Aichi Biodiversity Target 17
By 2015, each Party has developed, adopted as a policy instrument, and has commenced implementing an effective, participatory and updated national biodiversity strategy and action plan. Following COP-10,
179 Parties submitted NBSAPs:
148 Parties submitted revised versions (among these, 2 Parties completed their revisions prior to COP-10 however with consideration given to the draft Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and are therefore included in this number);
18 Parties submitted their first NBSAPs;
3 Parties submitted both their first NBSAP and a revised version;
5 Parties submitted two revised versions;
1 Party submitted an Action Plan to 2020 for enhancing implementation of its Strategy adopted before COP-10;
1 Party submitted an Action Plan to 2028, as an addendum to the NBSAP prepared before 2010 which remains current and conforms with the Aichi Targets and will also be implemented to 2028;
2 Parties submitted addendums to their NBSAPs prepared before 2010 which contain national targets mapped to the Aichi Targets; and
1 Party submitted a first NBSAP developed in 2010 prior to COP-10.
These NBSAPs reflect varying degrees of compliance with the Nagoya outcomes. - Parties whose post-COP-10 NBSAP takes the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011-2020) into account: 167
- Parties whose post-COP-10 NBSAP does not take the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011-2020) into account: 11
- Parties who did not submit a post-COP-10 NBSAP: 16
- Parties that have not yet submitted an NBSAP: 2
Characterized by a small and highly urbanized territory, the Principality of Monaco is faced with the challenge of reconciling economic and demographic development with environmental protection. Increasing urbanization is the main source of habitat destruction and, over the last century, a quarter of the territory has been reclaimed from the sea. The
Stratégie Nationale pour la Biodiversité (SNB) à Horizon 2030 constitutes Monaco’s first biodiversity strategy which has been developed with consideration given to CBD objectives, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Strategy’s main aims are to strengthen the position of nature in order to improve the quality of life of Monegasques and adapt the territory to climate change; structure, make coherent and enhance actions carried out by five identified categories of biodiversity actors (Government, public institutions, scientific organizations, associations, and the private sector); and employ an integrated approach for mainstreaming biodiversity protection within sectors (including urban development, health, trade, and economy). Seven strategic objectives are defined in the document, across which 35 operational targets are distributed, setting general biodiversity policy guidelines and a road map to 2030 for achieving the strategic objectives. The document also serves as the reference base used by the Government for communication purposes. Public policy related to biodiversity conservation consists of the Code of the Sea (
Code de la Mer), a framework law addressing provisions of the Law of the Sea and also taking into account international conventions to which Monaco is a Party, addressing, in particular, the main themes of the various Protocols of the Barcelona Convention. In addition, CBD principles relating to pollution, risks and harmful effects, environmental impact assessment, among others, are mainstreamed in the Environment Code (
Code de l’Environnement) adopted in 2017. The latter also reinforces the provisions contained in the Urban Planning Regulations (
Règlement d’Urbanisme). Moreover, the Tree Code (
Code de l’Arbre) aims to protect all tree species and certain plant species, such as palm trees, and includes provisions for the protection of trees in the vicinity of construction sites, criteria to be taken into account in financial evaluation in compensation events, and maintenance measures favouring biological control over chemical control. A committee to monitor and evaluate the Strategy’s implementation progress will be established under the responsibility of the Department of Equipment, Environment and Town Planning (DEEU). Coordination among the various biodiversity actors will be ensured and a platform established to facilitate consultation and exchange of information. The Strategy will be updated to bring it in line with the post-Aichi Targets work programme and implementation progress assessed on the basis of a set of appropriate indicators.
Papua New Guinea The National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (2019-2024) is considered a living and evolving document and is based on the theme that “biodiversity is everyone’s business”. Endorsed by the Prime Minister, it is closely linked to PNG’s 40-year Development Strategic Plan (2010-2050) and the Vision 2050 which respond to the environmental conservation principles enshrined in the Constitution. The Vision 2050 is complemented by the PNG Development Strategic Plan (2010-2030) and the PNG Medium-Term Development Plan (2018-2022), both of which present strategies that stress environmental sustainability and climate resilience in the face of the country’s economy being largely based on extractive industries. The NBSAP is also aligned with the goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Targets, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Key related policies include the Sustainable Land Use Policy (2014), the Policy on Protected Areas (2014), and the Climate Change Compatible Development Management Policy (2014). It also serves as a guiding policy framework for provincial and district authorities, civil society and the private sector. Moreover, the NBSAP outlines the country’s strategy to ratify and implement the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing.
The NBSAP comprises 20 national targets and 73 actions respectively mapped to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the SDGs, indicators, executing agencies and, in some instances, to partners and cost estimates as well. Having adopted the first NBSAP in 2007, the main challenge continues to be ensuring proper coordination of coherent policy implementation to deliver improvements at national and subnational levels. Among other matters, the Implementation Plan recognizes the urgent need to establish an Interagency Working Group to coordinate NBSAP implementation, chaired by the Conservation Environment Protection Authority (CEPA). CEPA is the focal point for actions related to biodiversity conservation in the country, with responsibility for the management of natural resources shared among state agencies (e.g. Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Mining and Petroleum). It is recognized that to achieve greater progress in regard to protected areas targets, national and sectoral policies must accommodate traditional landowners (at present, almost 97% of the land area and marine environments remain under customary ownership). Among other considerations, attention also needs to be given to fine-tuning community participatory approaches. Policies addressing innovative incentive schemes for traditional landowners may present a step forward in this area.
Barbados The development of the NBSAP (2020-2035) took into account various plans including, among others, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Targets, the National Strategic Plan (NSP) (2006-2025) “Building a Green Economy - Strengthening the Physical Infrastructure and Preserving the Environment”, and the Barbados Tourism Master Plan (2014-2023).
The new NBSAP addresses gaps identified in the NBSAP (2002) and contains 12 national targets (mapped to relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets) linked to the strategic objectives outlined below. Strategic actions have also been defined for each national target, as have indicators, means of verification, associated risks/constraints and responsible agencies.
Strategic Objectives
- To communicate to the public on matters related to biodiversity conservation and management; and to continuously integrate biodiversity concerns and conservation actions into national policies and programmes, including their implementation
- To develop appropriate management approaches and practices for the sustainable consumption of biodiversity-based products
- To preserve the biodiversity of remaining indigenous vegetation cover, areas designated in the National Physical Development Plan (PDP) as Significant Natural Features (or similar designations in the revised and update PDP), and other known significant species and habitats within and outside of the boundaries of the Barbados National Park
- To conserve the biodiversity of areas under use in agriculture, aquaculture and forestry
- To minimize the level of pollution from human activities being released into the natural environment (terrestrial, marine and atmospheric) that can negatively impact biodiversity resources
- To minimize the impacts of invasive alien species of flora and fauna on local biodiversity; and to reduce the pathways by which invasive alien species of flora and fauna can enter local ecosystems
- To protect coral reefs and other coastal ecosystems against the impacts of global climate change and ocean acidification
- To establish and develop management action plans for zones of protection for important biodiversity and ecosystem services
- To identify and protect threatened species of flora and fauna
- To safeguard the genetic diversity of socio-economically and culturally important species of cultivated plants and animals, and their wild relatives
- To document and equitably share all traditional and scientific knowledge and technology relating to biodiversity
- To collaborate with key partners to coordinate financial resources to execute national projects and research
The Biodiversity Section of the of the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification manages a Cabinet-appointed Working Group on Biodiversity (including MEAs). It has also been recommended that the Government of Barbados establish a National Biodiversity Unit to deal with NBSAP implementation and overall biodiversity management. No formal mechanism currently exists to monitor species or NBSAP implementation. Implementation of the Biosafety Framework has begun and draft biosafety legislation is being prepared. Progress has also been made in relation to policy development for the sustainable development of the agricultural sector by the Ministry of Agriculture. There is also a noticeable trend in the involvement of the private sector in conservation and biodiversity maintenance (as demonstrated through the conversion of quarry mines to ecologically balanced spaces). An assessment of biodiversity values is currently being undertaken. Work has also been conducted to extract and document traditional aspects of products and services which have a unique characteristic, with a view to protecting them under an Intellectual Property Regime. Also, a publication on the medicinal properties of native plant species has been issued.
Saint Lucia The revised second NBSAP (2018-2025) was developed with consideration given to
inter alia the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Targets, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the draft second NBSAP formulated between 2008 and 2009. Particular focus is placed on transformative measures for achieving national sustainable development (including economic resilience, food and nutrition security, sustainable livelihoods, poverty reduction, sound management of natural resources, especially forests, land and water, environmental management, especially climate change and climate variability, infused with a disaster risk reduction approach). Considered a “living document”, the NBSAP will be reviewed and modified, as necessary, every three to five years by the proposed multi-sectoral National Biodiversity Coordinating Committee (NBCC).
The NBSAP vision is supported by four goals (outcomes areas) (linked to the goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity), under which national targets have been set, each associated to activities and responsible entities. Implementation of each outcome area will be monitored and evaluated using a results-based management approach which provides performance and impact indicators and corresponding means of verification.
