Natural Justice at IDLO Roundtable at WGRI 5 on Legal Preparedness Regarding NBSAPs

On 21 June 2014, IDLO and the CBD Secretariat hosted a Roundtable on Legal Preparedness for Implementing and Mainstreaming National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). The event was designed to raise awareness of legal tools available to assist countries to use law to achieve the Aichi Targets and to allow Parties to share their experiences regarding implementation of their NBSAPs. Several countries shared their experiences, with many noting common themes such as inadequate awareness of legislation relevant to biodiversity; inadequate funding for biodiversity; and the related issue of difficulty with obtaining funds due to cost/benefit analysis that does not adequately capture the value of biodiversity.

Several organizations, including the ABS Capacity Building Initiative, the IUCN, and Natural Justice also gave interventions regarding their work. Jael Makagon highlighted the ICCA Legal Reviews coordinated by Natural Justice in 2012, noting that recognition of and respect for ICCAs is a way of achieving all of the Aichi Targets. While supportive formal law and implementation of law are crucial aspects of conserving and sustainably using biodiversity, achieving the Aichi Targets also needs institutional support as well. One way of doing so is for Parties to recognize and support ICCAs in their NBSAPs.

CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Dias provided closing remarks, noting that while the “political will” of government officials is important, the political will of society is even more important to put pressure on the government to achieve the goals of the CBD. He also highlighted the importance of governments partnering with communities to achieve the Aichi Targets, and hinted that the issue of traditional knowledge, which has been discussed for so many years at WIPO without much progress, will be taken up substantively at this year’s Conference of the Parties.