1. The Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network Progress Summary
Ben Wheeler
VI IABIN Council Meeting
July 14, 2009

2. Objectives of this presentation
Background and goals of IABIN
Brief description of Current IABIN- GEF Project 2

3. IABIN’s Mandate, 1996 Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development
Seek to establish an Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network, primarily through the Internet, that will promote compatible means of collection, communication, and exchange of information relevant to decision-making and education on biodiversity conservation, and that builds upon such initiatives as the Clearing-House Mechanism provided for in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the Man and Biosphere Network (MABNET Americas), and the Biodiversity Conservation Information System (BCIS), an initiative of nine programs of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and partner organizations.
-- Initiative 31, Santa Cruz (Bolivia) Plan of Action, December 1996

4. Renewed Support--Declaration, Fifth Summit of the Americas
64. We will collaborate to promote environmental sustainability through regional cooperation, in accordance with national legislation and applicable international law, in the areas of human and institutional capacity building, transfer on mutually agreed terms of environmentally sound technology, and effective mobilisation of new and additional human and financial resources, as appropriate, including innovative public and private financing mechanisms and instruments, for inter alia: (a) the sustainable management of forests, including efforts for reducing deforestation; (b) the sustainable management of protected areas and World Heritage Sites; (c) protecting endangered and migratory species; (d) combating illegal international trafficking of biodiversity; (e) promoting the exchange of scientific knowledge on biodiversity, such as through the Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network; and, (f) recognising and sharing the benefits arising from access to and use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.
Trinidad and Tobago, April 2009

5. Governance Structure National Focal Points
Council of Focal Points from each of 34 Member Nations
Executive Committee—governs between Council Meetings, assists in implementation of decisions
Organization of American States as diplomatic host, GEF grant lead
Thematic Networks
Coordinating Institutions
Secretariat in Panama (City of Knowledge) 5 5 5

6. Role of Focal Points in IABIN
Focal Points are IABIN-GEF project liaison within each of the participating countries
Establish national consultation mechanisms as appropriate to stimulate national and subnational level involvement in IABIN activities,
Encourage the participation of national sources of original data such as museums, herbaria including the possible formation of national information networks
Represent their governments’ perspectives on technical issues
Seek project, funding opportunities for the development of biodiversity information and IABIN,
Promote collaborations between IABIN and other national and transnational initiatives, as appropriate,

7. IABIN-GEF Implementation
Global Environment Facility Grant
$6 million
Administered by World Bank/OAS
Large amount of in-kind time, co-financing from partners; $24 million matching GEF grant 7

8. IABIN-GEF Project Components
Component 1: Interoperability and access to data
Component 2: Data Content Creation
Component 3: Value Added Tools for Decision Making
Component 4: Sustainability of IABIN
Component 5: Administration

9. Role of CIs in IABIN-GEF Project
Lead development of TN Consortia
Provide infrastructure, IT support for regional, thematic experts, data holders
Support Data Providers from Component 2: Data Content Grants
Lead capacity building, training activities within project

10. Thematic Networks
Based on prioritized issues decided by Focal Points, experts
Invasive Species
Protected Areas
Pollinators
Species and Specimens
Ecosystems

11. ?