The National Biodiversity and Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) is our Vanuatu National strategy that deals with biodiversity status in the islands of Vanuatu. NBSAP allows biodiversity to be mainstreamed into policies, plans and practices, and production sectors.
Vanuatu is a party to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) and signed the convention in 1992, and ratified it in March 1993. Preparing periodic national reports and developing a NBSAP are obligations for countries that are party to the convention. Vanuatu developed its first NBSAP from mid-1997 to year 2000. In November 1999 the NBSAP was endorsed.
Current Status of the revised NBSAP
Mission
The mission of the NBSAP is to:
- Manage and safeguard biological resources through government, provinces and local communities so as to maintain fully our natural and cultural heritage for all Ni-Vanuatu.
- Guide government, provinces, local communities and landholders to sustainable management of Vanuatu's natural resources.
- Ensure that all Ni-Vanuatu, including future generations, are able to benefit from biodiversity and enjoy its use.
- Protect the custom, intellectual and legal rights of Ni-Vanuatu as resource custodians and users.
Some national projects were developed and some outside research carried out in line with the priority actions of the NBSAP. Projects implemented included the Vanuatu Landholders Conservation Initiative Project, focusing on conservation of significant biodiversity and sites on the islands of Gaua, Santo and Tanna; and the Forest and Protected Area Management Project on Gaua’s Lake Letas, Homo Bay on South Pentecost, Lusunuwe Forest on Northwest Malekula and Erromango Kauri Reserve.
Research included the Freshwater Fishes and Crustaceans of Vanuatu study, and the Santo 2006 Global Biodiversity Expedition. Since then, the NBSAP has not been reviewed.
In March 2013 Vanuatu received an enabling fund from GEF through UNEP to review its NBSAP.
Objectives of the NBSAP Review Project
The overarching objective of the NBSAP Review Project is to integrate UNCBD obligations into national planning processes through enabling activities.
The main objectives of the NBSAP Review Project are:
- To assist Vanuatu revise its NBSAP
- To develop the Fifth National Report to the CBD
The revised NBSSAP will give direction to the relevant government sectors, NGOs, private sectors and the local communities on how to better manage and conserve Vanuatu’s biological diversity. The revised NBSAP will also link the country’s environmental priority development areas to the Aichi Biodiversity Targets under the UNCBD to indicate how Vanuatu as the party to the convention is meeting its targets toward biological diversity conservation.
The review of the NBSAP is in line with the following decisions and notifications as illustrated in the Table below:
NBSAP Review in Response to UNCBD Communications
| SCBD Decisions and Notifications | Text | NBSAP Review |
|---|---|---|
| COP Decision X/10-National Reporting | Outlines: Obligations of Parties under Article 26 of UNCBD to submit national reports, and to have an update on implementation of the UNCBD as required under Article 23 Adopts guidelines of the 5NR Decides that the due date for the 5NR is 31.03.2014 Requests the GEF to provide financial support for the preparation of the 5NR | Conception of the NBSAP Review Project by VanGov and its implementation, as of March 2013 |
| Notification for 5th National Report and Revision of NBSAP | - | The NBSAP Review and 5NR proposal responds to the SCBD Notification3 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 |
| AICHI Biodiversity Targets | According to COP DEC X/10 7a), the 5NR should focus on the implementation of the SP for Biodiversity 2011-2020, and progress toward the Aichi Biodiversity Targets | The NBSAP Review aims to ensure that Aichi Biodiversity Targets are included into the updated NBSAP. |
| Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) | - | Most of the 30 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 and MDGs. |
Current Status of the revised NBSAP
The revised NBSAP is currently in draft skeleton form and reflects the outcomes of a number of provincial and national consultation workshops. These consultations have allowed participants from the linking agencies (Stakeholders) right down to the community level to contribute to our understanding of biodiversity and its status and to share their views about how we deal with biodiversity.
Following a final stakeholder workshop, the revised NBSAP will be finalised and submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval.
National Validation Workshop
Sanma Provincial Validation Workshop
Penama Provincial Validation Workshop