1. Background and legal framework

The main references to indicators are to be found in Article 7 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and in Decision V/7 of the Conference of the Parties, both recalled hereafter.

1.1. Article 7. Identification and monitoring

Each contracting Party shall, in accordance with its particular conditions and capabilities:

1. Identify components of biological diversity important for its conservation and sustainable use; and
2. Monitor through sampling and other techniques, the components of biological diversity identified pursuant to paragraph (a) above, paying particular attention to those requiring urgent conservation measures and those which offer the greatest potential for sustainable use.

1.2. Decision V/7. Identification, monitoring and assessment, and indicators.

The Conference of the Parties,

1. Requests the Executive Secretary, in broad consultation with Parties, drawing on the roster of experts, and in collaboration with other relevant organizations, bodies and processes, to carry out the pending activities set out in the work programme on indicators of biological diversity as approved by decision IV/1 A of the Conference of the Parties and, in particular, to develop:
   
   1. A set of principles for designing national-level monitoring programmes and indicators;
   2. A key set of standard questions and a list of available and potential indicators, covering the ecosystem, species and genetic levels, taking into account the ecosystem approach, that may be used by Parties at their national level and in national reporting and that also allow for regional and global overviews on the state and trends of biological diversity and, if possible and appropriate, any responses from policy measures;
      
2. Encourages Parties and Governments to establish or increase regional cooperation in the field of indicators, monitoring and assessment and invites the Executive Secretary to establish a process through which the documents mentioned above are reviewed and broadly discussed at regional workshops on the basis of case-studies submitted by Parties, Governments and relevant organizations;
   
3. Acknowledges that the capacity of many countries, particularly least developed countries, to reliably and consistently monitor indicators is limited and that, therefore, indicators will need to be developed incrementally over time, based on national priorities;
   
4. Invites Parties, Governments and organizations to undertake appropriate actions to assist other Parties (particularly developing countries) to increase their capacity to develop and use indicators. Appropriate actions may include:
   
   1.  Provision of training;
   2. Assisting in the development of national networks;
   3. Sharing experiences between and among countries, regions and organizations involved in the development and use of indicators;
      
5. Requests the Executive Secretary to produce an interim report on progress, including the ongoing work on indicators in the thematic and other work programmes, for review by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice prior to the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties and to submit a final report on the conclusions of this initiative to the Conference of the Parties at its sixth meeting.