Many of the national biodiversity plans that have been submitted in time for COP16 do not go far enough, WWF said on Monday following the launch of a tracker tool.
WWF’s tracker found many of the few National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) that have been published are lacking across topics of whole-government participation, human rights, and tracking.
“The majority of countries are not fully honouring their commitments to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030,” WWF said.
“WWF has serious concerns about the low number of submissions to date, and with the quality of those that have been submitted.”
Almost two years ago, under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, countries pledged to revise their NBSAPs by COP16 in Cali, Colombia – which starts in three weeks.
Just over 20 revised NBSAPs have been submitted out of 196 participating regions, from countries such as China, Spain, and Afghanistan.
Many plans have not included clear ways of measuring progress, leading to a potential lack of accountability during implementation – similar to the failures of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of 2011-20, WWF said.
A major issue is the lack of effective engagement across all government sectors.
Without full government participation, the plans may not have the political support necessary over the next five years, particularly in redirecting the $500 billion in harmful nature subsidies countries have pledged to reduce over the next five years, WWF said.
The tracker assesses countries over 60 data points to produce a percentage grade across five key areas.
For example, China received this assessment, at time of publication:
- Ambition: 75%
- Whole-of-society and government approach: 67%
- Implementation means: 67%
- Human rights-based approach: 50%
- Tracking progress and accelerating over time: 73%
Four countries received 0% for their human rights-based approach: Cuba, Hungary, Spain, and Luxembourg. Sixteen NBSAPs assessments are currently on the tracker, with others to follow.
WWF hopes the NBSAP Tracker will make biodiversity policy accessible to policymakers, businesses, and citizens, said Lin Li, senior director for global policy and advocacy at WWF.
“It’s promising to see, at least on paper, that the principles of inclusive conservation that the agreement was forged in are remaining at the heart of the framework during implementation at the national level,” said Li.
“Crucial to this, however, is also addressing the drivers of biodiversity loss, eliminating overconsumption, and reforming the damaging business and finance models that we know are eroding the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities,” said Li.
Earlier this month, Colombia said it would present its NBSAP at COP16, and Malta published its plan in full. Norway released its plan on Friday, with some environmentalists calling it “scandalous”.
By Thomas Cox – t.cox@carbon-pulse.com
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