Global taxonomy initiative

1. GLOBAL TAXONOMY INITIATIVE
(GTI)
Krishnapriya T. R.
M.Phil Scholar

2. INTRODUCTION
GTI (Global Taxonomy Initiative) is a cross cutting programme
developed by CBD to address taxonomic impediment.
underpins the conservation of biological diversity.
 An international policy used to inform national policies by the
Parties to the CBD.
 The main aspect of GTI is to ensure that the taxonomic
information to the taxonomists, decision makers and non-taxonomists.
 Darwin Declaration: led to the development of GTI by a meeting
of group of experts held in Darwin, Australia, in February 1988
was sponsored by the CBD, the GEF, Environment Australia and
the Smithsonian Institution.

3. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
 Largest of the environmental conventions.
 Signed & ratified by 188 parties (187 countries).
Objectives:-
 Conservation of Biological diversity
 Sustainable use of its components
 Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the
civilization of genetic resources.

4. The Programme of Work (PoW) for The GTI
 Focus on supplying taxonomic information and work to
implement the objectives of CBD.
 Adopted in 2002, supplemented in 2006 ( CoP decisions VI/8
and VIII/3).
 summarizes objectives and major activities of the GTI.
 comprises 19 planned activities within 5 operational
objectives.
 One specific target is included in operational objective 3.

5. 5 Operational objectives & its planned
activities
 Operational objective 1: Assess taxonomic needs and capacities
at national, regional and global levels for the implementation of the
Convention.
Planned Activity 1: Country-based taxonomic needs assessments
and identification of priorities.
Planned Activity 2: Regional taxonomic needs assessments and
identification of priorities.
Planned Activity 3: Global taxonomic needs assessments.
Planned Activity 4: Public awareness and education.
 Operational objective 2: Provide focus to help build and maintain
the human resources, systems and infrastructure needed to obtain,
collate and curate the biological specimens that are the basis for
taxonomic knowledge.

6. Planned activity 5: Global and regional capacity building to
support access to and generation of taxonomic information.
Planned activity 6: Strengthening of existing networks for regional
cooperation in taxonomy.
 Operational objective 3: Facilitate an improved and effective
infrastructure / system for access to taxonomic information with
priority on ensuring countries of origin gain access to
information concerning elements of their biodiversity.
Planned activity 7: Develop a coordinated taxonomy information
system.

7.  Operational objective 4: Within the major thematic work
programmes of the Convention include key taxonomic objectives
to generate information needed for decision-making in
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and its
components.
Planned Activity 8: Forest biological diversity.
Planned Activity 9: Marine and coastal biological diversity.
Planned Activity 10: Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity.
Planned Activity 11: Inland waters biological diversity.
Planned Activity 12: Agricultural biological diversity.
Planned Activity 13: Mountain biological diversity.
Planned Activity 13b: Island biological diversity.

8.  Operational objective 5: Within the work on cross-cutting
issues of the Convention include key taxonomic objectives to
generate information needed for decision-making in conservation
and sustainable use of biological diversity and its components.
Planned Activity 14: Access and benefit-sharing.
Planned Activity 15: Invasive alien species.
Planned Activity 16: Support in implementation of Article 8 (j):
traditional knowledge, innovations and practise.
Planned Activity 17: Support for ecosystem approach and CBD
work on assessment including impact assessments, monitoring
and indicators.
Planned Activity 18: Protected areas.

9. Forest biological diversity
 The taxonomic needs associated with forests are immense.
 Specific needs in this thematic area highlighted through COP
decisions :
support basic assessment and monitoring of forest
biodiversity,
with particular emphasis on the impact of climate change and
of soil, air and water-borne pollution (decision VI/22).

10. Marine and coastal biological Diversity
 15% of all species described so far are marine, 80% of which
belong to phyla restricted to the seas.
 Taxonomic work in this area requires a focus on pelagic
juvenile stages of benthic organisms, identification guides for
major groups and extensive technology for research in deep sea
areas.
Examples of cost-effective approach are
the Census of Marine Life (CoML),
the OASIS (Oceanic seamounts: an integrated study) project,
the Sea Around Us Project and Seamounts online.