The following 10 issues are prioritized:
- Valuation of the economic benefits derived from biodiversity and inclusion of information in national financial and economic planning and decision-making
- Strengthening monitoring and evaluation
- Revision of biodiversity legislation to ensure that the principles espoused in the Nagoya Protocol and the concept of the Green Economy become enshrined in national policy and legislation
- Holistic biodiversity mainstreaming for national development, including inter alia issues on sustainable land management, foreign and local investment, human cultural values and human health
- Establishment of more formal mechanisms to improve coordination and collaboration among stakeholders
- Further strengthening of agency and community capacities for managing biodiversity, including through inter alia appropriate technologies for sustainable consumption and production, research and systematic observation, monitoring and evaluation
- Implementation of a broad-based communications, education and public awareness (CEPA) strategy
- Strengthening the Biodiversity Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM)
- Identification and support for sustainable financing mechanisms
- Formalization of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in proposed policies, plans or programmes
In addition, consideration will be given to interlinkages with related national, regional and global initiatives, as well as with activities or programmes of other biodiversity-related MEAs. A Biodiversity Sustainable Use and Conservation Bill has been drafted and is currently being reviewed to include emerging issues, such as access and benefit-sharing (Saint Lucia is not a Party to the Nagoya Protocol) and biodiversity financing. Saint Lucia’s first NBSAP was completed and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers in 2000.
Haiti Haiti’s first NBSAP known as
Haiti Biodiversity 2030 has been adopted as a policy instrument (an interim NBSAP was prepared in 2016).
Haiti Biodiversity 2030 seeks to fundamentally redirect the country’s current development pathway towards a new paradigm focused on national sustainable development. It was developed with consideration given to the current Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including issues related to climate change. Furthermore, the Haitian policy on biodiversity conservation will take into account the provisions of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework expected to be adopted by COP-15.
Haiti Biodiversity 2030 has twelve strategic orientations which aim to:
1) Effectively address the causes and effects of biodiversity loss
2) Drastically reduce pressures on biodiversity
3) Conserve biodiversity and guarantee the services provided by coastal and marine ecosystems
4) Conserve biodiversity and guarantee the services provided by forest ecosystems and inland water ecosystems
5) Promote the systematic incorporation of agricultural biodiversity in agricultural strategies, plans and practices for sustainable agriculture and to ensure food security
6) Improve the resilience of ecosystems and natural landscapes with a view to combating climate change and reducing disaster risks
7) Make urban agglomerations an asset for biodiversity conservation
8) Promote cultural values linked to customary use and conservation of biological resources
9) Establish biodiversity as an integral component of the country's economic and social infrastructure
10) Strengthen the scientific and traditional knowledge base on the country's biodiversity, natural environments and landscapes, as well as their interrelationships with other dimensions of sustainable development, based on the production of solid observation data for monitoring and timely backup actions
11) Promote and operationalize innovative and diversified mechanisms for biodiversity financing
12) Strengthen the legal, governance and policy framework
In addition, 23 national targets have been set within the above strategic framework, each linked to respective actions, elements to monitor, and indicators. Implementation of these actions, in addition to programs and projects linked to about twenty flagship initiatives, will work towards:
(i) Fostering behavioral changes towards biodiversity through CEPA activities
(ii) Increasing the coverage of protected areas (PAs) to 20% for terrestrial PAs and 30% for marine PAs, and restoring them with and for the benefit of local people
(iii) Valuing biodiversity and ecosystems, while encouraging the development of sustainable value chains (green economy, blue economy, etc.), and taking advantage of opportunities provided by biodiversity for sustainable development in areas such as agricultural biodiversity, landscape biodiversity, urban biodiversity, pharmacopoeia, fisheries, enterprises promoting biodiversity
(iv) Mainstreaming biodiversity into the system of national accounts and sectoral programs and projects, so that budgetary mechanisms reflect biodiversity management issues and avoid the most destructive options for biodiversity, reduce impacts and, as appropriate, compensate for the inevitable damage and restore degraded ecosystems
(v) Integrating traditional and local knowledge
(vi) Sustainably using biodiversity and ecosystems services to increase adaptation and resilience of the Haitian population to the impacts of climate change
(vii) Promoting sustainable innovative financing mechanisms, with a view to mobilizing new funding sources
It is recognized that implementation of
Haiti Biodiversity 2030 will necessitate that an institutional and organizational framework be put in place, including a national coordination structure, and a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating implementation. Efforts are also required for training purposes, and to enhance competencies and capacities and the level of communication and awareness-raising on biodiversity. Proactive and diversified actions should also be explored to mobilize financial resources, including biodiversity integration in the national budget and sectoral programmes, creation of specific funds generated from taxes and fees, operationalization of the Haitian Fund for Biodiversity created in 2018, compensation schemes for residual damage to biodiversity, public- and private-sector partnerships, mechanisms to derive monetary and non-monetary benefits from the exploitation of genetic resources and the use of traditional knowledge for commercial and other purposes (Haiti is not a Party to the Nagoya Protocol on ABS), and through the promotion of ecotourism.
Slovenia Adopted as a resolution by the National Assembly at its session on 5 March 2020, Slovenia’s National Environmental Action Programme 2020-2030 (NEAP) constitutes the umbrella strategic document for environmental protection, nature conservation and water management in the country. As such, the NEAP determines the goals and guidelines for related strategies, plans and programmes, such as the National Nature Protection Programme (NNPP) and the Programme for the Protection of Plant and Animal Species, their Habitats and Ecosystems. In 2015, Slovenia adopted the Framework Programme for the Transition to a Green Economy and, in 2017, adopted the National Development Strategy 2030 which is a multi-sectoral document with biodiversity and the SDGs taken into account. The provisions of the NEAP also pertain to implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy until 2020. The NEAP, as a whole, and the NNPP, in particular, constitute Slovenia's strategic document for implementing the global biodiversity goals and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The measures that are necessary for achieving these goals are contained in the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity Conservation in Slovenia. This Plan contains four overall national goals: to improve the conservation status of species and their habitats; to improve the knowledge, understanding and awareness of biodiversity and its importance at all levels of society; to improve interdisciplinary cooperation, cross-sectoral integration and an integrated approach to conserve biodiversity; and to provide financial incentives for biodiversity conservation. Twelve national objectives are defined with an implementation timeframe to 2030, mainly. They are also respectively linked to guidelines for implementation which include, among several others, the requirement to ensure the mapping and assessment of the status of ecosystems and their services, their economic evaluation and promotion of the consideration of the value of ecosystem services in public accounting systems, in addition to the use of spatial planning as an instrument to effectively support conservation goals. Responsible institutions and financing sources are specified in the Plan. Indicators have also been developed. Slovenia intends to improve its national CHM and also establish a CHM to raise awareness of the Nagoya Protocol to which it is currently a signatory (Slovenia has not ratified the Nagoya Protocol). There are also plans to establish a CHM to enable access to information on invasive non-native species (INNS). The above-mentioned documents comprise the country’s revised and updated NBSAP. Slovenia submitted its first NBSAP in 2002.
Fiji Fiji’s new NBSAP 2020-2025 was developed with consideration given to the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Targets and the Fiji Green Growth Framework, among other strategic plans. Emphasis was also placed on integrating the NBSAP with the Fiji Low Emission Development Strategy 2018-2050 and the Fiji National Adaption Plan Framework (2017), given that climate change has been identified as a key threat to the country’s biodiversity and livelihoods. Notably, in Fiji, almost 90% of the land is under traditional ownership. The iTaukei Fijians constitute the country’s main Indigenous People and maintain a profound connection with their marine resources and areas and have traditionally had a land and marine tenure system embedded in their culture. In accordance with the guiding principles of the NBSAP, strategies have been developed to support and work within these unique tenure systems. The NBSAP identifies six priority focus areas: Improving our Knowledge (IK); Developing Protected Areas (PA); Species Management (SM); Management of Invasive Species (IS); Enabling Environment and Mainstreaming (EEM); and Sustainable Use and Development (SUD). Under each focus area, national targets and indicators have been developed against the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and beyond, and strategic areas identified to which respective objectives and actions are associated. The NBSAP is considered a “living document” and will be reviewed in the light of COP-15 outcomes. The development of a Resource Mobilization Strategy for NBSAP implementation is recommended, as is the formulation of a new Implementation Framework, including indicators, to coordinate implementation in thematic areas. This follows up of the Implementation Framework 2010-2015 developed for the first NBSAP which was endorsed by Cabinet in 2007. The NBSAP Steering Committee will have a key role in implementation coordination and monitoring and reporting on progress. Fiji’s marine target aims to have at least 30% of its offshore areas under effective management and part of a national marine protected area network; and, by 2025, have 100% of its inshore traditional fishing grounds (iQoliqoli) under effective management within locally managed areas. The country also aims to fully incorporate the NBSAP strategies and action plans into its 5-Year (2017-2021) and 20-Year (2017-2036) National Development Plan, the Green Growth Framework and other sectoral plans (e.g. Renewable Energy, Agriculture, Forestry, Mining, Tourism).
Angola Angola’s 2025 Vision underscores the need to conduct biodiversity valuation to ensure ecosystem resilience to eradicate extreme poverty and improve the wellbeing of the Angolan people. The main framework used for expressing the usefulness of biodiversity is the concept of ecosystem services. Various efforts are being carried out to mainstream biodiversity and ecosystem services considerations in development processes.
The revised NBSAP (2019-2025) was adopted by Presidential Decree and is mainstreamed with inter alia Article 39 of Angola’s Constitution (2010), National Development Plan (2018-2022), SADC Law Enforcement and Anti-Poaching Strategy embedded in the Protocol on Wildlife Conservation and Law Enforcement, and the National Policy on Forests, Wild Fauna and Conservation Areas. Implementation will be facilitated by the identification of synergies with other executive branches of the Government, and cross-cutting issues, as well as in collaboration with institutional bodies, such as the Multisectoral Committee for the Environment and the Public-Private Partnership.
There are 12 strategic goals which focus on the following abridged themes: pressure reduction and sustainable use; conservation areas network; scientific research and information dissemination; CEPA; implementation of related international agreements; biodiversity management by local communities; resource mobilization; biodiversity restoration in cities, towns, villages and neighbourhoods; environmental institutions; legislation development and implementation, in harmony with international and regional (SADC) agreements; management, coordination and monitoring; and restoration of degraded forests and ecosystem services. Each strategic goal is linked to a suite of national objectives.
