MEA and a scientific assessment process: the UNFCCC and the IPCC and the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food

could benefit other MEAs. So far, there has only been limited collaboration among MEA scientific bodies. For example, CITES and the CMS have held joint workshops on taxonomy and nomenclature and have had more general cooperation on development of outcome-oriented indicators, particularly in the context of the 2010 biodiversity target (UNEP, 2009). According to UNEP (2009), in only two cases are there direct and mandated links between an MEA and a scientific assessment process: the UNFCCC and the IPCC and the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Other MEAs make use of assessment reports (i.e., CBD and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment), which are often referred to in decisions and resolutions, but the linkage is less direct. As a result, there are many complementary and potentially overlapping scientific initiatives that could and should support policy development. It is possible that their impact would be more significant if they cooperated more closely or were more closely coordinated (UNEP, 2009).