“We are extremely excited to welcome ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability with its more than 1200 member cities and local governments into the GBIF network of partners. Biodiversity conservation requires action from global to local scales and local authorities have a crucial role to play in biodiversity conservation at the local scale,” said Dr. Nick King, Executive Secretary of GBIF. 

“Mobilising biodiversity data and using these data for decision-making considerably enhances the effectiveness of policies and decisions on sustainability,” continued King. “For data to be optimally useful, it is imperative that such data conform with internationally agreed standards and best practice enabling inter-operability and supporting decision-making at all levels.  GBIF provides the standards, infrastructure, tools and capacity building elements required to ensure that this is possible.”

“ICLEI’s Local Action for Biodiversity Programme (LAB) will be the designated point of contact between GBIF and ICLEI.  LAB focuses on developing a global, enabling platform and technical network for local biodiversity action,” said Ms. Kobie Brand, ICLEI’s Global Biodiversity Coordinator. “Participation in the GBIF network will allow our ICLEI member cities and local authorities to enhance the effectiveness of urban planning, biodiversity and ecosystem management towards sustainable development at local level – strengthening cumulative local action for the global common good.”

“As a part of a critical component of biodiversity management local governments collect - or coordinate the collection - of a vast amount of data at a very fine scale. This happens through a multitude of local-level projects with a variety of partners. Until now there has been no mechanism to make this information available to others, or for local governments to access relevant information that will complement their own. A partnership between ICLEI and GBIF enables the groundswell of data at the local level to be shared internationally”

“Verifiable and standardized data capturing and access at local level are pivotal not only for medium and long term city planning, but also to inform crucial national and regional reporting processes.  In partnering with GBIF, we are now able to facilitate easier access and reporting mechanisms for our cities and local governments across the world.  This work also complements the data capturing services we are currently developing for cities in relation to Greenhouse Gas Emissions and climate change reporting.”

According to the United Nations Population Fund, 2008 saw more than half of the world’s population living in cities and towns for the first time in history.  By 2030 this number will swell to almost 5 billion, with urban growth concentrated in Africa and Asia.  Most of the new growth will occur in smaller towns and cities, which have fewer resources to respond to the magnitude of the change and presents unique challenges for biodiversity management by local authorities. 

Both ICLEI and GBIF have already agreed to strengthen the relationship beyond the ambit of the Memorandum of Understanding and are currently identifying areas for closer collaboration at the technical level as well as between the local and the national authorities, where the latter are already participating in GBIF.  It is expected that a Memorandum of Cooperation between the two organisations will be concluded soon.

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility – GBIF (www.gbif.org)

The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is the world’s largest multilateral initiative for enabling free and open access to biodiversity data over the Internet.  GBIF constitutes a voluntary network of national, regional and thematic Biodiversity Information Facilities (BIFs) in different countries and regions around the world, providing the means to access credible scientific data about animal, plant and other species to underpin sustainable development and benefit science and society.

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (www.iclei.org)

ICLEI is an international association of local governments as well as national and regional local government organizations who have made a commitment to sustainable development. ICLEI provides technical consulting, training, and information services to build capacity, share knowledge, and support local government in the implementation of sustainable development at the local level. Our basic premise is that locally designed initiatives can provide an effective and cost-efficient way to achieve local, national, and global sustainability objectives.

Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) (www.iclei.org/lab)

LAB is ICLEI’s global biodiversity programme and a partnership between ICLEI and IUCN. Established in 2006, LAB works intensively with local governments around the world to improve and enhance biodiversity management through technical support, provision of networking and profiling opportunities, and the creation of a platform for global advocacy. LAB’s flagship project involved a stepwise process of assessment, planning, implementation and political commitment. LAB is accepted globally as the leading initiative dealing with local governments and biodiversity. LAB also works to strengthen links between biodiversity and other elements of sustainability such as climate change adaptation and mitigation.

The Global Partnership on Cities and Biodiversity

The Global Partnership on Cities and Biodiversity is a partnership of local governments, national governments, donors, multilateral organisations, NGOs, academia and research organisations and others who are committed to advancing the contribution by, and support for, local governments’ in recognition of their potential to support the implementation of the CBD. The Global Partnership was inaugurated at the IUCN World Congress in Barcelona in 2008 and is chaired by the Secretariat of the CBD. It plays an important coordinating role as an increasing number of players become involved in this field.

More information on ICLEI and LAB in particular may be found at www.iclei.org/lab

More information on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) may be found on www.gbif.org