The Action Plan until 2025 is aligned with the country’s strategic goals and national objectives, as well as with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, emphasis is placed on actions related to biodiversity governance, biodiversity for subsistence, biodiversity for economic development, biodiversity management systems, biodiversity and climate change, and biodiversity and other development initiatives (e.g. energy and mining).
Separate action plans are outlined for the following 24 sectors: agriculture; fisheries; geology and mining sector; oil sector; trade and general tax authority; urbanization, housing and civil construction; energy and water; transport; national defense and security; social communication; environment; education and teaching; forest; scientific research; tourism; culture; family and promotion of women; industry; planning and finance; banking and business (state and private); foreign affairs and international cooperation; provincial governments; NGOs and religious institutions; and international cooperation sector. Each sectoral action plan outlines actions to be developed by 2025 and is linked to the implementation of relevant national objectives. Indicators to measure success in 2025 are also provided.
Angola implemented its first NBSAP from 2007 to 2012.
South Sudan South Sudan has prepared its first NBSAP 2018-2027 whose implementation is guided by six overall principles, including the beliefs that biodiversity management will purposely contribute to poverty reduction and economic development aspirations outlined in the South Sudan Development Plan, alongside other development policies, and to building increased accountability in the public management of biodiversity resources and accountability at subnational, national and global levels. It is hoped that the NBSAP will be adopted by Cabinet and a comprehensive national biodiversity coordination framework established early on in the implementation period.
Seven strategic objectives are mapped to achieving relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets and aim to: 1) develop a stakeholder co-ordination framework for national and subnational biodiversity management; 2) strengthen policy, legislative and institutional capacity for biodiversity conservation and management for all actors; 3) reduce negative impacts and enhance positive impacts on biodiversity through facilitation, design and capacity enhancement for enforcement and compliance, for biodiversity regulations and incentive mechanisms; 4) strengthen capacity for and conduct resource assessments, spatial, ecological and land use planning and benchmarking of the value of biodiversity to support sustainable use and management of biodiversity; 5) restore degraded ecosystems and promote access and benefit-sharing of biodiversity and ecosystem services, including for protected areas and non-protected areas; 6) develop and implement a resource mobilisation strategy for biodiversity conservation and management; and 7) establish knowledge and information management systems and create awareness of biodiversity conservation. Twenty-four national targets have been set that are distributed among the strategic objectives.
The NBSAP calls for significant efforts to be carried out to decentralize biodiversity management (notably, the Transitional Constitution states that South Sudan shall have a decentralized government system). Target 2 aims to mainstream biodiversity values in National Development Plans and budget framework papers, as well as in State and County Development Plans. In addition, Target 4 states that, by 2025, National Government and State Governments will have reviewed relevant legislation, policies and programs to maximize synergies with the NBSAP. To address the very low level of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out, particularly within the private sector, Target 7 aims to strengthen, by 2022, biodiversity-inclusive EIA and environmental audits, and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).
An NBSAP monitoring and evaluation framework is presented in the form of a log-frame outlining the flow of targets/actions for each of the strategies, objectives, outputs and output indicators. Also presented are the means of verification for indicators comprising of internal and external evaluation activities, as well as documented evidence and physical observation.
The development of a resource mobilization strategy for the NBSAP will be jointly coordinated by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Ministry of Finance and Planning. The country intends to have prepared, by 2024, guidelines for developing innovative finance mechanisms (e.g. Payments for ecosystem services, biodiversity offsets, environmental fiscal reforms, performance bonds, green markets through natural resource trade and value chains, climate finance).
Singapore This document is an addendum to the NBSAP prepared in 2009, containing Singapore's national biodiversity targets that have been mapped to achieving relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
Turkey Turkey’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (2018-2028) is an addendum to the NBSAP (2007-2017). A review of the latter, led by the National Biodiversity Strategy Specialist Committee and which assembled various ministries, including the Ministry of Economy, concluded that the strategies and objectives contained in the NBSAP remained current and, moreover, were in conformity with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The National Biodiversity Action Plan (2018-2028) addresses new national objectives formulated on the basis of, among other directives, the 10th Development Plan (2014-2018) which promotes socioeconomic development through the application of a multi-dimensional and participatory approach. The Action Plan contains seven new national objectives on the following (abridged) themes: biodiversity pressures and threats; biodiversity components and conservation approaches; biodiversity conservation in agricultural, forestry and fishing areas; awareness of ecosystem services by the public and administrators and sustainable management; ecosystem rehabilitation and restoration and the filling of related legislative gaps; development of high value-added products aligned with the principles of conservation and sustainable use; and the preparation of national ABS legislation and establishment of required technical infrastructure. Twenty-four actions associated to these national objectives will complement implementation of the NBSAP as well as the current global biodiversity agenda. Responsible authorities (and related authorities) and indicators for each action have also been defined. Both the NBSAP and Biodiversity Action Plan will be implemented up to 2028. The legal status of biodiversity is determined by the Turkish Constitution and legislation, and the provisions of international conventions and protocols, thus implicating several institutions in actions to conserve biodiversity. In 2018, a revised Presidential decree designated responsibility for the development of “policies for the conservation of nature, detection of protected areas, national parks, parks of nature, monuments of nature, nature preservation areas, wetlands and conservation, management, development, operation and authorizing for operation of biodiversity and hunting and wildlife” to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, under the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. Legislation recently adopted includes the Law on Biosafety (2010) and the Law on Industrial Property (2016). In addition, since 2011, several regulations pertaining to, generally speaking, the protection of genetic resources have been adopted. The National Biotechnology Strategy and Action Plan was implemented from 2015 to 2018, and the National Marine Research Programme (2016-2026) and the “TUBITAK Vision 2023” on the Turkish National Technology Foresight Program are currently under implementation. Turkey is a Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety however is not a Party to the Nagoya Protocol on ABS. In regard to the establishment of a monitoring mechanism for biodiversity, it is envisioned that the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks will establish a Coordination Secretariat, and that relevant institutions and organizations will be invited to meetings held annually to report on activities they have carried out in relation to biodiversity and to evaluate the current status of implementation of the NBSAP and the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
Bolivia The Policy and Strategy for the Integral and Sustainable Management of the Biodiversity Action Plan (2019-2030) (
Política y Estrategia Plurinacional para la Gestión Integral y Sustentable de la Biodiversidad - Plan de Acción 2019-2030) was adopted by the Plurinational State on 28 December 2018 and is the product of collaboration among indigenous and campesino organizations, national academic institutions, all sectors of the central government, as well as departmental and municipal governments, among other actors. Based on the paradigm of “Living Well in Harmony with Mother Earth” which, among other provisions, mandates social inclusion and the non-commodification of natural processes and genetic resources, this policy instrument will contribute to achieving the current respective global agendas for biodiversity and sustainable development. It promotes and guides actions for managing biodiversity in an integrated and sustainable manner, by means of contributions from indigenous peoples and other actors, in order to achieve socioeconomic development, and states that benefits are to be shared among all actors. The basis for the new NBSAP is taken from numerous legislations and strategic plans, including: Bolivia’s new Constitution (2009) which declares that natural resources are exclusively of public interest and shall be administered by the State; Law of the Rights of Mother Earth (2010); Framework Law of Mother Earth and Integral Development for Living Well (2012); Patriotic Agenda 2025 (2013); Plan on Economic and Social Development (2016-2020); and the Law for the Integral Planning System (2016). The latter legislation was particularly significant to the development of the new NBSAP in that it provides standards and procedures for integrated and decentralized planning for simultaneously achieving complementary and sustainable productive systems for eradicating extreme poverty, conserving environmental functions and managing risks, climate change and life systems. The new NBSAP will also serve to operationalize the Sectoral Plan for Integral Development developed by the Ministry of Environment and Water (2015). Furthermore, the Framework Law of Autonomies and Decentralization “Andrés Ibáñez” (2010) outlines differentiated competencies and functions for each level of government. The Biodiversity Action Plan encompasses five strategic areas: policy and standards; institutions and territorial governance; conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; comprehensive environmental management for biodiversity; and knowledge management and mobilization. There are 10 strategic objectives and 15 lines of action respectively associated to the 2020, 2025 and 2030 horizons. Additionally, two cross-cutting issues (climate change and gender) shall be mainstreamed in actions. Bolivia adopted its first NBSAP in 2001.
Kuwait Kuwait’s National Biodiversity Strategy (2011-2020) was adopted by the Environment Public Authority on 12 November 2018 and is based on ten principles, including that decisions on the allocation or use of national biodiversity resources shall be based on the concepts of equitable resource-sharing and transparency; programmes shall be developed on the basis of environmental concepts and the pillars of sustainable development; lack of information on impacts should not be an obstacle to taking measures to protect natural resources; fees should be paid for the use of natural resources; and tangible and intangible values of biodiversity should be identified and disseminated in national accounts (Gross National Product). Three action plans have been defined covering the short, medium and long terms, each containing general, special and supporting measures that will be implemented during these timeframes. General measures commonly relate to biodiversity documentation, assessment, planning, management and use. Special measures planned for the short and medium terms respectively deal with conserving biodiversity within and outside protected areas and nature reserves. Support measures pertain to the development of integrated policy for biodiversity conservation, with consideration given to regional and international agreements and bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and to national-level measures which aim to establish legislations and policies, including sectoral development policy and biotechnology policy, and strengthen institutional arrangements, biodiversity financing (such as through PES and the Polluter Pays Principle), national reporting, CEPA (including for decision-makers), and capacity in the areas of biotechnology, the use and conservation of genetic resources, and wildlife conservation and protected areas management, among other areas.
