The fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-4) saw the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) move from its start-up phase to a long-term planning cycle. Attended by over 1,300 participants from 152 countries, the Bratislava meeting completed a heavy work schedule and adopted 19 decisions. These decisions will guide the work of the Parties and the secretariat until COP-S (to be held in May 2000) and beyond. Several decisions addressed the ecosystem programmes being developed under the Convention.