The workshop was organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment of Japan and the Aichi Prefecture, with the generous support of the Japan Biodiversity Fund, and under the guidance of the Co-Chairs of the Open-ended Working Group. The workshop was attended by representatives of the Parties to the Convention from the region, as well as relevant organizations. The workshop was conducted in English with sessions in plenary and break out groups. Several events also took place on the margins of the consultation workshop, including a reception and excursion hosted by Aichi Prefecture and evening side events on the Satoyama Initiative and on the Japan Biodiversity Fund-IPBES capacity-building activities.
The consultation was opened on 28 January 2019 by His Excellency, Mr. Minoru Kiuchi, State Minister of the Environment of Japan. In his remarks, he welcomed the participants to the consultation and noted the symbolism of beginning the discussions on the post-2020 framework in the same place where the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 had been adopted.
Mr. Minoru Kiuchi called on the Asian and Pacific region to bring together its collective wisdom to help chart a course for reaching the 2050 Vision of living in harmony with nature.
Following his remarks, Mr. Toshihiro Morita, Director-General, Department of the Environment, Aichi Prefecture, welcomed participants to the Aichi Prefecture and noted that the Prefecture had been working on the conservation and revitalization of biodiversity in collaboration with various groups in order to reach the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. In particular, he noted the efforts of the Prefecture in relation to the Group of Leading Subnational Governments towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