Panama Panama’s new NBSAP (2018-2050), adopted by decree on 18 December 2018, following a highly participatory, inclusive and gender-sensitive process that considered the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the Sustainable Development Goals and the National Policy on Biodiversity (adopted by decree in 2008), shall be used as an instrument for mainstreaming biodiversity in relevant policies and strategies. Its 2050 vision is to achieve “Un Panamá Verde” (“A Green Panama”) and enhance well-being for all Panamanians, and is underpinned by a paradigm shift towards a development model that combines the three dimensions—social, economic and environmental—of sustainable development. Implementation will be guided by five strategic lines, namely: conservation and restoration; reduction of pressures; knowledge, awareness-raising and education; sustainable use and management; and mainstreaming and governance. Under this framework, 24 national targets have been set, along with action lines and monitoring indicators. An Action Plan has also been prepared which is costed up to 2030 and will be reviewed and adjusted, as necessary, every five years up to 2050. It contains a total of 26 actions (and associated guidelines), timeframes, actors, and cost estimates to 2030 totalling 102,630,000 balboas. Panama’s system of protected areas (SINAP) is comprised of representative samples of 12 life zones and a variety of ecosystems, occupying 31.8% of the country’s land area and 13.5% of its marine area. Considerable attention is being given to developing “green tourism” in protected areas, in accordance with both national and international standards. This initiative is supported by an Action Plan for the 2016-2026 period and being promoted by the Ministry of Environment, the Tourism Authority and the National Institute of Culture, together with civil society, communities and the private sector. In addition, through Law 69, sanctioned in 2017, an incentive program was established to assist with consolidating the alliance for the reforestation of one million hectares which, at the same time, will contribute to achieving the SDGs. This program provides partial or total non-refundable direct financing benefiting, among other activities, those carried out in regard to natural forest protection, restoration and conservation, agroforestry, forests and livestock, sustainable forest management and commercial plantations. Panama intends to have updated its action plan on resource mobilization by 2025. Relatedly, it will carry out actions to increase the ability to quantify public and private investment in biodiversity conservation, increase the capacity to perform cost-benefit analysis of environmental practices that are friendly to biodiversity, within the agricultural sector, increase the capacity to economically assess biodiversity goods and services, and estimate the financial needs for biodiversity conservation by adjusting planning tools (strategies and action plans), among other actions. Panama has also prepared a Communication Plan to guide the definition of priorities, results, impacts and key messages regarding implementation of the NBSAP (and the SDGs) which ultimately seeks to achieve inclusive economic growth while conserving and restoring biodiversity.
North Macedonia
Adopted by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia on 13 March 2018, the current NBSAP (2018-2023) assigns priority to the following biodiversity issues: sectoral mainstreaming; information/knowledge of status and trends; legislative and institutional strengthening; conservation; sustainable use of biodiversity components; monitoring, assessment and evaluation, prevention and mitigation of impacts; education (formal and informal); public awareness-raising, information and dissemination; and access and benefit-sharing. Nineteen national targets have been set that comply with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. For each national target, actions, priorities, competent institutions, implementing periods, funding, and action implementation indicators have been defined. In parallel, the country adopted the National Strategy for Nature Protection (2017-2027) which integrates both geodiversity and biodiversity protection. As a candidate for EU membership, the country is also conducting activities to implement the EU acquis on nature conservation, particularly the EU Birds and Habitats Directives.
The first NBSAP, adopted in 2004, achieved most progress in the areas of legislation, investigation and monitoring, public awareness and education and, to some extent, in regard to in situ conservation. Included among its outcomes were the development of protected areas management plans, in accordance with internationally recognized methodology, the establishment/expansion of the protected areas network and the establishment of bio-corridors between protected areas, as well as the identification of important plant and animal areas. The lowest level of progress was achieved in the areas of ex situ conservation, institutional strengthening, financial resources, and coordination and implementation. The Law on Nature Protection (2004) provides the legal basis for carrying out various measures towards biodiversity conservation, including the use of spatial planning and SEA procedures. The country adopted its Spatial Plan in 2004 and, in 2010, conducted a detailed analysis of all protected and proposed-for-protection areas included in the Study of the Natural Heritage, under the Spatial Plan, and other documents. The results of the analysis contributed to, among other outcomes, the establishment of a representative protected areas network which today covers nearly 20% of the national territory. While the application of SEA has increased over the last years, the impacts have not yet proven to be satisfactory.
The Law on Nature Protection also stipulates that funds for nature protection are to be provided from the national budget, the budgets of local self-governments (on the territory on which the protected area is situated), and from other sources. Activities are primarily financed by the GEF and EU, and by donations/grants from other countries and private foundations. In spite of regulations having been adopted in 2013, establishing a price list for the use of protected areas, this PES system has not yet been implemented. Cross-border conservation projects with Albania, Bulgaria and Greece have been carried out as a result of EU funding. Although efforts were initiated in 2005 towards decentralization, institutional processes remain highly centralized. It is also recognized that the National Committee for Biological Diversity (which includes a Secretariat), established in 1999, should be renewed, and that an institute or agency for nature, serving as an independent technical body, should be established. In addition, capacity at the local level, especially in municipalities appointed as protected areas management entities, requires strengthening.
Micronesia (Federated States of) The revised NBSAP (2018-2023) of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) was developed through a highly consultative process, involving representatives from the national, state (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae) and municipal levels, UNDP, NGOs, CBOs, and the science and education communities. Consultations with women’s focus groups were also held in all four states during this period. It was determined that the following 11 themes contained in the first NBSAP, adopted in 2002, remain relevant and thus they have been retained in the revised NBSAP, together with their respective strategy goals: Ecosystem Management; Species Management; Genetic Resource Use; Agrobiodiversity; Ecological Sustainable Industry Development; Biosecurity; Waste Management; Human Resources and Institutional Development; Resource Owners; Mainstreaming Biodiversity; and Financial Resources. The themes are mapped to achieving related Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Sustainable Development Goals and, where applicable, to the Micronesia Challenge. Implementation is guided by the four principles of: sovereign rights (over biological diversity); the community-based approach; traditional heritage; and ecological integrity. Furthermore, climate change and gender are recognized as specific themes underpinning the entire NBSAP. The country also intends to expand the scope of environmental impact assessments to include gender and societal impacts. The NBSAP follows up on progress achieved to date, with objectives and actions having been appropriately updated. Thematic indicators and constraints are defined as well. An annual quick assessment process will be undertaken to evaluate implementation progress and allow for the inclusion of new actions, as necessary. After 5 years, a consultative process will be undertaken to review the Plan to ensure its relevance for the post-2023 period.
FSM governance operates at four levels (national, state, municipal and traditional). Under FSM’s constitution, most power is delegated to the states who are able to
inter alia enact laws related to the environment and natural resources. Of note is that Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (BSAPs) have been prepared by all four states. Traditional culture and systems are important to all aspects of life in FSM, while being intrinsic to biodiversity conservation. Significantly, land rights and ownership, which govern the use of natural resources, are limited to FSM citizens only and the terms of land leasing vary by state. The greater part of land and inshore marine areas are privately or collectively owned. However, the role of traditional chiefs differs among the four states due to the varying degrees to which traditional governance is included in respective state constitutions. Yap’s constitution is the only one of the four that includes provision for a traditional leadership branch within the state government, while Kosrae’s constitution is the only one of the four that does not have an article that is tradition-specific.
Progress has been achieved in various areas since the first NBSAP was prepared. In 2002, the Micronesia Conservation Trust Fund was established and, in 2003, an ecoregional plan for biodiversity conservation in FSM was developed, as communicated in
A Blueprint for Conserving the Biodiversity of the Federated States of Micronesia. In 2006, the FSM, together with other countries, committed to the Micronesia Challenge which, by 2020, seeks to conserve 30% of near-shore resources and at least 20% of forest resources across Micronesia. In 2017, the FSM enacted a law expanding its no-commercial-fishing-zone to include 10% of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Other achievements are linked to increases in the protected areas (terrestrial and marine) network, a strengthened NGO network and an increase in community engagement, as well as to increases in technical and financial support for biodiversity conservation from the national and state levels.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines The revised NBSAP (2015-2020) mirrors the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 however has been customized to account for the country’s unique circumstances, as well as the National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) (2013-2025), particularly NESDP Goal 4 which aims to improve physical infrastructure, preserve the environment and mitigate the impact of climate change. NBSAP implementation will be guided by four nationally-determined strategic goals focused on: mainstreaming; biodiversity monitoring and the establishment of mechanisms to address threats; ecosystem-level conservation; and conservation and restoration to improve resilience to climate change and mitigation potential. Moreover, five national targets, linked to Aichi Biodiversity Targets 1, 5, 9, 11, and 15, include respective activities, timelines, budget and cost elements, and responsible entities. The total cost for implementing activities is estimated at USD $3,100,000. Implementation of the first NBSAP from 2000 to 2010 was assessed as less than satisfactory i.e. it was not used to inform planning in key sectors, and most of the activities recommended in the various priority areas were not undertaken due primarily to the lack/unavailability of financial resources, although marginal progress was made in mainstreaming biodiversity, though in a piecemeal fashion. For this reason, a comprehensive strategy for mainstreaming biodiversity, including a plan for monitoring its implementation, has been included as a component of the revised NBSAP. The government is also committed to strengthening institutional arrangements to ensure that the Action Plan is thoroughly implemented. Coordination of the implementation of the Action Plan will be the responsibility of the Sustainable Development Unit of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, Sustainable Development, and Information Technology. The actual implementation of the Plan will be the responsibility of several different agencies, including the Forestry and Fisheries Department and the National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority. However, it is anticipated that several different NGOs will be actively involved in implementation as well. Regarding CEPA matters, although several different agencies have to date developed discrete educational programmes, activities under National Target 1 will concentrate on the development and implementation of a harmonized public biodiversity education and awareness programme. In addition to having identified internal and external sources of financial support, innovative sources of funding, including environmental fiscal reform, payments for ecosystem services, biodiversity offsets, markets for green products, biodiversity in climate change funding, among other financial mechanisms, will be given due consideration. The establishment of a national biodiversity clearing-house mechanism (CHM) has been identified as another critical component for strengthening the country’s capacity to mainstream biodiversity into its economic and social development. The CHM will be a single repository of all biodiversity data in the country, allowing for, among other things, the wide-spread dissemination to governmental entities, NGOs and the public, tracking the implementation of the NBSAP and, specifically, tracking the progress towards the national targets. Although there is still no comprehensive legislation to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity, progress has been made with the adoption of the National Parks (Amendment) Act (2010), and preparation of draft legislation including Regulations (2011) to the Forestry Resources Conservation Act. In addition, a draft Environmental Health and Management Act (2013) and EIA Regulations (2015), under the Town and Country Planning Act (1992), have also been prepared and await enactment.
