CBD 5th National Report and NBSAP

Objective

With the overarching goal of integrating CBD Obligations into National Planning Processes through Enabling Activities, the main objective of this project is the revision of Barbados’ National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plan (NBSAP) and to develop the Fifth National Report to the CBD. In this project, development of the 5th National Report will be embedded in the consultation process and will not be a stand alone process. The project is further divided into 5 components along the lines of the individual NBSAP that will be supported through this project. Details of the components can be found below.

Fifth National Report

Barbados ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1993 and is therefore committed to implementing the Decisions of the CBD Conference of Parties (COP). Part of these commitments is the submission of its fifth national report to the CBD Secretariat. The preparation of the fifth national report to the CBD will be a key outcome of country activities, but other country-specific products are included particularly a review of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The format of Barbados’ fifth national report will be the same as that adopted for the fourth national report (i.e. concise narrative substantive reporting complemented by tables, figures or graphics).

This project is in conformity and responds to several Decisions of the COP and resultant guidelines as follows:

COP Decision X/10-National Reporting: The project responds to this COP Decision and the resultant specific SCBD document on Guidelines for Fifth National Report is given at the SCBD website.

  1. Notification for 5th National Report and Revision of NBSAPs: The proposal responds to the SCBD Notification to Parties to prepare the 5th National Reports and update the NBSAP of 21-Jan-2011. This notification informs Parties that the deadline for submitting duly completed Fifth National Report to the CBD is 31st March 2014.
  2. AICHI targets: The project will further be in complicity with the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity & Aichi BD Targets for biodiversity as agreed by countries in COP 10.
  3. PRSPs: Most of the 27 LDCs and SIDs have developed their initial PRSPs and later versions of them. Component 3 of this project will articulate how the NBSAP will be integrated into PRSPs.

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP)

National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) are the principal instruments for implementing the Convention at the national level (Article 6). The Convention requires countries to prepare a national biodiversity strategy (or equivalent instrument) and to ensure that this strategy is mainstreamed into the planning and activities of all those sectors whose activities can have an impact (positive and negative) on biodiversity.

COMPONENT 1:  Stocktaking and Assessment:  This component will entail (a) Rapid stocktaking and review of relevant  plans, policies and reports; (b)Identification of stakeholders and raising awareness and (c) Rapid assessment of the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss highlighting the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services and their contribution to Human well-being. Part (a) will be done by national consultants before it is discussed by the stakeholders while parts (b) and (c) will be done in a consultative manner in multi sectoral meetings.

COMPONENT 2:  National Targets, Principles, & Priorities of the Strategy

Before the NBSAP is revised, Barbados will determine our targets and priorities first and taking into account the guiding results from Component 1. Small multi-sectoral committees will do the ground work, which will then be discussed by all stakeholders. This component will be further guided by the instructions given by the CBD COP, based on the many emerging issues which will be updated in the NBSAPs and which will add different dimensions to the consultations. These issues include:

  1. The recently adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity (2011-2020) and its associated goals, the Aichi Targets, and indicators require fresh consultations by countries;
  2. Integration of biodiversity into poverty eradication and development:  It will be necessary to include ways of integrating the NBSAPs into national development and poverty reduction policies and strategies, national accounting, economic sectors and spatial planning processes, MDGs
  3. Human Rights and Indigenous peoples: The LDCs and SIDs have many indigenous groups and so it will be necessary to factor issues on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,3:  .
  4. Gender considerations: -the initial NBSAPs had ignored mainstreaming of gender perspectives into the implementation of the Convention and promote gender equality in achieving its three objectives. This aspect will now be included.

COMPONENT 3:  Strategy and action plan development: Components 3 will entail developing the strategy and actions to implement the agreed targets though national consultations and application of the resultant NBSAP to sub-national entities through sub-national and local consultations. Based on results from stakeholder consultations (including sub national levels) national experts will be used to draft the final Strategy and Action Plan, which will later be moderated and validated by the stakeholders.

COMPONENT 4:  Development of Implementation plans: Once there is a revised draft strategy and action plans – further consultations will be required to develop implementation plans and related activities. Component 4  addresses the supporting systems for the NBSAP process and will have several areas including (a) Development of a plan for capacity development for NBSAP implementation; (b) Technology needs assessment; (c) Development of a communication and outreach strategy for the NBSAP; and  (d) Development of a plan for resource mobilization for NBSAP implementation.

COMPONENT 5:  Institutional, monitoring, reporting and exchange: This component will address establishment/ strengthening of national coordination structures such as Biodiversity Units, CHM development and Development of indicators and monitoring approach. The component will also develop the Fifth National Reports which will be prepared following the guidelines given by the COP and the SCBD. Using the framework for goals and targets adopted by the CBD COP in its Decision 10 and the Guidelines for the Fifth National Report to the CBD, the development of the report will use the data already gathered during consultations for the NBSAP process and from data gathered by various experts. This means the development of the National Report and the revision of the NBSAP is one process but with 2 different products.  A portal to assist the preparation of the 5th National Report  and revision of the NBSAP will be developed by the SCBD and will be constantly updated, permitting also on-line status reporting in real-time to the CBD, the implementing agencies, the GEF, countries and interested audience, as well as allowing countries to exchange experiences. UNEP will assist in facilitating this inter-country knowledge exchange.

Resources