LEX-FAOC153777

The National Strategy and Action Plan for Biological Diversity in Jamaica 2016-2021 (NBSAP) was prepared as an update to the Strategy and Action Plan prepared in 2003 and includes biodiversity conservation aligned to the Convention on Biological Diversity Achi Targets. It is a sectoral nationwide document integrating biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in both cross-sectoral plans, such as, sustainable development, poverty reduction, gender issues, climate change adaptation/mitigation, trade and international cooperation, and sector-specific plans, such as those developed for agriculture, fisheries, forestry, mining, energy, tourism, transport and others. Strategies and activities have been prioritized for completion within the 5-year time-frame. The updated NBSAP of Jamaica adopted the five Strategic Goals adopted by the new CBD Strategic Plan in 2010 in Nagoya because they are relevant and applicable to the Jamaican environment. The Strategic Goals are as follows: (A) Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across Government and society; (B) Reduce direct pressures on biodiversity loss and promote sustainable use; (C) Improve the status of ecosystems by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity; (D) Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services; and (E) Enhance the implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building. To implement the aforementioned goals, the Government of Jamaica adopted the 20 Aichi targets with minor modifications for relevance to Jamaica and the supporting indicators and timelines for achieving each. To make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable, the Strategy aims at the sustainable management of areas under agriculture, aquaculture and forestry, ensuring conservation of biodiversity and increasing areas where the sustainable practices are used. In particular: (i) maintaining the genetic diversity of cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals, as well as their wild relatives, and developing and implementing strategies for minimizing genetic erosion and safeguarding their genetic diversity; (ii) at least halving the rate of loss of natural habitats, including forests, and where feasible, brought close to zero, and significantly reducing degradation and fragmentation; and (iii) sustainably and legally managing and harvesting all fish, invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants, and applying ecosystem based approaches, so that over-fishing is avoided and recovery plans and measures are in place for all depleted species. In order to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems, the Government, given the explicit links between poverty and negative impacts on biodiversity, proposes: (i) more respect for the traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of local communities relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and their customary use of biological resources, with the full and effective participation of local communities; (ii) restoration and safeguard of ecosystems that provide essential services and contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being, taking into account the needs of women, and local communities and the poor and vulnerable; and (iii) adoption of collaborative efforts and strategies that include building the capacity of vulnerable communities to work as stewards and beneficiaries (including monetary benefits and direct access to resources) of biodiversity resources including genetic resources, tourism and the sustainable harvest of forest products. For increasing the resilience of livelihoods to disasters, the actions proposed be the Strategy aim at: (i) enhancing through conservation and restoration ecosystem resilience and the contribution of biodiversity to carbon stocks, including restoration of at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems, to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation and to combat desertification; and (ii) minimizing the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on the coral reefs and other vulnerable ecosystems , so as to maintain their integrity and functioning. As for the Governance, by the 2021 legislation and policies relating to conservation and protection of biodiversity will be updated and Regulations to incentivize sustainable agricultural and forestry practices will be adopted.