Turkmenistan A summary will be made available here shortly.
Vanuatu Vanuatu’s new NBSAP (2018-2030) is the product of a process, initiated in 2014, to revise the first NBSAP (1999), incorporating the views of national and provincial governments, NGOs, CBOs and local communities. The document is aligned with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011-2020) and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, as well as with two key national strategies, namely, the National Sustainable Development Plan (2016-2030) and the National Environment Policy and Implementation Plan (2016-2030). It will also be the main implementing strategy for the Environment Pillar of the National Sustainable Development Goals and Policies (2016-2030). Biodiversity measures are also integrated in other relevant policies, ranging from climate change and overarching productive sectors’ policies and other respective natural resource management sector policies. The NBSAP focuses on the following 7 strategic areas (containing respective targets and indicators), which are further divided into “focus areas” (containing respective objectives, actions, specific activities, timeframes, lead agencies): 1. Conservation Area Management; 2. Forest and Inland Waters Ecosystems Conservation and Management; 3. Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Conservation and Management; 4. Species and Genetic Diversity Conservation; 5. Invasive Species Eradication and Control; 6. Mainstreaming Biodiversity across sectors and society; 7. Resource Mobilization. One of the eight principles underpinning the Strategy concerns “Gender Mainstreaming and Equality” (Principle 4). Provincial implementation plans have also been defined, outlining specific local actions to address threats affecting the islands’ biodiversity, including identifying potential conservation areas. The Government will take a critical role in this Strategy but needs the cooperation and commitments of wider stakeholders, ranging from provincial governments, NGOs, private sector, local communities, landholders and individuals to implement NBSAP measures. In Vanuatu, land cannot be alienated from the traditional landholders, but can be leased from the landholders for fixed periods and agreed purposes. This system of land and resource management limits the capacity of government to conserve biodiversity without the support, understanding and commitment of landholders; and there has generally been little progress towards the establishment of formal protected areas in the country. As an alternative to conventional, government-managed protected areas, various approaches to community-managed conservation areas have been piloted in Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) for both terrestrial and marine areas. Government and civil society partners have promoted Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), which are seen as a way to empower local people to manage their marine and coastal resources, while similar approaches have been promoted for terrestrial forests, including community conserved areas (CCAs) and the Emua Marine Protected Area and Vatthe Forest Conservation Area. Vanuatu has set ambitious national targets under the National Sustainable Development Plan and the National Environment Policy and Implementation Plan to effectively conserve 15% of natural forest and 10% of wetland areas, through community and government management measures, by 2030. Targets include 90% of community management committees complying with their CCA reporting obligations by 2020 and 10 registered CCAs in Vanuatu by 2020. Vanuatu also intends to be actively managing 30% of its forests by 2030; and to have established a national ecologically representative system of marine protected areas by 2020. In 2013, Vanuatu adopted the Land Reform (Amendment) Act and National Land Use Planning Policy promoting sustainable land use based on “kastom” or customary practices and, in 2014, adopted the Fisheries Act and Forestry Act. Most recently, in 2018, Vanuatu adopted its Sustainable Tourism Policy which encourages all forms of tourism to strive to be more responsible and sustainable. Furthermore, as a Party to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing, Vanuatu aims to have completed, by 2030, a total of 13 actions aimed at strengthening the application and operationalization of the Protocol in the country.
Trinidad and Tobago The Cabinet of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago approved the revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2017-2022) on 26 April 2018. This document represents the national response to the commitment taken up by Parties at COP-10 to implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011-2020) and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. It will also guide implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Twenty (proposed) national biodiversity targets are aligned with the global targets, as well as mapped to achieving individual Sustainable Development Goals. Priority has been given to implementing seven national biodiversity targets by 2020, coinciding with Year 3 of the NBSAP, aligned with Aichi Biodiversity Targets 1 (awareness increased), 5 (habitat loss halved or reduced), 6 (sustainable management of marine living resources), 7 (sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and forestry), 9 (invasive alien species), 11 (protected areas) and 12 (extinction prevented). Associated risks, actions, implementing agencies, outcomes and outputs have been defined for these particular targets. The remaining national biodiversity targets will be implemented directly through implementation of the prioritized targets, or indirectly through existing regional or national initiatives. Also defined are the components of a capacity development plan, communications strategy and resource mobilization plan. Funding to support NBSAP implementation by organizations and community groups will be provided by the Green Fund established under the Finance Act in 2000. The monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the national biodiversity targets will be conducted by means of available indicators. NBSAP implementation will be overseen by the Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD), acting as the CBD National Focal Point, with technical support provided to the MPD by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) and other relevant government agencies, NGOs and CBOs across the country. The first NBSAP was approved by Cabinet in 2001 however actions were completed to varying degrees, in spite of a number having been initiated. Achievements of the first NBSAP include, among others: the mainstreaming of environmental and biodiversity conservation concepts in the formal education system at primary, secondary and tertiary levels; recognition of the agencies involved in biodiversity conservation and the establishment of interaction among them; the growth of civil society engagement in biodiversity conservation; the establishment of a biodiversity clearinghouse by the Environmental Policy and Planning Division (EPPD); integration of biodiversity in the policies and programmes of ministries with responsibilities for environment, agriculture, tourism, transport, planning, public utilities, energy, and local government. Recent improvements in legislation and policies include the enactment of the Planning and Facilitation of Development Act (2014), Air Pollution Rules (2015), Litter Act (revised in 2014 to increase fines for violations), and the entry into force of the Climate Change Policy (2011), Protected Areas Policy (2011), Wildlife Policy (2013), and the Forest Policy (2011).
Portugal Portugal's National Strategy for the Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity (2030) was approved by the Government of Portugal on 5 April 2018. It is available in Portuguese only at the moment. A summary will be made available upon receipt of the English version.
Pakistan The goals of Pakistan’s second NBSAP (2017-2030) for achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and Sustainable Development Goals are: to conserve biodiversity at priority sites, including species and genetic diversity, with a focus on in situ site-specific conservation work, high-priority ex situ conservation, wildlife trafficking, and illegal timber trade; and to mainstream biodiversity as an essential element of human development, with a focus on increasing awareness of how biodiversity and ecosystem goods and services contribute to human wellbeing, sustain development outcomes, and on promoting integration with key sectors, such as agriculture, poverty alleviation, climate change, health, democracy and governance, economic growth, and trade. NBSAP objectives are based on the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals and will be implemented through strategies and actions organized around cross-cutting issues, particularly, biodiversity awareness, mainstreaming, gender, poverty alleviation and environmental improvement, and CBD’s main thematic areas, namely, terrestrial ecosystems, forest biodiversity, inland and coastal wetlands, coastal lands and marine ecosystems, and agro-biodiversity. Actions are linked to timelines, cost estimates (which total USD $74.8 million), outcome targets, responsible agencies and monitoring indicators. Moreover, Pakistan anticipates adopting the NBSAP as a policy instrument by 2018. The National Forest Policy (2016) has been approved in principle by the country’s highest constitutional, political and administrative forum and, to streamline implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Climate Change Act (2017) was enacted which establishes a policy-making Climate Change Council and a Climate Change Authority. Notably, the Act calls for the Climate Change Authority to “formulate guidelines for the protection and conservation of renewable and non-renewable resources, species, habitats, and biodiversity in general which are adversely affected or threatened by climate change”. Pakistan has also drafted an Act on Access and Benefit Sharing. Moreover, actions to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets at the provincial and regional levels will be implemented through Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (BSAPs) prepared as a part of the NBSAP revision process. The Directorate of Biodiversity, under the Ministry of Climate Change, will have overall responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the NBSAP through its implementing partners in the relevant ministries at the national level, provincial and regional governments, and conservation organizations. Provincial laws for the management of the environment, forests, wildlife, and fisheries have been enacted by the four provinces of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the Islamabad Capital Territory. Additional sources of funding will be explored under innovative mechanisms available in the Ministry of Climate Change and other ongoing donor projects (e.g. REDD+, GEF STAR allocation, Green Climate Fund). Implementation of the NBSAP shall be monitored on an annual basis based on an indicative list of indicators contained in decision XI/3. Subject to the availability of funds, an independent mid-term evaluation shall be commissioned in 2020 and a final evaluation undertaken in 2030. The monitoring and evaluation reports will be presented to the National Steering Committee and Provincial Coordination Committees. The monitoring and evaluation mechanism will be established within the first year of NBSAP adoption. Implementation of Pakistan's first National Biodiversity Action Plan (2000) resulted in some progress in increasing awareness and understanding of biodiversity concerns across the sectors, as well as in increasing the number of projects carried out to conserve natural resources, including local breeds of crops, diversity of fishes, livestock, and poultry and cereal crops. Biodiversity values are not well reflected in the current national reporting and accounting systems, primarily due to the absence of appropriate valuation of biodiversity, inadequate assessment of the impact of biodiversity loss on the livelihoods of the poor, and lack of a clear understanding on how restoration of ecosystem goods and services can contribute to poverty alleviation. In response, technical and administrative capacity will be developed for the valuation of biodiversity using low cost tools and methods that, in addition to economic values, recognize social and cultural values. Valuation studies will also be carried out in regard to ecosystems on which people rely heavily for subsistence.
