In response to a COP-MOP request in decision BS-VI/2, regarding the collection of feedback “on existing capacity and experiences in using the BCH and the submission and retrieval of data”, the Secretariat made available in May 2014¹, through the BCH and in all the six official languages of the United Nations, a short survey and requested Parties, other Governments and relevant organizations to complete the survey before 7 June 2014.

The detailed results of the survey will be soon available in document UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/7/INF/12² and are summarized as follows:

1. The number of BCH users participating in the survey was 162. They were homogeneously distributed among the different categories of users (National Focal Points: 40%, National Authorized Users: 19%, Officers of Competent National Authorities: 7%, and General Users: 31%), as well as geographically (Africa: 36%, Asia-Pacific: 26%, CEE: 9%, GRULAC: 25%, and WEOG: 5%);
2. On average, participants reported visiting the BCH more than once a month and registering information more than once a year. They rated, on an arbitrary scale, as 80% the ease of retrieving information, 70% the ease of registering information, and 80% the quality of the information available through the BCH;
3. Most of the participants did not request changes to the BCH. Those requests for changes and or additions were made by 18% of the participants on the system for the retrieval of information and 10% of the participants on the common formats for the registration of information; and
4. More than half of the participants (59%) reported having participated in BCH mediated capacity building workshops and half of the participants (50%) expressed an interest in receiving such training.