UN Environment Programme, as the leading global environmental authority within the United Nations system, promotes the environmental dimension of sustainable development and serves as the authoritative
advocate for the global environment. UNEP hosts the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in line with its relevant articles, Decisions of its Conference of the Parties as well as Decisions of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). The Convention has three objectives: 1. the conservation of biological diversity, 2. the sustainable use of its components and 3. the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding. In 2020, the Convention on Biological Diversity will adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework as a critical milestone towards achieving the 2050 Vision of “Living in harmony with nature.” The Executive Secretary has dual reporting lines and is accountable to the Conference of the Parties through its Bureau for programme delivery and policy-related issues and to the Executive Director of UNEP for administrative and financial issues.