Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECM)

KBAs are sites that ‘contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems’. KBAs are identified on the basis of species or ecosystems, according to five criteria and 11 subcriteria, all supported by quantitative thresholds. The KBA Global Standard details the criteria and subcriteria. KBA sites must meet one of the criteria and be clearly delineated. Proposed sites are independently reviewed and once accepted are included in the World Database of KBAs.

KBAs are normally identified by a KBA National Coordination Group (NCG). However, anyone with appropriate data may propose a site as a KBA, but they are they are encouraged to work with the NCG if one exists and consultation with relevant stakeholders at the local and national level is required and needs to be documented in the proposal. Where a KBA NCG has not yet been established, proposers submit a site proposal directly.

The Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership is composed of 13 leading international organizations including IUCN. It maintains a KBA Committee, Secretariat, a Technical Working Group, a KBA Consultative Forum, and the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. An independent KBA Standards and Appeals Committee has been established under the authority of the elected SSC and WCPA Chairs.

How to use

• To download the KBA Standard, criteria, and guidelines, and for further information: https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/home
• To explore maps and site details on the World Database of KBAS: https://wdkba.keybiodiversityareas.org
• For guidance on the role of KBA National Coordination Groups and how to establish them: https://www.keybiodiversityareas.org/working-with-kbas/programme/national-coordination-groups

IMET is a Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) tool that allows an in-depth assessment of marine and terrestrial protected areas, regardless of their management categories and governance type. It is also a decision support tool that helps protected area managers take analysis-based management decisions for improved conservation outcomes. 

DECISION ADOPTED BY THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

14/17. Integration of Article 8(j) and provisions related to indigenous peoples and local communities in the work of the Convention and its Protocols

This programme of work contains four interlined, cross-cutting elements and 16 programme goals. It is intended to assist Parties in establishing national programmes of work with targeted goals, actions, specific actors, time frame, inputs and measurable outputs. Parties may select from, adapt, and/or add to the activities suggested in the current programme of work according to national and local conditions and their level of development.

The purpose of the report is to provide the national administrative authorities of AEWA with a strategic overview of:

a) the knowledge of the extent and distribution of sites of international importance2 for and used by each of the species on the Agreement;

b) the extent to which these sites of international importance are statutorily or otherwise designated under relevant international processes;

c) the extent to which internationally important sites are subject to directed management for the purposes of the conservation of the waterbirds for which they are internationally important; a

d) instances where populations of waterbirds depend on key unprotected sites of importance, the loss of which would be of significance for the population concerned (for example unprotected ‘bottleneck’ sites, or unprotected sites in migration corridors of restricted geographical extent).

A protected or conserved area that reaches the IUCN Green List Standard is certified and recognised as achieving ongoing results for people and nature in a fair and effective way. A site that gains ‘Green List’ status demonstrates: Respect: for the local community through fair and meaningful engagement of rights-holders and stakeholders; Design: planning that identifies the needs to secure  the important values of the area; Effective management: monitoring of the status of these important values; Successful conservation results: for nature and for people; Clear contribution: to climate change responses, health and well-being and other challenges. The seventeen criteria collectively describe the efforts needed to fully achieve the global Sustainability Standard and all must be achieved for a site to be green-listed. The indicators can be adapted to suit the local context. Any site can join, and work towards achieving verified success, and then attain the Standard or further improve.