The Department of Environmental Affairs and Meteorology, within the Economic Affairs Sector and serving as the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Ministers Responsible for Environmental Affairs, recently organised a workshop on biodiversity data. Held in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - West Asia Office and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the workshop took place from 6 to 8 May 2024, in Amman, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The workshop was convened in response to recommendations stemming from a meeting of the Arab group dedicated to monitoring international environmental agreements on biodiversity and combating desertification. This initiative underscores the General Secretariat's commitment to enhancing member states' capabilities in addressing various environmental issues.
The workshop served as a significant platform for introducing the Kunming-Montreal framework and elucidating its potential benefits for the Arab region. Participants gained insights into the services offered by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, which facilitates the provision and sharing of data crucial for informed decision-making regarding the protection of biological resources in the region. By enhancing the capabilities of Arab experts, this workshop equips them to effectively engage with topics that will be addressed during the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, slated to convene in Colombia in late October.