Palau The revised NBSAP (2015-2025) has been endorsed by the President of the Republic of Palau. This national policy document is intended to provide a guide for strategic planning for all government, private-sector, non-government, and civil-society agencies, organizations and industries involved in the management and use of biological resources in Palau. Its provisions are to be implemented at both national and state levels. Seven strategic areas have been developed: protected/managed areas; species protection; biosecurity/invasive species and biosafety; integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into development policies; reducing direct pressures on biodiversity through sustainable use; ensuring food security through maintenance of agricultural biodiversity; and mainstreaming conservation. For each strategic area, an overarching goal is defined, connected to impact indicators, objectives and expected outcomes; while the Action Plan specifies connected activities, implementation indicators and responsible agencies. Biodiversity indicators are also available to assist in assessing the impact of activities. Significantly, the NBSAP incorporates goals set by the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The Office of Environmental Response and Coordination (OERC) is responsible for overseeing NBSAP implementation; however it is anticipated that a Bureau of Environment will be created which will replace the OERC in this capacity should this occur. A Technology Needs Assessment has been prepared, in addition to a Resource Mobilization Plan, a Communication Strategy and a Capacity Development Framework and Action Plan. Financing obstacles encountered with the first NBSAP are being addressed through the application of a decentralized approach, where existing government agency strategic plans and other relevant conservation policy initiatives and grant projects are incorporated into the revised NBSAP (and a portion of the budget for each stakeholder agency essentially applied to implementing the NBSAP). A review of conservation laws, regulations and policies to identify gaps affecting biodiversity management is called for, which will likely result in the need to amend laws and possibly also create new laws. A national public review of the NBSAP is to begin no later than the fifth year of implementation. Palau’s first NBSAP was completed in 2005. Building on traditional management practices, Palau has had great success in designating protected areas to provide for conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity. An overall objective of natural resource management in Palau is to support productive landscapes, whether natural or shaped by humans, and to manage them for sustainable use into the future. With effective management and community support, these protected areas contribute to productive landscapes by ensuring that the natural resources Palauans depend upon have sufficient capacity to regenerate. In addition to designating conservation areas, Palau has made progress in improving planning capacity and overall management of its natural resources. Airai and Melekeok states have been leaders in developing management plans including Master and Land Use Plans and, in 2013, Airai state completed the first state-level watershed management plan in Palau. Tourism contributes roughly 50% of Palau’s GDP. Tourists are largely drawn to Palau by the country’s natural beauty in general, and by the opportunity to see its biodiversity in particular. Palau is a destination for divers, snorkelers and birdwatchers drawn by the possibility of seeing endemic and rare species, as well as the general richness of species present. Palau’s relatively high standard of living and strong economy, in comparison to other small island developing states (SIDS), make conservation and sustainability activities taken here regionally significant. Palau has the capacity to not only adopt policy, but to test its implementation as well. As a result, lessons learned here may be valuable to other SIDS facing similar issues.
Chile Adopted by the Council of Ministers for Sustainability on 5 January 2018, Chile’s revised NBSAP (2017-2030) underscores the centrality of biodiversity conservation for achieving sustainable development. The following five strategic objectives have been formulated and linked to five respective 2030 national targets (mapped to relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets and SDGs) and to several strategic lines: 1) to promote the sustainable use of biodiversity for human wellbeing, reducing threats to ecosystems and species; 2) to increase awareness, participation, information and knowledge regarding biodiversity, as the basis for human wellbeing; 3) to establish robust institutions, good governance and the equitable sharing of benefits derived from biodiversity; 4) to include biodiversity objectives in public- and private-sector policies, plans and programs; and 5) to protect and restore biodiversity and its ecosystem services. The Action Plan is organized into six sections: cross-cutting issues and five thematic areas (conservation of marine and oceanic island biodiversity; management of invasive alien species; conservation of indigenous species; protected areas; conservation and rational use of wetlands). A responsible implementation body is assigned to each section, each of which addresses the above five strategic objectives for which separate targets and respective activities have been defined. As the Strategy extends to 2030, the thematic areas will be evaluated every four years and new thematic priorities and plans, as well as normative and management instruments, incorporated, as necessary. Actions will be monitored annually using pressure-state-response and management indicators. The new Strategy emphasizes the need for greater participation from civil society, the public and private sectors, researchers, and Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in implementation. A Resource Mobilization Strategy is under development through Chile’s participation in BIOFIN. A proposed law calls for the creation of a service for biodiversity and protected areas, and a protected areas system. Regional operative biodiversity committees exist already. Adopted in 2003, the first NBSAP was implemented from 2003 to 2010 and produced, among other outcomes, three thematic instruments, namely, the National Policy for the Protection of Threatened Species, National Strategy for the Conservation and Rational Use of Wetlands, and the National Policy on Protected Areas (all three instruments were updated in 2014). At present, Chile's terrestrial and marine protected areas cover 15.1 and 46 million hectares, respectively. In 2013, work began on the development of the new Strategy (with consideration given to aligning it with the 2011-2020 global biodiversity framework) and on updating regional biodiversity strategies and action plans for 16 regional administrations. Gaps identified in the first Strategy also led to the development of the National Strategy for the Management of Invasive Alien Species and the National Strategy for Marine and Oceanic Island Conservation. Furthermore, the Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Biodiversity was adopted by the Council of Ministers for Sustainability in 2014. The country's energy sector is evolving dynamically. The National Energy Policy was adopted in 2015, with important advances having been made in the field of non-conventional renewable energy.
San Marino This document represents the first NBSAP developed by San Marino, an enclaved microstate (just over 61 km2 in size) located on the Italian peninsula. It has been approved by the Secretary of State for the Territory and agreed upon by all the major stakeholders in the country. The Biodiversity Strategy is to be considered a dynamic reference document to guide economic and social development. While the NBSAP describes the state of national biodiversity as “decent”, it also signals the need to address the negative effects that factors, such as climate change, urbanization and industry, have had on biodiversity over the last decades. In response, the country intends to mainstream biodiversity considerations at all levels, which will necessitate the provision of economic, legislative and organizational support from government institutions and the involvement of the largest possible number of stakeholders in implementing actions. Cultural traditions have persisted in the country over seven centuries. Moreover, in 2008, the San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cultural services provided by the country’s ecosystems are therefore of particular significance. Biodiversity conservation will guarantee the preservation of these cultural services and the various benefits that are derived from them (e.g. tourist attractions, economic revenue, quality of life for San Marino’s inhabitants). The NBSAP comprises four primary objectives which aim to: 1) Guarantee legally binding protection for biodiversity; 2) Use natural resources and ecosystems in a sustainable way in order to preserve biodiversity; 3) Increase the knowledge of the biodiversity heritage of the territory; and 4) Promote a broad and easily accessible knowledge of biodiversity. Specific priority areas of action have been identified under each primary objective in the action plan, as have responsible implementing bodies, and implementing timeframes (to 2025 primarily) (only two actions on the development of a new plan to manage fauna and hunting and a website for San Marino Naturalistic Centre (CNS) are be implemented by 2020). In the last decade, the public administration has carried out work in various sectors to boost environmental protection, landscape conservation and the sustainable use of resources, in accordance with the European Directives. Activities have also been carried out to raise awareness of the economic values of biodiversity and promote a transition to a Green Economy. Law reform was carried out in 2014 on the Law on the Promotion and Enhancement of Energy Efficiency in Buildings and of Renewable Energy Use in the Civil and Industrial Sectors (2008); and San Marino's Environmental Code incorporating the latest European environmental standards was adopted by decree in 2012. San Marino has yet to establish a central authority to collect information on implementation and prepare national reports. Priority areas under Primary Objective 3 (increase the knowledge of the biodiversity heritage of the territory) include actions to be carried out by the Secretariat of State for the Territory, the San Marino Naturalistic Centre (CNS), and the Environmental and the Agricultural Resource Management Office (UGRAA) in regard to monitoring of biodiversity. Priority areas under Primary Objective 4 (promote a broad and easily accessible knowledge of biodiversity), include actions to: promote the concept of biodiversity in schools; enhance ecotourism to promote San Marino's biodiversity heritage; and create a platform to enhance the Clearing-House Mechanism and flow of information between research bodies and the population.
Tunisia The 2030 vision of Tunisia’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2018-2030) is for national biodiversity to be resilient to climate change, protected from threats, and conserved and managed so as to contribute in a sustainable manner to national socioeconomic development. In this light, integration of the objectives of the Strategy in planning and socioeconomic development policies is implicit. The development of the current NBSAP was preceded by: an examination of national-level biodiversity planning processes implemented since the adoption of the first Strategy in 1998, and their outcomes, including an update on the status of biodiversity components, and critical analysis of the outcomes of the implementation of earlier NBSAPs (1998, 2009); economic valuation of biodiversity components and ecosystem services at the national level; and the formulation of national targets and SMART indicators. The lessons learned from this process were instrumental in defining five national biodiversity priorities: 1) To strengthen capacity for NBSAP implementation and monitoring 2) To mainstream the values of biodiversity in national policies and throughout society 3) To develop knowledge and determine values for traditional know-how 4) To reduce pressures and threats on biodiversity and promote its sustainable use 5) To protect and restore biodiversity, improve the resilience of ecosystems and strengthen the services they provide. There are in addition 15 strategic objectives (mapped to the achievement of the global biodiversity strategic goals and targets), 40 targeted objectives and 48 actions to be implemented by 2030. The costs of implementation are estimated at 1150,886 MDT. Funding is to be mobilized through the integration or alignment of NBSAP objectives with sectoral strategies and programmes, including those related to research, and through the implementation of a resource mobilization plan developed for this purpose. NBSAP implementation will also be supported by the National Strategy and Action for Biodiversity Communication and Awareness-raising developed in 2015. Recognition is given to the fact that women in rural communities worldwide constitute the principle users and guardians of biodiversity. In Tunisia, women perform a particularly important role with respect to the governance of potable water. Gender considerations have been mainstreamed in both the Strategy and Action Plan.