11. The CoML database has added 106 new species of fish in 2004.
‘Cephbase’, a tool which covered information on Cephalopods
and accessed through the Ocean Biogeographic information
System (OBIS).
Organisations active in this field are the International Coral
Reef Initiative, its partners and The Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.

12. Dry and sub-humid lands biodiversity
 The PoW for biological diversity in dry and sub-humid lands,
encompasses Mediterranean, arid, semiarid, grassland and
savannah ecosystems (decision V/23) and includes several
elements for which taxonomic input is required.
 The needs highlighted (in the GTI PoW) are increasing
taxonomic capacity to identify crust-forming lichens and
develop identification tools, improving knowledge of the micro-organisms
in nutrient cycling, increasing taxonomic information
on pests and diseases.

13. Inland waters biological diversity
 Some groups of animals and plants in inland waters (e.g. many
fish, crustacea) are of great social and economic importance.
 The programme of work on biodiversity of inland waters has
been included in decision VII/4.
 A DIVERSITAS report submitted to SBSTTA, included two
proposals on taxonomy and inventory of inland water
biodiversity.

14. Agricultural biodiversity
 includes all components of biological diversity of relevance to
food and agriculture and that constitute the agro-ecosystem
(decision V/5).
 Two areas have been highlighted: soil biodiversity and
pollinators.

15. Soil biodiversity
 The importance of taxonomic work on soil micro-organisms
(including symbionts) has been highlighted several times in
COP decisions.
 An International Initiative for the Conservation and Sustainable
Use of Soil Biodiversity has been established as a crosscutting
initiative within the PoW on agricultural biodiversity (decision
VI/5).

16. The International Pollinators Initiative (IPI)
 Pollination, an essential ecosystem service which depends on
symbiosis between pollinated and pollinator species.
 To address the issue of worldwide decline of pollinator
diversity, the COP established an International Initiative for
the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Pollinators in 2000
(decision V/5, section II).
 The taxonomic needs in the IPI are the most important in any
Convention document other than the GTI decisions.

17. Pests and Pathogens
 Identification of pests and diseases affecting domesticated
plants and animals, treatments : a major component of
agricultural work all over the world.
 The COP suggested studies of pest and disease control
mechanisms (decision V/5).

18. Mountain biological diversity
 Mountains cover about 25 per cent of the earth’s terrestrial
surface and serve as refuges for many species.
 Within the PoW for the GTI, the planned activity on mountain
biodiversity was elaborated by COP in 2006, with a focus on
collating relevant information and expertise at regional levels.
Several existing initiatives identified are GMBA, the Mountain
Partnership and the Mountain Forum.

19. Island biological diversity
 In 2006, the COP adopted a planned activity on island
biodiversity as part of the GTI programme of work (decision
VIII/1).
 The planned activities 8 to 18 of the existing programme of
work also contribute to conservation and sustainable use of
island biodiversity.

20. Invasive alien species (IAS)
 species introduced outside their natural habitats, establish
themselves, out-compete natives and take over the new
environments.
 The threat to biodiversity due to invasive alien species is
considered second only to that of habitat loss.
 Impacts are predicted to increase in future for many types of
ecosystems.
The work under the Convention on IAS has highlighted the
important role of taxonomy for understanding and management of
IAS.

21. Developing the GTI and monitoring its progress
 GTI has dual nature, ie, policy & implementation.
Policy: to identify the priorities for action, which culminate in
decisions of the COP including the programme of work.
Implementation: policy at international level into policies,
strategies and activities at national level.

22. Roles and Responsibilities
 The CBD Secretariat
 administration of the GTI under the Convention rests with the
Executive Secretary of the SCBD in Montreal.
 Main duties of the CBD Secretariat include
 preparing documentation for SBSTTA, COP and other
meetings,
 gathering and analyzing information for these documents,
 corresponding with interested parties and focal points.

