Cook Islands Participate in Global Biodiversity Meeting in Panama

Panama City, home to one of the worlds most significant engineering achievements, the Panama Canal, hosted the 27th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-27) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) from 20th – 24th October 2025. The meeting brought together delegates from more than 190 Parties to review scientific and technical progress in implementing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF).

The Panama meeting set the stage for the first Global Review of the KM-GBF in 2026, signaling a growing need for science-based, inclusive, and well-financed biodiversity action to meet global targets by 2030. Parties were encouraged to begin preparing their national and regional contributions for the review, including updating National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), improving data and indicators, strengthening stakeholder engagement, and mobilizing the means of implementation.

CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker emphasized the urgency of the task ahead, stating: “This review is a vital checkpoint for the world’s commitment to nature. It allows us to see, with evidence and transparency, how far we’ve come in implementing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework — and where we must accelerate. It’s not just about measuring progress; it’s about building momentum, accountability, and trust among all actors working to secure a thriving planet for future generations.”

She also cautioned that time is running short: “We’re running out of time in our efforts to halt and reverse the world’s biodiversity loss. We must speed up our efforts and move towards taking action.”(CBD)

Key recommendations for implementing the KM-GBF were advanced through science-based discussions on biodiversity and climate change, invasive alien species, biodiversity and agriculture, biodiversity–health linkages, and ecosystem restoration. These recommendations will be further developed under the CBD’s thematic programmes of work.
Outcomes from SBSTTA-27 will be submitted to the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the CBD, where the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework will be a central focus.

Representing the Cook Islands were Elizabeth Munro, NES Environment Stewardship Manager, and Jessie Nicholson, NES Biodiversity Coordinator. The Cook Islands delegation underscored the importance of retaining island biodiversity as a standalone programme and proposed that protected areas, ecosystem restoration, and spatial planning be brought together under a single integrated framework with defined areas of work.

The delegation also highlighted the need for increased funding, capacity building, and technology transfer to address invasive species, and called for stronger regional cooperation platforms to support Pacific Island countries in tackling this shared challenge.