ABS and NBSAPs
Developments related to national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs)
In
decision 15/6 on mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting and review Parties are requested to submit a
revised or updated NBSAP, including national targets, by COP-16, following the guidance provided in annex I of the decision, and aligned with the goals and targets of the
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Parties not in a position to revise their NBSAPs by that time are requested to submit their national targets, as a standalone submission, by COP-16, in advance of submission of their full NBSAP.
The guidance provided in annex I also considers the integration and mainstreaming of ABS into NBSAPs.
In
decision NP-4/5, Parties are invited, and other Governments encouraged, to make use of the approach to planning, monitoring, reporting and review under the Convention to enhance the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol and the integration of ABS in revised or updated NBSAPs.
How to report?
The Secretariat has updated the
online reporting tool to provide the modality for submitting national targets, as per annex 1 of decision 15/6. The updated tool can be accessed at the following web-address:
ort.cbd.int.
The tool is currently available in English and will be available in the other official languages of the United Nations in the coming months. Details to guide Parties in the use of the tool and to clarify the types of information requested in different parts of the reporting template are provided on the online reporting tool site.
More information on the reporting tool is available in
notification 2023-117 dated 1 November 2023.
What to report on in an NBSAP?
Revised or updated NBSAPs following the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework should contain the following common elements in order to ensure the utility of NBSAPs in the enhanced implementation, monitoring, reporting and review mechanism, while retaining their flexibility and their principal role as national implementation vehicles:
- National targets addressing or contributing towards each of the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and ensuring close alignment where possible, taking into account the availability of resources and means of implementation.
- Concrete actions, policies and programmes designed to meet the national targets and contribute to the global goals and targets. The development of these actions should go hand in hand with the identification of financing and capacity gaps and the development of national finance plans, or similar instruments, as well as capacity-building and development plans.
- National monitoring, reviewing and assessment
In order to minimize the time and resources required to revise or update NBSAPs, the alignment of existing NBSAPs and their targets with the new framework could be assessed. This assessment should consider, according to national circumstances, elements such as
- implementation gaps,
- existing goals, targets and indicators,
- the effectiveness of past actions, monitoring systems (including any data and/or knowledge systems and gaps),
- sectoral and cross-sectoral policies, finance and other means of implementation,
- and an assessment of how stakeholders, indigenous peoples and local communities, women and youth were involved in the revision and implementation. This exercise will allow the identification of those aspects or components of their NBSAPs that need to be revised or updated in the light of the new framework.
How to include information on ABS in the NBSAPs? And which information is relevant?
In alignment with Goal C and Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, ABS should be integrated into your country’s national targets.
At the same time, Goal C and Target 13 provide an opportunity to evaluate your country’s status, review progress made and assess how the effectiveness of the ABS system could be improved. Each country has to determine their needs and set their national targets and policies to implement them. It could be through legal reform, capacity-building or by mobilizing additional resources.
Through a wide participatory process, the revision of NBSAPs gives the opportunity to countries, together with indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant stakeholders to take stock of ABS implementation across different instruments and envision de future of ABS for the country.
If you already have a target related to ABS, e.g. in line with the previous Aichi Biodiversity Target 16, you may wish to update or revise the target to be aligned with Goal C and Target 13 using the assessment strategy above. Revised national targets should take into account the elements of Target 13 legal, i.e. policy and administrative measures as well as capacity-building measures and in accordance with applicable international ABS instruments (more information available in the
Target 13 quick guide).
Further help for consideration when setting or aligning national targets with Target 13 is available
here. A more general guidance for all targes of the GBF is available
here.
Policy setting as part of the NBSAP process
Policy-setting processes vary from country to country and there is no one-size-fits-all approach for revising NBSAPs. However, this
help provides some tips and indication of resources that could be useful for the ABS policy setting.
Engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant stakeholders in the NBSAP revision process
The NBSAP revision process provides for an excellent opportunity for the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, including women, to develop the ABS vision for your country and have ownership of the national target to implement the Global Biodiversity Framework. Furthermore, the engagement and participation of the different stakeholder groups such as business, the research community, women and youth are crucial for a successful implementation. If your country is also a Party to other internationally agreed ABS instruments, you may wish to involve relevant government agencies and appropriate stakeholders involved in the implementation of those treaties.
Many resources are available on successfully managing stakeholder engagement in the NBSAP revision process (see resources on the side).
Support for the development of NBSAPs
Regional NBSAP Dialogues
With generous funding from the Government of Japan, provided through the Japan Biodiversity Fund, and from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union, the Secretariat is supporting the overall organization of a series of regional or subregional dialogues in 2023 and 2024 aimed at facilitating the sharing of experiences and mutual learning related to the revision or updating of national biodiversity strategies and action plans in alignment with the Framework, including by setting and aligning national targets with the Framework. The dialogues are organized at the regional or subregional levels with the support of specific partners and donors identified for each dialogue. An overview of past and upcoming dialogues is available on the
NBSAP webpage of the CBD.
NBSAP Accelerator Partnership
The
NBSAP Accelerator Partnership Project is providing or facilitating access to financial and technical support, including through supporting in-country and regional facilitators to help countries identify their needs and opportunities for accelerating progress, connecting the country needs with dedicated technical or financial support through the match-making service, supporting peer-to-peer learning, and raising the profile of NBSAPs to promote nature-positive action.
Through
notification 2023-124 dated 7 November 2023 and
notification 2023-23 dated 12 December eligible Parties interested in receiving technical support from the Accelerator Partnership to implement their revised NBSAPs were invited to submit an expression of interest. More information is available on the following
NBSAP Accelerator webpage.
GBF Early Action Support Project
Further support for the development of NBSAPs is provided through the
GBF Early Action Support Project funded by the GEF. If you are the ABS National Focal Point in one of the
countries participating in this project, reach out to your
CBD Focal Point and national
GEF Focal Point to find about the status of the project in your country.
Guidance material developed as part of the GBF Early Action Support Project is available on the
project webpage under the tab "documents", including a list of selected knowledge tools and guides that support the alignment of the NBSAP to the GBF.