23.  The GTI Coordination Mechanism
 set up by the COP at its fifth meeting in 2010 for the
development of the PoW.
 comprises delegates from each of the UN regions and from
relevant international organisations.
 National Focal Points
 Only about one-third of Parties have nominated GTI National
Focal Points.
 individuals or institutions to understand taxonomic needs in
relation to the CBD.
 designed for a number of activities for GTI.

24. A total of 210 National (Focal) Contact Points in the CBD are
currently registered.
Of this feature, the countries such as Argentina , Belgium ,
Germany , Poland and Japan have its own website.
A special feature of the GTI Focal Point Germany is a
comprehensive Acronym database with about 3500 entries that is
constantly being expanded.

25.  COP
 the governing body for the Convention,
 requests and invites Parties to carry out certain activities
related to the GTI,
 alert organisations and initiatives
i. to play a role in meeting needs
ii. to provide funding
 SBSTTA (Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice)
 meets twice in each inter-sessional period between COPs,
 ensure that decisions of COP are grounded on scientific inputs.

26. Mechanisms to facilitate implementation
 National reporting
 prepared periodically for the development of GTI.
 distributed by the Secretariat in 2004 to solicit information for
the in-depth review of the GTI.
 NBSAPs (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action
Plans)
 focuses on implementing COP decisions and CBD at national
level to remove taxonomic impediment.
 accessible through the CBD website.

27. GTI Implementation at National level
CBD
National
government
National laws integration into
other areas
National Biodiversity
Strategy and Action
Plan
Conservation
initiatives
National
reports
Goals and
obligations

28. Roster of Experts
 addresses various thematic areas and cross-cutting issues under
the Convention, including the GTI.
 Outreach
 at 8 th meeting in 2006, the COP decided to raise awareness
activities specific to taxonomy as part of the Global Initiative
on Communication, Education and Public awareness (CEPA)
under the Convention.
 Taxonomic needs assessments
 identify priority needs across the various sectors for
implementing the CBD.

29.  basis for future activities,
 mechanism to highlight taxonomic needs, raises the profile of
taxonomy, the GTI and other aspects of the CBD.
 Pilot projects
 identified in the PoW under each of the planned activities.
 helps to understand the benefits and possibilities of GTI.

30. Obstacles to Implementation
 Inadequacy of global taxonomic resources to meet the
priorities.
 Poor communication and lack of knowledge about GTI.
 No taxonomic problem in implementing the Convention.

31. Funding for GTI
 Global Environment Facility (GEF)
 Main source of funding for large-scale projects.
 Established to promote international cooperation for global
environment benefits.
 Administratively linked to the World Bank.
 It supports taxonomy based on the priority areas identified by
Conference of the Parties (COP).
 Project proposals for GEF funding are considered through three
windows: enabling activity, operational programs and short-term
response measures.

32. Enabling activity (EA)
Grants for EA were designed
 to help countries to prepare national strategies and action
plans,
 to assess needs,
 identify priorities,
 build consenus on particular issues
and
 support capacity-building activities.

33. Medium sized projects (MSPs)
 several species based conservation projects have been financed.
 limited to a maximum of US $ 1 million and submitted on a
rolling basis throughout the year.
 Full projects (FPs)
 use project development facility (PDF) funds to cover project
preparatory expenses,
included in a work program and submitted at a meeting or
intersessionally.

34.  Small Grants Programme (SGP)
this global project is coordinated by UNDP and offer individual
grants to NGOs and community based organizations (CBOs).
Proposals of (MSPs , FPs & SGP) are based on the requirements
of GEF operational programs.
Short term response measures
 Proposals included do not form an integral part of an operational
program.
 proposals approved include the taxonomy project ‘Inventory,
Evaluation and Monitoring of Botanical Diversity in South Africa:
A Regional Capacity and Institution Building Network ’
(SABONET).

