IUCN’s Global Species Action Plan to guide global efforts to halt biodiversity loss

Global Species Action Plan

“Our ability to curb biodiversity loss hinges on our collective resolve to act for species. The Global Species Action Plan provides the first comprehensive roadmap by which all of society can take the critical actions needed to protect our planet’s species and revive what we have lost,” said Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Acting Director General.

Introduction

The Global Species Action Plan will guide countries as they plan their actions to achieve the Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal last year. Countries are required to submit their national biodiversity strategies and action plans, showing how they plan to help meet the Framework goals, before the next UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in 2024. The Plan provides guidance on the actions that governments, businesses, non-governmental organisations, academic institutions, Indigenous people and local communities can take to contribute towards achieving the targets, alongside the tools and resources available to support efforts.

Actions for Conservation

The Global Species Action Plan is a guide to the actions needed to conserve animals, fungi and plants, for example through including species data in spatial planning, and allowing animals to migrate through wildlife corridors. The Plan also highlights the importance of sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and forestry, as well as the need to minimise the impact of climate change through mitigation and adaptation. It also covers ways to reduce harmful subsidies, the impact of production and the supply chain, pollution and food waste.

Importance of Funding

“Species conservation works, but we need to significantly scale up action to address the dual crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change. We urge the global community to substantially increase funding allocations for species recovery as a matter of priority. The Global Species Action Plan will be a key tool for Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to use for species conservation, with IUCN’s support,” said Dao Nguyen, Senior Programme Manager for Species Conservation Action at IUCN.

Biodiversity Loss and the Global Biodiversity Framework

With 28% of all species assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species at risk of extinction, urgent action to protect and restore species’ populations will be fundamental to halt biodiversity loss in line with the Global Biodiversity Framework. Recognising this, IUCN developed the Global Species Action Plan with IUCN members, commissions and partners in response to the 2019 Abu Dhabi Call for Global Species Conservation Action.

Partnerships and Funding

In August of this year, IUCN welcomed the establishment of the Global Environment Facility’s new Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, which was announced last month with a commitment from all GEF member countries to enhance funding and programming for conservation.

Future Developments

In 2024, the Global Species Action Plan will be accompanied by an open access online knowledge platform, providing tools and resources to support all stakeholders to undertake conservation action.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 15: Life on Land
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The article discusses the Global Species Action Plan, which aims to protect and revive species and halt biodiversity loss. This aligns with SDG 15, which focuses on conserving and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity. The article also mentions the importance of mitigating and adapting to climate change, which is connected to SDG 13. Additionally, sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, and forestry are highlighted, linking to SDG 2. Lastly, the article emphasizes the need to reduce harmful subsidies, production impact, supply chain impact, pollution, and food waste, which are all relevant to SDG 12.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• Target 2.4: Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production.
• Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.

The article highlights the need to take urgent action to protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species, aligning with Target 15.5. It also emphasizes the integration of climate change measures into national policies and planning, which relates to Target 13.2. The importance of sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices is mentioned, connecting to Target 2.4. Lastly, the article mentions the need to reduce the release of pollutants to minimize their adverse impacts, which corresponds to Target 12.4.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index
• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• Indicator 2.4.1: Proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture.
• Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international agreements on hazardous waste.

The article mentions that 28% of all species assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are at risk of extinction. This indicates that the Red List Index (Indicator 15.5.1) can be used to measure progress towards Target 15.5. The integration of climate change measures into national policies and planning (Indicator 13.2.1) can be measured by tracking the number of countries that have implemented such measures. The proportion of agricultural area under productive and sustainable agriculture (Indicator 2.4.1) can be used to assess progress towards Target 2.4. The number of parties to international agreements on hazardous waste (Indicator 12.4.1) can be measured to monitor progress towards Target 12.4.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: iucn.org

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