UK Sets Out Biodiversity Commitments to Protect Nature

National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans 

In December 2022 at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),196 Parties adopted the GBF. The Framework consists of four goals and 23 targets, with the overall mission of halting and reversing biodiversity loss globally by 2030 to put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of people and planet. 

NBSAPs are essential tools for countries to develop and implement strategies to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. These plans outline national priorities, actions, and commitments to address biodiversity loss, and are required under Article 6 of the CBD. 

The UK’s NBSAP was jointly published by Defra, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs last week and commits the UK to achieving all 23 of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets at home and outlines how its four countries will work together to fully implement each of these, including commitments to: 

• Expand protected areas to at least 30% of the land and seas 
• Reduce pollution from all sources to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity 
• Enhance biodiversity and sustainability in agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry 
• Ensure sustainable, safe and legal harvesting and trade of wild species 

Ruth Davis, the UK’s Special Representative for Nature, said: 

“We need urgent action to address the nature crisis and that means working to halt biodiversity loss both internationally and at home.  

The launch of the NBSAP is a signal of the UK’s commitment to match international co-operation on nature with domestic activity to protect and enhance our natural world. 

We will continue to play our part in achieving our international nature targets, while working with other nations to make a difference across the globe.” 

Resumed COP16 delivers major agreement on biodiversity finance 

The UK’s NBSAP was published as COP16 resumed in Rome, Italy, last week after it was suspended in Colombia last November.  

Over three days, participants focused on unresolved items including biodiversity finance; planning, monitoring, reporting and review; and the monitoring framework to measure progress towards the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Monitoring Framework (GBF). 

Notably, among other key outcomes, Parties agreed on a way forward to close the global biodiversity finance gap and achieve the target of mobilising at least $200bn a year by 2030. 

Commitments to mobilise resources for GBF implementation are set out in the UK’s NBSAP by: 

• Committing to spend at least £3bn of the £11.6bn International Climate Finance pledge on protecting and restoring nature between 2021/22 and 2025/26 
• Delivering ocean initiatives through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund 
• Pledging £330 million to the eighth replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund, and £55 million to operationalise and expand the newly-established GBF Fund 
• Protecting and restoring biodiversity and reducing poverty through the £100 million Biodiverse Landscapes Fund 
• Addressing declines in species and wildlife through the UK flagship challenge funds: including the Darwin Initiative, Darwin Plus, Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund and a new marine focused Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature Grants Programme

Read the UK's NBSAP here