This document discusses key moments in the history of sustainability and biodiversity conservation efforts. It outlines major UN conferences and agreements from the 1970s to present day that have aimed to promote sustainable development, environmental protection, and the establishment of sustainable development goals. These international efforts reflect an increased awareness of environmental issues and the need for policies and practices that chart a pathway towards long-term sustainability and resilience at both the global and national levels.

1. Charting Pathways for National Biodiversity
Conservation and Sustainable
Development
Jamison Ervin, UNDP

2. Hot Moments in History
1960s: The decade of environmental awareness

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Hot Moments in History
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Number of U.S. Environmental Acts
y 1990
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1970s: The decade of environmental policy
y 1996
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y 2000

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Hot Moments in History
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International Environmental Treaties
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1980s -1990s: The decade of international treaties
y 1999

5. Hot Moments in Sustainable Development
• 1972: UN Conference on the Human Environment
• 1982: World Charter for Nature
• 1983: World Commission on Environment and Development
• 1992: Agenda 21
• 1993: Commission on Sustainable Development
• 2002: World Summit on Sustainable Development
• 2005: World Summit on Millennium Development Goals
• 2012: Rio+ 20
• 2015: Sustainable Development Goals

6. Defining the future we want
• Rio+ 20: Reaffirming 3 pillars: human
rights, equality and sustainability
• “The Future We Want”: inclusive
social and economic development,
environmental sustainability,
peace and security
• Post 2015 SDGs:
national sustainable
development goals

7. Emerging Priorities for SDGs
• Poverty eradication
• Equity and equality
• Peace and security
• Food security
• Sustainable natural
resource use
• Empowerment of the
poor, of civil society
• Economic
transformation

8. Emerging priorities for
UNDP’s Strategic Plan: 2014 - 2017
• Inclusive and sustainable
growth paths
• Management of key
productive resources and
services
• Voice, participation and
accountability
• Justice and the rule of law
• Disaster risk reduction
and disaster recovery

9. The Future We Want: Stark Choices
Global wellbeing Abundance Vital and resilient
and justice and security natural world
Global poverty Scarcity and Natural world on
and inequity vulnerability brink of collapse

10. We can chart a pathway at the national level…

11. …by changing the national development trajectory

12. The development trajectory
Awareness of
value of nature
Practices Outcomes
Policies

13. 1. Awareness – of the current trajectory
Fisheries Water Climate change
collapse shortages impacts
Food insecurity Ecosystem Poverty and
and instability services declines inequity

14. And awareness – of the value of nature
To productive To water To climate
fisheries supplies resilience
To food security To ecosystem To local livelihoods
and stability services and economies

15. 2. Sustainable Policies
Natural boundaries Biological Ecological
and limits trophic systems footprint
National plans Subsidies and National
and budgets incentives accounting

16. 3. Practices – Business as Usual
Tourism Forestry Agriculture
Fisheries Energy Water

17. 3. Practices – Sustainable Management
Tourism Forestry Agriculture
Fisheries Energy Water

18. 4. Outcomes and results
• Productive fisheries
• Productive agriculture
• Water security
• Food security
• Secure livelihoods and jobs
• Climate-resilient
communities
• Sustainable economic
growth
• Thriving ecosystems

19. Development Trajectory – Vicious Cycle
Low awareness
of values
Negative
Poor outcomes
policies
Unsustainable
practices

20. Development Trajectory – Virtuous Cycle
High awareness
of values
Positive
Effective outcomes
policies
Sustainable
practices

21. UNDP’s Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Strategic Plan
3 Signature Programs:
• Mainstreaming
• Protected areas
• Restoration

22. UNDP’s Ecosystem and Biodiversity
Strategic Plan
Finance – finance gap
Policy– NBSAP assessments, policy
direct support, environment, resource
NBSAP Forum mobilization
Capacity –
Equator
Initiative, BES-
Net portal,
resilience
toolkit

23. Convention on Biological Diversity’s
2011- 2020 Strategic Plan
• Address the underlying causes
of biodiversity loss
• Reduce pressures on
biodiversity and promote
sustainable use
• Safeguard ecosystems, species
and genetic diversity
• Enhance benefits to all
• Promote participatory
planning, knowledge
management and capacity
building

24. Aichi Targets
Understand Reduce Enhance
values pollution resilience
Mainstream Reduce Implement
biodiversity invasive spp. Nagoya Prot.
Address Minimize Revise
incentives reef loss NBSAPs
Sustainable Protected Respect and
production areas conserve TK
Halve rate of Prevent Improve
loss extinctions knowledge
Sustainable Conserve Mobilize
fisheries gene pool resources
Manage Restore
within limits ecosystems

25. Aichi Targets
Understand Reduce Enhance
values pollution resilience
Mainstream Reduce Implement
biodiversity invasive spp. Nagoya Prot.
Address Minimize Revise
incentives reef loss NBSAPs
Sustainable Protected Respect and
production areas conserve TK
Halve rate of Prevent Improve
loss extinctions knowledge
Sustainable Conserve Mobilize
fisheries gene pool resources
Manage Restore
within limits ecosystems

26. Aichi Targets – 3 cross-cutting strategies
PROTECTION RESTORATION MAINSTREAMING

27. CBD’s Strategic Plan: NBSAPs
National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans

28. UNDP’s portfolio of NBSAPs

29. The NBSAP Forum is
• A partnership between
CBD, UNDP and UNEP
• A one-stop shop to
find information
• A place to exchange
best practices and
learning
• A global community of
practice
• A peer review center

30. • Connect with
experts,
members
• National and
regional
NBSAP pages
• Help desk
• Peer review
center
• E-learning
center
• Quick guides

31. NBSAPs: A tool to change
the development trajectory
High
Identifies key awareness Fosters
policies linkages
Positive
Effective outcomes
policies
Identifies key Highlights
practices benefits
Sustainable
practices

32. NBSAPs & SDGs – Making the Connection
• Ensure that NBSAPs
inform SDGs
• Promote a virtuous
cycle; transformative
approach
• Promote awareness of
values, effective
policies, and
sustainable practices

33. Hot Moments in History
NBSAPs developed NBSAPs implemented
SDG consultation SDGs implemented
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
2010-2020: The decade of trajectory change