having a specifi c mandate on trade and biodiversity\, and ISEAL with two decades of experi ence ensuring VSS are credible and impactful\, this workshop will bring to gether a multitude of issues on the table that are in line with the discus sions leading up to the  Fifteenth session of the United Nations Conferen ce on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 15) and the Fifteenth meeting of the C onference of the Parties to the CBD (CBD COP15).ApproachInteractive online workshop. The first hour will frame the global biodiversity framework sta te of play and then present the evidence\, opportunities and challenges of how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) contribute to biodiversity c onservation\, followed by a question-and-answer period. The second hour wi ll provide an opportunity for biodiversity negotiators and related stakeho lders to join moderated discussions where they will share feedback about h ow sustainability standards can contribute to the implementation and monit oring of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework currently being negot iated. Workshop suggestions and findings will be compiled in a report.  C hinese simultaneous interpretation provided.This online workshop is organi zed with the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.  <\;p>\;<\;strong>\;Voluntary Sustainability Stan dards (VSS)<\;/strong>\; are norms and standards that are used to ensu re that a product is harvested\, produced\, processed and/or transported i n accordance with certain sustainability metrics\, such as environmental i mpact\, basic human rights\, labour standards and gender equality. &\;n bsp\;With VSS increasingly being referenced in trade agreements to foster sustainable development and good governance\, it can be an effective tool to provide incentives for governments and companies to adopt practices tha t are in line with environmental\, social and economic objectives.&\;nb sp\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;VSS can also play a vital role in biodiversity conservation. Biodiversity is aggravating at a record pace and is among th e global top threats according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). The trad e of unsustainable production and consumption patterns of biodiversity bas ed products and services have been identified as one of the indirect drive rs of biodiversity loss in a report by the Intergovernmental Science-Polic y Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).&\;nbsp\;<\ ;/p>\;<\;p>\;In recent years\, there has been evidence that VSS are playing an increasingly important role in biodiversity conservation. For e xample\, the United Nations State of the World’s Forests 2020 report rec ommends using VSS to trace responsibly managed forest products\, improve e nvironmentally friendly agricultural practices\, and to support companies in meeting sustainability targets. With the Convention of Biological Diver sity (CBD) currently negotiating its new global biodiversity framework\, V SS can be used as an effective tool for monitoring and implementation of t he new targets and indicators.&\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Neverthel ess\, VSS are often not well understood and have not played their full pot ential within the area of biodiversity conservation. Moreover\, the comple xity of sustainability standards can be challenging\, and can lead to ineq ualities and vulnerabilities\, especially for small producers and developi ng countries. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;Objective<\;/h4>\;&l t\;p>\;The workshop will bring together leading experts and stakeholders to emphasize and strengthen the importance of sustainable trade for the p ost-2020 global biodiversity framework and how VSS can be used as effectiv e tools for achieving biodiversity targets. Through panel and discussion g roups\, the workshop will explore how sustainable and legal trade of biodi versity-based products and services can create effective incentives for th e conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Additionally\, it will look at ways on how VSS can be a vital component to strengthen the implem entation and monitoring mechanisms within the new framework based on evide nce-based studies and academic research.&\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\ ;With UNCTAD having a specific mandate on trade and biodiversity\, and ISE AL with two decades of experience ensuring VSS are credible and impactful\ , this workshop will bring together a multitude of issues on the table tha t are in line with the discussions leading up to the &\;nbsp\;Fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 15) and the Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (CBD COP15).<\;/p>\;<\;h4>\;Approach<\;/h4>\;<\;p>\;Inter active online workshop. The first hour will frame the global biodiversity framework state of play and then present the evidence\, opportunities and challenges of how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) contribute to b iodiversity conservation\, followed by a question-and-answer period. The s econd hour will provide an opportunity for biodiversity negotiators and re lated stakeholders to join moderated discussions where they will share fee dback about how sustainability standards can contribute to the implementat ion and monitoring of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework currentl y being negotiated. Workshop suggestions and findings will be compiled in a report. &\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;Chinese simultaneous interpre tation provided.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;This online workshop is organized w ith the financial support of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affa irs SECO.<\;/p>\;<\;p>\;&\;nbsp\;<\;/p>\;<\;img src=" \;/sites/default/files/inline-images/logos-ISEAL-Sept-2021Webinar%20BioTra de-logos-3-800.jpg"\; data-align="\;center"\; data-entity-uuid ="\;fc44b72b-7431-421d-ae08-8729a4ecd28d"\; data-entity-type=" \;file"\; alt="\;logos"\; width="\;800"\; height=" \;100\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/node/34258 DTSTAMP:20261114T152201Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR