Terms of Reference

Guidance to Support the Identification of Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures

National Peer Review – National Capital Region

June 22-23, 2015
Ottawa, ON

Chairpersons: Andrea White and Nadine Templeman

Context

At the 10^th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Parties, including Canada, adopted a revised and updated Strategic Plan for Biodiversity that includes five strategic goals and 20 biodiversity targets (known as the “Aichi Biodiversity Targets”) that are to be met by 2020.  In 2015 under its National Biodiversity Strategy, Canada released national biodiversity goals and targets for 2020 which closely align with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets established by the CBD.

Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 specifies that “By 2020, at least 17% of terrestrial and inland water, and 10% of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes.”Similarly, an indicator for Canada’s National Biodiversity Target 1 is “Percentage of total coastal and marine territory conserved in marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures.”

Science advice is needed to support the identification of effective area-based conservation measures currently implemented in Canadian coastal and marine environments that are appropriate to consider when reporting on progress towards the aforementioned domestic and international biodiversity targets.

Objectives

Drawing on international and domestic experiences, this science advisory process will:

1. Describe what is meant by an ‘effective area-based conservation measure’ in the context of this advice;
2. Describe what conditions and/or characteristics would increase the likelihood of an area-based management measure providing benefits for biodiversity conservation; and
3. Outline the types of area-based management measures that are currently implemented in Canadian coastal and marine waters.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings
• Research Document

Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (e.g. Ecosystems and Oceans Science, Ecosystems and Fisheries Management, Strategic Policy)
• Other federal departments
• External experts