Ireland Ireland submitted its fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan (2023-2030) on 8 February 2024. Further details are available
here.
Ireland's third National Biodiversity Action Plan (2017-2021) was officially launched on 5 October 2017. The following seven strategic objectives contained in the second National Biodiversity Action Plan (2011-2016) have been retained in the third Plan (and are now mapped to achieving relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets): 1) To mainstream biodiversity in the decision-making process across all sectors; 2) To substantially strengthen the knowledge base for conservation, management and sustainable use of biodiversity; 3) To increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystems services; 4) To conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside; 5) To conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment; 6) To expand and improve on the management of protected areas and legally protected species; and 7) To substantially strengthen the effectiveness of international governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Eighteen national targets have been set, complemented by actions (those contained in the second Plan identified as ongoing or requiring further action have been retained in the third Plan, and new actions added where necessary), timeframes, lead/key partners and performance indicators. The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is the official body responsible for oversight of the implementation of this Plan and for coordinating the other Public Authorities, NGOs and private-sector organizations involved in the process. The Biodiversity Working Group (BWG), comprised of Departments, Agencies and other bodies that have a role in implementing the Plan, will deliver an interim review of implementation in 2019 based on indicators (which will also facilitate reporting on Ireland’s progress towards attaining the European targets and the Sustainable Development Goals). The Biodiversity Forum represents various economic sectors, NGOs, academics and other relevant stakeholders and will monitor the implementation of the Plan and advise the Minister accordingly. The National Biodiversity Data Centre was established in 2007 and manages, analyzes and disseminates data on Ireland’s biodiversity. Different institutions are currently tracking biodiversity-related expenditure for Ireland which is the first step in understanding and developing a sustainable funding mechanism for biodiversity conservation. Further to this, the National Parks and Wildlife Service will develop a financial plan to address biodiversity finance challenges in a comprehensive manner and build a sound business case for increased investment in biodiversity management. As part of this, research novel finance mechanisms will also be reviewed, including payment for ecosystem services and biodiversity offsets.
Sierra Leone Consistent with CBD’s main thematic areas and the five strategic goals and targets of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011-2020), the country’s second NBSAP (2017-2026) is based on the following five strategic objectives: 1) national biodiversity is well protected through sound and holistic national legislation and policy implementation across all sectors; 2) practical methods and mechanisms are enhanced and functioning to safeguard biodiversity, resulting in improved conservation status of threatened and rare species; 3) practical and robust conservation actions are significantly enhancing the status of species, habitats, sites and ecosystems in and outside protected areas; 4) improved living standards, ecosystem services and opportunities are provided to people, particularly local communities, through sustainable and inclusive biodiversity conservation actions; and 5) improved sectoral and public involvement, and enhanced capacities and awareness, are contributing to effective planning and result-oriented execution of conservation programmes. Cross-sectoral strategies and cross-cutting issues include: financial resources, policies, regulations and legislation, research and training, capacity building, public participation, gender, planning, monitoring, conservation of protected areas, sustainable use, incentive measures, public education, impact assessment, access to technology, information exchange, sharing of benefits and indigenous knowledge. Twenty-three strategic outputs have been formulated, each comprised of between three and eight strategies and actions (119 in total) and linked to an implementation timeframe, estimated costs, one or two key indicators and responsible entities/partners, as well as to the achievement of relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Adequate funding as well as effective law enforcement are important factors to achieving the strategic objectives. Activities will cost nearly 50 million dollars over the ten-year period to implement. Fortunately, there have been strong commitments from international partners and multilateral donors to provide full or matching funds for the conservation of the biodiversity in the country. Priority legislative actions which need to be implemented include, among others: the enactment of the draft reviewed and amended Wildlife Conservation Act (1972) and its Regulations (2015); the enactment of the draft reviewed and amended Forestry Act (1988) and its Regulations (2015); enactment of the newly drafted Wetlands Conservation Act and its Regulations (2015); a review of the Mines and Minerals Acts (2008) to incorporate biodiversity conservation considerations; and introduction of policy, guidelines and regulations that incorporate biodiversity into urban development. With the lack of a proper coordinating mechanism partly to blame for lapses in the implementation of the first NBSAP (2004-2010), adopted in 2003, the establishment of the following is vital for administering the current NBSAP: NBSAP National Steering Committee, comprising 15 members from government agencies, the universities, NGOs and funding partners; NBSAP implementation coordination hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or National Protected Areas Authority (NPAA); NBSAP Regional Steering Committees comprising government agencies, NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs). Monitoring rests on the shoulders of all key stakeholders, but the process must be led by the EPA and the NPAA and aligned with other national development strategies, national policies and international biodiversity programmes and agreements. The Agenda for Prosperity (2013-2035), National Adaptation Programme of Action for Climate Change (2006), Environmental Protection Agency Act (2008) and the National Protected Areas and Conservation Trust Fund Act (2012), among others, have strong biodiversity and environment components. Consideration is being given to establishing a national Clearing-House Mechanism and developing a communication strategy as an auxiliary document to the NBSAP (2017-2026).
Honduras The new National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2018-2022) represents a paradigm shift in the strategic orientation of conservation policies – one which seeks to establish a balance between conservation and development activities to ultimately enhance quality of life for the people of Honduras. It was developed through a highly participatory and inclusive process, including a broad range of ministries, e.g. ministries of planning, finance, industry and commerce, labor, health, transport, and agriculture; national and international financial institutions; and various groups, representing women, agriculturalists, youth, unions, private sector, indigenous communities, the Garifuna people, NGOs and academia. The NBSAP provides general guidance to all stakeholders who are also expected to contribute to the implementation of the action plan. The main objectives of the NBSAP are the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity at all three levels (genetic, species, ecosystem), with several themes being congruent with those contained in the Government’s Strategic Plan (2014-2018). The NBSAP’s three strategic directions seek to: improve the management of biodiversity conservation; promote knowledge generation; and incorporate biodiversity conservation in economic development processes (8 strategic objectives are also defined). Eleven national targets have been set and mapped to achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals, and are complemented by respective activities and tasks, as well as performance and impact indicators. Deforestation is among the most serious threats to biodiversity in the country (Honduras has moreover one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world). The Forest Law was adopted in 2013 which has significantly advanced conservation efforts. Honduras is also a UN-REDD Programme Partner Country. Other legislations recently adopted include: Law for the Protection of Coffee and Cacao Production (2016); Law on Climate Change (2014); Law to Strengthen Shrimp Farming (2013); Special Law Regulating Public Projects on Renewable Energy (2011); and the Executive Decree on a Moratorium and Suspension on the Investigation, Exploration and Exploitation of Hydrocarbons (2011). A draft Biodiversity Law is currently being discussed by all the sectors (who benefit from the country’s natural resources), through a process facilitated by the Secretariat for Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mining (MiAmbiente). Honduras is a Party to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing. The inclusion of the gender approach in all sectors and at all levels, in accordance with the CBD framework, is also being promoted. The first NBSAP was adopted in 2001 and implemented over ten years. While the country has made progress in the conservation of protected areas (it is estimated that about 30% of the country is protected in the form of reserves however this does not include the percentage of watershed areas under protection), certain protected areas remain vulnerable.
Yemen Yemen’s NBSAP2 will contribute to the national vision of achieving a resilient, productive and sustainable socio-ecosystem by 2050, through the implementation of the vision’s five strategic goals/ national outcomes addressing the following priority areas: 1) biodiversity and ecosystems conservation; 2) sustainable use of biological resources; 3) reduction of natural and anthropogenic pressures; 4) biodiversity and poverty mainstreaming in sectoral development plans; and 5) good governance in biodiversity management. Shorter-term action plans will be formulated up to 2050 to support the five strategic goals. The action plan for the 2015-2025 period focuses on halting overall biodiversity loss and maintaining healthy, productive and functional ecosystems, based on establishing coherent and resilient ecological networks, supported by restructured policies and adequately mandated and empowered local communities and institutions. Twenty SMART national targets have been set in close alignment with specific Aichi Biodiversity Targets. Outputs have been defined for each strategic goal/outcome, and planned actions associated to baseline threats, responsible institutions and partners, budgetary (costing) figures and potential funding sources. According to Yemen’s Ecosystem Valuation Study, the value of the country’s key ecosystems (forest, rangeland, wetland, marine, mangroves) is estimated to be worth approximately USD 287,829 million, which is about ten times the value of the GDP (USD 20,000 million per year). Unfortunately, most of the values of ecosystem products are ignored in economic decision-making and thus not accounted for when estimating GDP and developing national income accounts. In this light, National Target 16 aims to increase awareness of the values of biodiversity and ecosystem services among decision-makers and integrate these values into key environmental sectors by 2025 (which contributes to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2). Gender aspects were taken into consideration from the outset through the representation of the National Women’s Committee (NWC) on the Steering Committee established to lead the NBSAP2 development process. The issuance of a Cabinet decree declaring members on the Board of Directors of the coordination body for biodiversity issues, among which will include the NWC, is also envisaged. This Board of Directors will support a mechanism for monitoring and reviewing the status of NBSAP2 implementation (the establishment of this mechanism will be coordinated by the Environment Protection Authority). Other institutions that will be represented on this Board of Directors include the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning and International Coordination, Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Electricity and Energy, Ministry of Information, media organizations, among others. Actions in support of decentralized management for biodiversity empowering local communities will also be carried out in this implementation period. Under National Target 17, in partnership with the government, a community-based management approach will be widely promoted with the aim to cover 50% of Yemen’s protected area by 2020, and 100% by 2025, thereby leading to improved effectiveness of Yemen’s protected areas and promotion of traditional knowledge and practices on conservation and sustainable use of biological resources (which contributes to Aichi Biodiversity Target 18). Yemen elaborated its first NBSAP in 2005.
