Welcome to COP 9

National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs)

At its eighth meeting, in 2006, the Conference of the Parties emphasized the need for enhanced implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and initiated an in-depth review of progress of implementation, and recommended that regional and sub-regional workshops be convened on national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs), and the mainstreaming of biodiversity into broader national strategies and action plans.

Accordingly, a major effort has been undertaken during the current biennium to review the status of NBSAPs and to strengthen their role in implementing the Convention and in mainstreaming biodiversity. As requested by the Conference of the Parties, the Second Meeting of the Working Group on the Review of Implementation of the Convention conducted an in-depth review of the state of NBSAPs and developed consolidated guidance for their development, implementation and updating.

The workshops are part of a wider capacity-building initiative of the Secretariat that also includes short training sessions on the margins of the Convention’s major meetings and the preparation of training materials. The approach has been to build upon the wealth of experience and expertise among CBD focal points and others involved in implementation and to work with partner organizations to provide additional expertise where needed.

Related Side Events

  • “Best practices for Development, Implementation and Evaluation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans – Findings from Regional Workshops on NBSAPs”
    Thursday, 22 May 2008 (13:15 – 14:45) in Saal Schumann, Maritim
    This side event, organized by SCBD, presents a number of cases emerging from recent regional workshops on NBSAPs, which illustrate best practices for development, implementation and evaluation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans. The side event will also launch the brochure entitled “Mainstreaming Biodiversity – Workshops on national biodiversity strategies and action plans”, recently published by SCBD, and contribute to discussions at COP-9 on guidance provided for the development, implementation and evaluation of NBSAPs.

  • "Assessing Progress Towards the 2010 Target – Preparation of the Fourth National Report of CBD”
    Tuesday, 27 May 2008 (13:15 – 14:45) in Salon Hauptmann, Maritim
    A key objective of the fourth national report is to assess implementation of the NBSAP. SCBD, together with UNDP, UNEP and other partners, will deal with this issue as well as introduce the tools developed to assist countries in undertaking national assessment of progress towards the 2010 Target and preparing the fourth national report. A few countries may be invited to share their plans for national assessment and preparing the fourth national report.

  • "Biodiversity for Development Initiative"
    Wednesday, 28 May 2008 (18:00 - 19:00) in the Plenary Room, Maritim
    This initiative will be officially launched during a high-level panel discussion on Biodiversity for Development and Poverty Alleviation. It was recently established by SCBD with the support of the French and German governments as a follow-up to the Conference on Biodiversity in European Development Cooperation (Paris, September 2006) and the last Trondheim/UN Conference on Ecosystems and People – Biodiversity for Development – The Road to 2010 and Beyond (Norway, November 2007). The objectives of this initiative are to promote the integration of biodiversity considerations into sectoral policies or cross-sectoral strategies (e.g. PRSPs or Sustainable Development Strategies) as well as ensure the development dimension in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans.

  • Poster Session
    By Notification 2008-015, Parties were informed of a call for posters for COP-9 on the theme of implementation of NBSAPs and their contribution to the 2010 Biodiversity Target. Click here to view posters, on the same theme, submitted to WGRI-2 in July 2007. These posters will be displayed throughout the Maritim Hotel during COP-9 and will provide an opportunity for Parties and others to share experiences and achievements related to NBSAPs and their implementation -- an issue that has been a key focus of the in-depth review of the implementation of Goals 2 and 3 of the Strategic Plan.

Click here for further information on national biodiversity strategies and action plans.