Targets 5 (sustainable, safe, legal use, harvesting, and trade of wild species) and 9 (sustainable management and use of wild species for economic, social, environmental benefits) of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) intersect directly with the mandates of a dense cluster of Geneva‑based international organisations.
Geneva is effectively the world’s governance hub for trade, health, human rights, environment, labour, and development—all of which shape how wild species are used, traded, and governed.
| Organisation | Target 5 (Legal, safe, sustainable use & trade) | Target 9 (Sustainable management for benefits) |
| CITES | Core mandate: regulates international wildlife trade | Supports sustainable use frameworks |
| WTO | Trade rules, non‑tariff measures, subsidies | Market access for biodiversity‑based products |
| WHO | Zoonotic risk, food safety | Health benefits from biodiversity |
| IUCN | Sustainable use guidelines, Red List | Livelihoods, community‑based management |
| UNEP | Environmental governance, monitoring | Supports GBF implementation |
| FAO | Fisheries, forestry, wild foods | Rural livelihoods, food security |
| OHCHR | Rights‑based approaches | IPLC rights, equitable benefit‑sharing |
| ITC/UNCTAD | Sustainable value chains | SME development in wildlife economies |
| WMO/IPCC | Climate–biodiversity science | Ecosystem resilience for livelihoods |
1. Biodiversity, environment & conservation governance
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat – Montreal/Geneva-linked processes
- While headquartered in Montreal, CBD processes are deeply embedded in Geneva’s multilateral ecosystem.
- GBF Targets 5 and 9 are CBD targets; Geneva organisations provide implementation pathways, monitoring data, and cross‑sectoral governance support.
- CBD guidance explicitly links Target 9 to Target 5 and to broader frameworks and processes.
- UN Environment Programme (UNEP) – Geneva Office
- UNEP hosts the UNEP Global Resource Information Database (GRID‑Geneva) and supports implementation of the GBF.
- Provides scientific assessments, environmental monitoring, and policy support relevant to sustainable use and trade.
- UNEP is a key convener for cross‑sectoral coordination highlighted as essential for GBF delivery.
2. Trade, market access & regulation (Critical for Target 5)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Regulates global trade rules affecting wildlife products (e.g., fisheries subsidies, market access, non‑tariff measures).
- Ensures that measures to control illegal or unsustainable wildlife trade are WTO‑compatible.
- Hosts the Committee on Trade and Environment—a key forum for aligning trade with biodiversity goals.
- UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
- Supports sustainable trade in biodiversity‑based products (BioTrade Initiative).
- Provides policy tools for legal, traceable, sustainable value chains in wild species.
- International Trade Centre (ITC)
- Works with SMEs and producer communities to develop sustainable, legal wildlife‑based value chains.
- Supports livelihood‑oriented implementation of Target 9.
3. Wildlife trade, enforcement & safety
- CITES Secretariat (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)
- The primary global instrument governing international trade in wild species.
- Directly operationalises Target 5 (legal, sustainable, traceable trade).
- Provides compliance mechanisms, non‑detriment findings, and trade suspensions.
- INTERPOL – Environmental Security Programme (Lyon/Geneva-linked)
- Supports enforcement against illegal wildlife trade, a core element of Target 5.
- World Customs Organization (WCO) – Brussels with strong Geneva cooperation
- Works with CITES, WTO, and UNEP on customs controls for wildlife trade.
4. Health, One Health & biosecurity (Critical for “safe use” in Target 5)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Addresses zoonotic disease risks associated with wildlife harvesting, trade, and consumption.
- Leads global One Health frameworks relevant to safe and sustainable use.
- World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH/OIE) – Geneva-linked
- Sets animal health standards for wildlife trade, transport, and disease surveillance.
- Supports safe and sustainable wildlife use systems.
- Joint FAO–WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva sessions)
- Food safety standards relevant to wild species used for food.
5. Human rights, indigenous peoples & social benefits (Core to Target 9)
- Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
- Ensures rights‑based approaches to sustainable use, including rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs).
- Links to Target 9’s emphasis on vulnerable groups and customary sustainable use.
- International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Addresses labour standards in wildlife‑based economies (e.g., artisanal fisheries, forest product harvesting).
- Supports decent work in biodiversity‑based livelihoods.
6. Food, agriculture & rural livelihoods
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – Geneva liaison
- Governs sustainable use of wild fish, forest products, bushmeat, and non‑timber forest products.
- Provides technical guidance for sustainable harvesting systems (Targets 5 and 9).
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) –near Geneva
- Global authority on species conservation and sustainable use.
- Hosts the Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group (SULi)—directly aligned with Targets 5 and 9.
- Provides Red List assessments, sustainable use guidelines, and community‑based natural resource management expertise.
7. Finance, development & economic transformation
- Global Environment Facility (GEF) – Geneva-linked operations
- Primary financial mechanism for the CBD and GBF implementation.
- Funds sustainable use, wildlife trade regulation, and community‑based wildlife economies.
- UN Development Programme (UNDP) – Geneva Office
- Implements biodiversity‑based livelihood programmes.
- Supports nature‑based economic development aligned with Target 9.
- World Bank Group – Geneva representation
- Invests in natural capital, wildlife economies, and sustainable use programmes.
8. Science, monitoring & data
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- Provides climate–biodiversity interaction science relevant to sustainable use and ecosystem resilience.
- World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
- Climate and environmental data underpin sustainable management of wild species.
UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
- Research on livelihoods, equity, and socio‑economic benefits of biodiversity use.