Indonesia Updated from the Indonesian Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (IBSAP) (2003-2020), the IBSAP (2015-2020) responds to the provisions of decision X/2 and national priorities related to biodiversity management for achieving sustainable development goals. The first Biodiversity Action Plan (BAPI) was adopted in 1993. The current IBSAP comprises the principal guidelines to be taken into account by policy-makers in the biodiversity sector, and is also intended to serve as a key reference document for implementing programmes and activities in other development sectors, be they government, private, or civil-society sectors, at either national or sub-national level. The IBSAP also calls for the need to ensure consistency with actions carried out to implement other international treaties to which Indonesia is a Party. Improvements in the current IBSAP over the earlier version relate to the inclusion of: updated data and information on the latest status of national biodiversity presented in
Kekinian Keanekaragamanan Hayati Indonesia (Current Indonesian Biological Diversity) published by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) in 2014; programmes and action plans to achieve the (22) national targets and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; results of a study conducted on the economic value and utilization of biodiversity, sources of funding, and a strategy for mainstreaming biodiversity into the development plan; and identified capacity support needs for implementation (e.g. from institutions, data and information exchange mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms). Four specific action plans have been formulated on the following themes: biodiversity research, data management and documentation; biodiversity utilization; maintenance and preservation of biodiversity; and capacity-building of biodiversity management. For each action plan, activities have been defined which include indicators, responsible institutions, implementation periods, budget indications, and which are linked to achieving relevant national and global biodiversity targets. The IBSAP also examines the relationship between biodiversity and climate change, with activities on climate change adaptation and mitigation to be carried out at decentralized levels over the 2015-2020 implementation timeframe. Activities related to the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS and its derivative instruments will also be carried out at both national and local levels during this timeframe (Indonesia became a Party to the Nagoya Protocol in 2014). The National Biodiversity Information Network (NBIN), established under the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), serves as a reference centre on biodiversity conservation, research and use. The NBIN also provides a connection to the global biodiversity information network, facilitates the flow of biodiversity information and responds to the needs of users involved in the biodiversity sector. Cooperation between NBIN members and the dissemination of information regarding NBIN are promoted through the NBIN Association. Furthermore, in cooperation with the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) has developed a portal known as the Indonesia Biodiversity Information Facility (InaBIF) which is expected to become the portal of knowledge management for genetic resources and traditional knowledge of Indonesia that will store, manage and integrate data and information on the Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge (SDGPT) of Indonesia, as well as provide other services. Efforts are also being carried out to enhance the national Biodiversity Clearing-House (CHM) which serves as a medium for disseminating information, including monitoring and evaluation results and implementation reports, regarding the IBSAP (2015-2020).
Croatia Following an intense and inclusive development process, involving central, regional and local administrations, experts and scientists, civil society organizations and private-sector stakeholders, the Croatian Parliament adopted the Nature Protection Strategy and Action Plan (2017-2025) on 7 July 2017, in accordance with terms outlined in the Constitution and Nature Protection Act (2013). Five strategic goals aim to: 1. Increase the effectiveness of key nature protection mechanisms; 2. Reduce the direct pressures on nature and promote sustainable use of natural resources; 3. Strengthen the capacities of nature protection system; 4. Increase the knowledge and availability of data on nature; and 5. Raise the level of knowledge, understanding, and support for nature protection among the general public. Under each strategic goal, specific objectives and activities are defined and mapped to achieving relevant Aichi Biodiversity Targets and targets contained in the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. Detailed descriptions of the methods to achieve the strategic goals will be developed for the Action Plan. All sectors whose activities depend or may have an impact (positive or negative) on the country’s biodiversity and geodiversity are expected to contribute to implementation of the Strategy. Notably, Croatia has included geodiversity as a constituent part of the Strategy given that it represents an important segment of landscapes, conditioning biodiversity and serving as a foundation for ecosystems. In addition, implementation of the Strategy will be highly decentralized, requiring action by a number of central state administration bodies, administrative bodies of regional self-government units and/or of the City of Zagreb, as well as local self-government units, public institutions and other institutions. Priorities in the forthcoming period will continue to be strongly connected with commitments stemming from Croatia's membership in the EU. Significant mechanisms in environmental protection legislation include EIA and SEA, whose procedures are being increasingly harmonized with obligations stemming from international agreements and, in particular, those stemming from the EU
acquis. The Strategy's Implementation Plan calls for efforts to effectively implement the national CHM, which provides access to databases within the Nature Protection Information System that are continuously upgraded, contributing to partnership networks enabled by the CBD CHM and the CHM for EU member states covered by the Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE). This Plan also includes indicators developed for the purposes of monitoring the implementation of activities (performance indicators) and the achievement of specific objectives (impact indicators). As for resource mobilization, activities will address, among other matters, the lack of systematic records in this area, the introduction of positive biodiversity incentives (e.g. agri-environment incentives or subsidies for temporary suspension of activities in fisheries in order to ensure the recovery of fish stock), introduction of new financial mechanisms and further development of innovative financial mechanisms. Croatia has had a positive experience implementing the system of fees payable by environmental polluters and users in the private and public sector, on the basis of the Polluter Pays Principle, where the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund provides one part of the collected funds to projects contributing to biodiversity conservation. In addition, and particularly important for the regional management level, is that all European territorial cooperation programmes foresee funds for projects contributing to: biodiversity protection and conservation; promotion of ecosystem services, including the Natura 2000 ecological network and green infrastructure; and to the conservation of natural heritage, primarily through the improvement of visitor infrastructure. These opportunities represent a significant rise in support compared to cross-border programmes during the pre-accession period. Croatia adopted its first Strategy in 1999 and its second Strategy in 2008.
Mauritius The preparation of the revised and updated NBSAP (2017-2025) of the Republic of Mauritius (ROM) entailed an extensive process of stakeholder consultations and approval, review of the original NBSAP (2006-2015) and several preparatory documents, namely, a biodiversity mainstreaming assessment for key industries and themes, an ecosystem valuation study for the catchment areas of Mare Longue and Mare‐aux‐Vacoas, and an ecosystem‐based adaptation study for a more resilient protected area network. The Working Principles adopted for the new NBSAP are: integration of the ecological, social and economic values of biodiversity into decision‐making; effective
in situ and
ex situ biodiversity conservation and/or restoration; minimizing the direct and indirect pressures on biodiversity and ecosystem services; biodiversity mainstreaming in the public and private sectors; effective information-sharing, NBSAP monitoring and delivery; and the Ecosystem Approach. The country has retained the five strategic goals of the global Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and adapted all corresponding Aichi Biodiversity Targets to the national context, values and interests (with the exception of Aichi Biodiversity Target 18 which stakeholders consider to not be applicable to the country in view of the fact that the people of the ROM are descendants of successive waves of immigrants from various countries). Two action plans for the RoM are presented. Because Rodrigues gained autonomous status in 2001 and is governed by the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, a separate action plan was developed for the island and its associated islets. These action plans specify the key programmes and activities (with key indicators where available), Lead Agency and Partners, priorities, timeframes, and provisional budgets, for implementing each national target. Addressing knowledge gaps in biodiversity mainstreaming into national policies, strategies and plans and into sectoral policies, strategies and plans, across government, the private sector and civil society are made a priority in each Action Plan. The NBSAP also summarizes plans for capacity development in the following key identified gap areas: biodiversity and ecosystem services assessment, mapping and valuation in qualitative, quantitative and economic terms, for the terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, marine and agro‐biodiversity (National Target 1); biodiversity‐focused freshwater monitoring (National Target 8); biosecurity and IAS management (National Target 9); ecosystem services management and rehabilitation/restoration (National Target 14); natural and agricultural ecosystem rehabilitation/restoration (National Targets 6 and 7) while minimizing carbon loss (National Target 14). A summary is also provided of the approach chosen for communication and outreach on the NBSAP. Notably, the development and implementation of a Resource Mobilization Strategy has been made a priority activity for 2017 in both Mauritius and Rodrigues. Coordination of implementation of the NBSAP activity portfolio at the national and subnational levels will be carried out by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security (MAIFS), serving as the CBD National Focal Point, and three working groups in Mauritius (Terrestrial Biodiversity Working Group, Agro-biodiversity Working Group and Freshwater, Coastal and Marine Working Group), and the Rodrigues Environment Committee in Rodrigues. A process has been defined for NBSAP monitoring and evaluation, including a mid‐term review planned for 2020. The national Clearing-House Mechanism was re-developed in 2016 and will be used as a tool to synthesize, compile and share information about the NBSAP and associated topics in the ROM. New legislation includes the Native Terrestrial Biodiversity and National Parks Act adopted in 2015. Strategic documents currently under implementation include, among others, the Protected Area Network Expansion Strategy (2016-2026), National Strategic Action Plan for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Crop Wild Relatives (2016-2025), Strategic Plan for the Food Crop, Livestock and Forestry Sectors (2016-2020), and the National Invasive Alien Species Strategy and Action Plan (2008-2017). A National Climate Change Adaptation Policy Framework (NCCAPF) was prepared in 2013.