Individual Contractor on Biodiversity and Human Health (Aichi target14)

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is one of the key agreements adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development – meeting our needs while ensuring that we leave a healthy and viable world for future generations.  The Convention has 193 Parties and three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources.

At its tenth meeting the Conference of the Parties (COP) adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets as a common framework for action by all stakeholders in all sectors.  All five of the Strategic Plan goals and many of the 20 Aichi Targets demonstrate the commitment of the Parties to improving the health of people and biodiversity by working collaboratively to understand and promote activities that tackle these complex linkages. For example Target 14 states that: “By 2020, ecosystems that provide essential services, including services related to water, and contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being, are restored and safeguarded, taking into account the needs of women, indigenous and local communities, and the poor and vulnerable.” In addition, COP-10 and COP-11 decisions requested that the Secretariat to further develop and mainstream the role of biodiversity and ecosystems in global health.  For example X/20, paragraph 17, requests that the Secretariat to:  Further collaborate with the World Health Organization, and with others, to promote the consideration of biodiversity and health; Investigate how implementation of the CBD 2011 – 2020 Strategic Plan can contribute to achievement of the relevant Millennium Development Goals; Explore avenues for bridging gaps between work on climate change impacts on public health and climate change impacts on biodiversity; and  Continue collaborating with relevant organizations in these fields.

In order to facilitate implementation of this COP 10 decision and further the linkages between Biodiversity and Human health, the Secretariat is hiring an individual contractor.