Flagship species can serve as powerful catalysts for advancing multiple environmental commitments. As recognized in the Lima Declaration at the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, cooperation around species such as the jaguar (Panthera onca) offers an opportunity to bridge biodiversity, ecosystem restoration and climate agendas through a common conservation vision.

The jaguar is both a flagship and umbrella species whose conservation generates far-reaching benefits for biodiversity, ecosystem connectivity, climate mitigation, and resilience, as well as for the livelihoods of indigenous peoples and local communities across the Americas. Protecting jaguar landscapes conserves extensive forests, wetlands, and wildlife corridors that sustain thousands of species and critical ecosystem services. The Jaguar 2030 Roadmap and the recently endorsed Regional Action Plan for Jaguar Conservation reflect strong commitment and collaboration among jaguar range states to advance coordinated, transboundary conservation action.

This side event will highlight how jaguar landscape conservation contributes to implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Goal A, Targets 1, 2, 3, 4, and 19 on spatial planning, restoration, area-based conservation, species recovery, and resource mobilization. The event will also explore how monitoring the functional roles of jaguars, in addition to abundance, can fill a known gap in measuring progress on ecological recovery and be integrated into national reporting using existing capacity and infrastructure. This experience can serve as a model for achieving broader conservation goals through other flagship species.

The side event will:

• Facilitate the sharing of country experiences, lessons learned and practical approaches in supporting the conservation of jaguar landscapes and more broadly, integrating wildlife considerations into national and sectoral policies, planning and budgeting (Goal A; Targets 1, 2, 3, 4);
• Identify opportunities to mobilize sustainable finance at scale for jaguar landscapes and for other flagship species (Target 19);
• Provide a platform to discuss priorities for implementing the Regional Action Plan and to strengthen regional cooperation – including how transboundary coordination can support national GBF implementation (NBSAPs);
• Showcase a tiered, performance-based monitoring approach in development that Parties can use to measure ecological recovery.

The in-person side event will feature a moderated panel discussion and an interactive exchange with participants. Invited panelists are expected to include representatives from Brazil (confirmed), Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico (TBC).