Factsheet

The monitoring framework for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) adopted by the 15^th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP 15) included a list of indicators to monitor the goals and targets of the GBF as contained in decision 15/5 of the COP 15. This list includes the headline indicator 9.1 Benefits from the sustainable use of wild species to monitor Target 9 of the convention, namely:

Target 9. Manage Wild Species Sustainably to Benefit People
Ensure that the management and use of wild species are sustainable, thereby providing social, economic and environmental benefits for people, especially those in vulnerable situations and those most dependent on biodiversity, including through sustainable biodiversity-based activities, products and services that enhance biodiversity, and protecting and encouraging customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities.

Indicator 9.1 was initially understood as a possible disaggregation of indicator B.1 Services provided by ecosystems, since benefits derived from the use of wild species can be measured through the ecosystem service accounts in indicator B.1 under Goal B. Although for indicator B.1 parties are encouraged to flag, when possible, if ecosystem services are used above certain sustainability thresholds, the sustainable use of ecosystem services is not the primary focus of indicator B.1 while it is a prerequisite for the adequate monitoring of target 9 (indicator 9.1).

The AHTEG, at its 6^th meeting in March 2024, discussed indicator 9.1 and acknowledged that in practice it is difficult to capture the benefits from the sustainable use of wild species. Various options for indicator 9.1 were considered, including a binary indicator, however, the AHTEG, recognizing the importance of this indicator, agreed to maintain it as a headline indicator for Target 9, noting that more work is needed in order to provide a methodology that allows the sustainability assessment aspect of the use of ecosystem services.

The AHTEG also noted that the benefits from the sustainable use of the wild species are undoubtedly enormous, especially to indigenous people and local communities. However, to monitor progress towards “ensuring that the management and use of wild species are sustainable”, it is important to measure if the overall use of wild species is sustainable or not rather than only looking at the benefits from the sustainable use. Once the sustainable use of wild species is guaranteed, then, it would be possible to assess the benefits provided, as well as the beneficiaries or users through ecosystem service accounts.

Indicator B.1 can still provide relevant information toward target 9 on the overall use of wild species by including ecosystem services, such as “Wild animals, plants and other biomass provisioning services” “Wild fish and other natural aquatic biomass provisioning services” or “Recreation-related services” in the reporting under B.1.

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