35. Other multilateral sources
 such as United Nations Environment Programme and the Food
and Agriculture Organisations of the United Nations are
involved in global and regional taxonomic projects.
 Bilateral sources
include Belgian Development Corporation and Royal Belgian
Institute of Natural Sciences.
Darwin initiative, a programme expertises biodiversity rich
developing countries.
 provides assistance by means of scientific and technical
linkages between target and donor countries,
 supports taxonomic activities.

36. Non governmental sources
 Includes Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation, Moore Family
Foundation.
 funds taxonomic activities.

37. Taxonomic Tools
 BioNET
 An initiative that promotes taxonomy, so the countries can
identify their biodiversity, address sustainable development
and conservation priorities.
 Supports Global Taxonomy Initiative.
 Biodiversity Information System (BIS)
 Provide taxonomy information over the architecture for
sharing national, regional and global biodiversity databases.

38. Examples of GTI Projects
 National Project – Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in
Taxonomy (US).
 GEF Project – The Indonesian Biodiversity Collection Project.
 GEF Project – SABONET(the Southern African Botany
Diversity Network).
 GEF Project – Botanical and Zoological Taxonomic Networks
in Eastern Africa (BOZONET): Linking Conservation to
Taxonomy.
 GEF Project – Biodiversity Resources Development Project for
Costa Rica.

39. Bilateral – Example projects supported by the UK
Darwin Initiative.
 “Taxonomic capacity-building in support of biodiversity
conservation in Thailand”: funded through the UK Darwin
Initiative, for biodiversity conservation and research in
Thailand.

40.  Bilateral – Example projects supported by the Belgian
Development Corporation and the Royal Belgian
Institute of Natural Sciences
 Herpetological Species Richness and Community Structure on
the Kaieteur National Park Tepui (Guyana)
 Biodiversity assessment at three protected areas in northwest
Cambodia
 Training Program for the Study of Biodiversity and
Management of Rodents and Shrews in Eastern Congo
(Kisangani)

41.  Regional European Union Initiatives
 European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy (EDIT), a network
sponsored by the European Commission which aims at starting
to overcome the taxonomic impediment through collaboration
and joint work programmes, including capacity building.
 European Network for Biodiversity Information (ENBI) focuses
on information-sharing

42.  Non-governmental – Investing in Nature: an eco-partnership
between the HSBC Group, WWF,
Botanic Gardens Conservation International and
Earthwatch
 In 2002, the HSBC Group established, in eco-partnership with
WWF, Botanical Gardens Conservation International (BGCI)
and Earthwatch, the Investing in Nature programme139 with
US$50 million to fund conservation projects around the world
over five years.

43. Partner project
 DIVERSITAS , established in 1991 by a number of scientists
from all parts of the world.
 a partnership of international organisations, to promote,
facilitate and catalyse scientific research on biodiversity-its
origin, composition, ecosystem function, maintenance, and
conservation.
 has a number of key Elements, one of which is “systematic
inventory-discovering and describing the world’s species”.
 As a global non-governmental group, it has a role in
mobilising the wider scientific community to embrace the
aims of the GTI.
 Other partner projects are GBIF and IPBES.

44. CONCLUSION
Global Taxonomy Initiative is a cross cutting issue of the United
Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to address the lack
of
taxonomic information.
The 5 operational objectives of the GTI are for each member
country to conduct a taxonomic needs assessment, contribute to
capacity building, provide support for the CBD’s thematic areas
and cross cutting issues and improve access to information.

45. REFERENCES
Australian Biological Resources Study 1998 (ABRS). The Global
Taxonomy Initiative: Shortening the distance between discovery
and delivery. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Study,
Environment Australia.
Cristian Samper 2004. Taxonomy and environmental policy. Phil.
Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond.(B), 359: 721-728.
Mark Graham 2005. The Global Taxonomy Initiative CBA
Bulletin 38(3): 35-36.
www.cbd.org.