By  Article 25 of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties (COP) is advised by a Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). The COP and the SBSTTA are supported in preparing resolutions and activities by the Convention secretariat.

The Scientific Body meets at irregular intervals on the basis of COP decisions. To date, it has convened twice between each COP meeting and the next. It is required to convene at least once on a timely basis before each COP meeting.

The purpose of the Scientific Body is to assess the status of biological diversity (conservation status, trends and causes of threat), provide scientific assessments of measures taken under the Convention, and based on these assessments to prepare targets, proposals and advice for submission at the next COP meeting. The COP can also put questions to the Scientific Body.

In comparison with the  Working Group on Review of Implementation (WGRI), the focus of the Scientific Body is more on status assessment and target monitoring, whereas the WGRI is directly concerned with means of implementing and operationalising the targets.