The 27th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-27) convened in Panama City from 20–25 October 2025, marking a key moment in the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Governments, technical experts, and stakeholders gathered to strengthen the scientific and technical foundations that will inform the global review of collective progress under the Global Biodiversity Framework. The meetings marked a milestone, with outcomes that will guide decisions at the next Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in late 2026.

In his opening remarks, SBSTTA Chair Jean Bruno Mikissa of Gabon underscored the importance of developing clear, science-based recommendations for COP17, including interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change, updates on invasive alien species, soil biodiversity, biodiversity and health, and a strategic review of the Convention’s work programmes. CBD Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker stressed that while 55 Parties had submitted updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and 140 had set a combined 3,300 national targets, overall progress remains below the Framework’s ambition. She urged delegates to provide rigorous guidance for accelerating delivery. Panama’s leadership was also featured prominently, underscored by the launch of the Pacto de Panamá con la Naturaleza (Panama Nature Pledge, a unified, government-endorsed framework that integrates its national commitments under the Rio Conventions in a unified framework. The pledge incorporates its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0), land degradation strategy, and commitments on oceans and plastics. Panama’s Environment Minister, Juan Carlos Navarro, emphasized the importance of national ownership and South-South collaboration in accelerating biodiversity action, a message that resonated across sessions.

A core focus of SBSTTA-27 was the upcoming global review of collective progress on implementing the Framework. Delegates established a clear structure and timeline leading to COP 17, emphasizing the need for NBSAPs to integrate measurable indicators, baselines, and monitoring frameworks compatible with the Global Biodiversity Framework. They reviewed new findings from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and considered recommendations on priority topics, including marine and coastal biodiversity, agriculture, and the interlinkages between biodiversity and human health. Delegates agreed on the importance of ensuring that data for the upcoming global review include perspectives from Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, and youth. A recurring theme throughout the week was the need for stronger coherence between the biodiversity, climate, and land agendas, with a growing consensus that integrated approaches are vital to achieving the 2030 biodiversity targets.

For the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, these outcomes present even more basis for providing critical support. SBSTTA-27 provided a more explicit architecture for the global review process, strengthening the case for the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership to serve as a matchmaker and enabler of national-level action. By offering countries the tools, peer-learning networks and supplier-pipeline support required for NBSAPs, the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership helps countries embed measurable progress, feed into the global review process and deliver on the global targets effectively.

The strong emphasis on biodiversity-climate linkages also aligns with the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership’s Nature-Climate Synergies Strategy recently adopted by its Steering Committee. The strategy aims to surface country demand, mobilize support and generate knowledge tools for joint NBSAP and NDC implementation. The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership will catalyse partnerships and funding specifically for integrated pipelines that respond to both biodiversity and climate imperatives, aligning directly with the call of CBD Parties during SBSTTA-27 for policy coherence and multi-convention alignment. Meanwhile, the IPBES developments offer an opportunity for the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership to support the bridge of global science-policy outputs with national planning and implementation, by facilitating access to IPBES findings, methodologies, and indicators through its knowledge platform and country facilitation network.

During the meeting, several partners, including the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, co-organized technical side events that spotlighted country-led innovations and collaborative tools. These explored how countries are strengthening biodiversity monitoring systems, harmonizing reporting under the three Rio Conventions, and scaling up nature-based solutions for climate resilience and disaster risk reduction. Panama featured its’ Nature Pledge, while Germany spotlighted its work on synergies. The NBSAP Help Desk, hosted by the UNDP and UNEP GEF8 Umbrella Project, provided hands-on technical guidance to countries seeking support in updating or aligning their NBSAPs. The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership showcased practical tools such as the Matchmaking Mechanism and Facilitator Programme that are helping countries translate biodiversity targets into measurable national outcomes. This work reflects the collaborative spirit of SBSTTA-27, supporting the connection between technical partners and country needs to accelerate implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

As SBSTTA-27 concluded, delegates reaffirmed that delivering the vision of living in harmony with nature will require not only sound science and strong policy, but the collective commitment of countries, institutions, and communities to act decisively. The momentum from Panama now carries forward to CBD COP17, where the world will take stock of its progress and chart the next phase of global biodiversity action.