Revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2015-2025.

This National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for the period 2015-2025 is a ten-year nationwide sectoral document that follows and completes the first NBSAP, meant to function as the principal instrument for implementing the CBD at the national level, setting objectives and functioned to provide direction to biodiversity management across sectors, in addition to supporting coordination of activities across sectors. This revised NBSAP targets strategic areas for improvement identified through national consultations with stakeholders and subject area experts, review of strategic plans, comparative review of existing environmental policy instruments.
The aim of this revised NBSAP is to encourage, guide and coordinate an integrated national process that will engage stakeholders across sectors (government, private sector, non-government, and civil society agencies, organizations and industries) to achieve the holistic conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity while protecting and enhancing economic opportunity, sustainability of livelihoods, food security, culture and the environment for present and future generations. The policy focuses on several key strategic areas, namely (i) Protected/Managed Areas to promote biodiversity conservation by strengthening and expanding the Protected Areas Network (PAN), which will increase the quality and total area of habitat available in which species can live; (ii) Species Protection to improve understanding of conservation needs for species present in Palau, and create strategies to identify and protect high priority species from extinction; (iii) Bio-security/Invasive Species and Bio-safety to improve bio-security in support of the Cartagena Protocol, improve public outreach and coordinate bio-security activities, and mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species already present in Palau; (iv) Integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into development policies through an improvement of access to the benefits of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity as a tool to improve support of conservation initiatives; (v) Reducing direct pressures on biodiversity through sustainable use, developing guidelines and establishing standards for sustainable practices for important business and food production activities; (vi) Ensuring food security through maintenance of agricultural biodiversity, identifying and preserving locally important agricultural species and varietals; and (vii) Mainstreaming conservation to bring awareness of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources into the mainstream of all sectors.
To make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, the NBSAP proposed interventions are (i) conserve and manage in a sustainable manner Palau’s agro-biodiversity for the benefit of present and future generations; (ii) establish guidelines for the sustainable utilization of terrestrial wildlife and plants (hunting, harvesting, marketing, etc.); (iii) develop an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries; (iv) establish guidelines and standards to ensure sustainable aquaculture, agriculture and forestry development and management; and (v) establish sustainable management frameworks for fisheries at the local and national levels.
More inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems will be enabled through (i) the development of mechanisms to allow for citizen input into PAN management activities, decision making (citizen science measures), and monitoring process; (ii) sustainable industry cooperatives and/or associations for individuals and businesses engaged in use of biological resources; and (iii) strengthened local capacity to participate effectively in regional and international conventions and organizations related to biodiversity conservation.
As for the Governance, the NBSAP needs to be regularly reviewed and updated by the Office of Environmental Response and Coordination (OERC) - the executing agency -, and the steering Committee to ensure strategic direction and implementation of work is being achieved. Resource user input should also be considered in order to ensure that the needs of key users are taken into account. Communication should be established at least 3-4 times per year, coinciding with the schedule of the steering Committee meetings when members should review and discuss outreach plans and their specific communication commitments for any given period in addition to NBSAP activities. Newsletters and other publications developed by implementing partners should be made available to the steering committee and members in order to provide them with opportunity to be aware and up-to-date with NBSAP implementation.