National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) were the focus of a day-long event during the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference, which included presentations, interactive dialogues, and roundtables, with an emphasis on shared experiences and active engagement. More than 300 stakeholders participated in NBSAP Day, which was aimed at advancing implementation of NBSAPs.

Participants emphasized the need for whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and genuine stakeholder consultations and engagement with women, Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs), farmers, academia, and youth. One speaker said the road to implementation of NBSAPs must go through genuine engagement to bring legitimacy to the plans. Regarding progress on national goals and targets and NBSAPs, the event underscored that 100 national targets have been established and 35 NBSAPs completed.

The event saw the launch of the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, which has such innovations as a Facilitator Programme for enhancing biodiversity action and multi-stakeholder coordination, and a Matchmaking Mechanism, which will connect biodiversity needs with financial, technical, and knowledge resources.

During a series of presentations, participants focused on ways to overcome obstacles to achieving mainstreaming biodiversity and nature through economic sectors, political agendas, and societal values. Speakers from Madagascar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Peru, Brazil, and Tunisia shared their experiences, each highlighting the importance of whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.

Several roundtables focused on: finance, nature, and climate linkages; human rights approaches; agriculture and food systems; and peace with nature.

Representatives of regional and subregional technical and scientific support centers (TSCs) highlighted challenges and experiences related to implementing national monitoring frameworks, and the potential role of TSCs in supporting implementation of NBSAPs.

Other panels focused on the integration of traditional knowledge and other knowledge into monitoring systems, and programmes, tools, and services that support NBSAP progress, including the GBF Early Action Support Project and the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN).

The event was organized by the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Early Action Support Project, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), the German development agency (GIZ), the CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains, the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat.