Collaborating with Local and Sub-National Authorities to achieve the Aichi Targets

1. Collaborating with Local and Sub-National Authorities to achieve the Aichi Targets Needs of local authorities ----------- Annabelle Jaeger – Regional elected official representing the Association of the French Regions And the Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur Region

2. What is the ARF? The French Union of regional councils : exchange experiences of regional councils, organize workshops of regional elected officials and technical services, make proposals of new laws and regulations, new actions for councils Sustainable Development commission : climat and renewable energies and biodiversity issues defends more biodiversity competences and financial resources in the coming French territorial reform

3. For the moment, informal contacts between ARF and UICN By gathering informations from all the French Regions on their biodiversity policies, UICN became an informal partner and answers a real need The role of French regions on biodiversity issues French Regions are playing a bigger and bigger role in biodiversity issues, most of them have “Regional Strategies for biodiversity”. They are the right scale to implement green infrastructures ARF and UICN France relations UICN and Region direct relations • A few official partnerships with regions helping them to build their biodiversity strategies or specific issues • But also informal contacts such as those with PACA Region • …waiting for UICN new politics towards local authorities.

4. Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur & UICN PACA is collaboratively building its Regional Biodiversity Strategy, using the UICN Guide and following the methodology recommanded PACA works with many UICN members such as NGO’s (LPO, FNE, Tour du Valat…) and Conservatories

5. Biodiversity needs a new governance • As for climat issues, biodiversity must be taken into account in all activities sectors and sectoral policies • needs for more exchanges between disciplines • needs for a better understanding from economic and political actors • Needs for indicators and methodologies to integrate biodiversity • needs for a better understanding from opinion leaders and society Biodiversity needs places to cross point of views of many actors UICN can cope with this key governance challenge with • Workshops and platform for exchange with all the stake holders • Local authorities must be part of it

6. Governance and tools for sharing Platform for exchange of best practices and experiences A push information towards local authorities Regular workshops (including visio-conferences) Guidelines for integrating biodiversity in local and regional planning Governance means mutual recognition • As it has been the case since Nagoya, the importance of local action and the role of local authorities in response to biodiversity issues must be recognized by the UICN • > UICN should involves regional governmant authorities more fully in its actions • Build more partnership • Local authorities should be able to join IUCN members • >> UICN will be recognised as a partner if UICN recognise local authorities as partners and part of the biodiversity solution