South Africa s 2nd National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

South Africa s 2nd National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) is the country s response to international commitments under the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). It is a multi-sectoral strategy and plan with national coverage for the period 2015-2025. It identifies the priorities for biodiversity management in South Africa, aligning these with the priorities and targets in the global agenda, as well as national development imperatives. The vision of the NBSAP articulates the long-term goal for the state of biodiversity in the country. Six strategic objectives1 reflect the most pressing issues that the NBSAP seeks to address in support of the vision. Each strategic objective is broken down into a comprehensive set of outcomes, which are the priorities for the strategic objective. Each outcome is then addressed through a number of activities. The NBSAP highlights the importance and contributions of biodiversity to water security and food security.
The NBSAP will integrate biodiversity priorities into key production sector strategies and plans, including for agriculture, mariculture, aquaculture, mining, forestry, water, land reform and rural development, through cooperative approaches. In particular, the NBSAP will seek that the network of protected areas and conservation areas includes a representative sample of ecosystems and species, and is coherent and effectively managed; that species of special concerned are sustainably managed; and that biodiversity conservation support the land reform agenda and socio-economic opportunities for communal land holders. In addition, the NBSAP will seek that biodiversity consideration are mainstreamed into policies, strategies and practices of a range of sectors. It will also seek that people are mobilized to adopt practices that stain long-term benefits of biodiversity, and that conservation and management of biodiverse is improved through the development of an equitable and suitably skilled workforce. Lastly, the NBSAP will seek that effective knowledge foundations, including indigenous knowledge and citizen science, support the management, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The NBSAP will seek that the biodiversity economy is expanded, strengthened and transformed to be more inclusive of the rural poor. It will restore, maintain and secure important ecological infrastructure in a way that contributes to rural development, long=term jobs creation and livelihoods.
The NBSAP will seek that Investments in ecological infrastructure enhance resilience and ensure benefits to society. It will strengthen and monitor management effectiveness in protected areas and conservation areas, with an emphasis on climate change resilience; and develop, fund and implement an implementation plan for ecosystem-based adaptation in the context of climate change adaptation and sustainable development.
The preparation, coordination and monitoring of the NBSAP is led by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). The implementation of the NBSAP will be coordinated and monitored through the existing intergovernmental and sectoral coordination structures. In addition, DEA will convene an annual forum with all role players to review progress towards the implementation of the NBSAP.