Strategy and Action Plan for Protection of Biological Diversity of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a national cross-sectoral strategy covering the period 2015-2020. The Strategy provides a detailed overview of biological diversity status by 2014 and is the basis for the assessment of the situation in the coming period. The Strategy aims to address the underlying causes of biological diversity loss by mainstreaming biological diversity across government and society, more specifically targeting to increase the public awareness level in the field of biological diversity protection; to integrate biological diversity values into development strategies and strategic plans, with an emphasis on rural development; to reduce negative and increase positive incentives and subsidies in order to conserve biological diversity and to prepare and adopt plans for sustainable production and consumption of natural resources. Further, the Strategy aims to reduce the direct pressures on biological diversity and promote sustainable use by preparing and implementing sustainable management programs for all fishing waters; by preparing and implementing strategies for development of aquaculture and ranching of commercially significant fish species; by certifying all state-owned forests in the country; by establishing and developing a system for sustainable agricultural production, especially organic and integral production, and conservation and breeding of indigenous species; and by establishing a system for treatment of industrial and utility wastewaters and monitoring of pesticide and fertilizer consumption. In addition, the document also plans to improve the state of biological diversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity. The document also provides for enhancing the benefits to all from biological diversity and ecosystem services for which it will map and evaluate the benefits from forest, agricultural and water ecosystems, and strengthen the environmental permit mechanism and supervisory inspection within protected area spaces, areas of special interest and areas from the Natura 2000 ecological network plan; restore 30 strip-mine lakes into wetland habitats; increase the productivity of all categories of forests; preserve the existing area of flood alder and willow forests, and increase the regulated urban green areas by 20%; and prepare the legislation and establish the conditions for ratification and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. Finally, the Strategy also intends to enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management and capacity building for which it will establish centers for preservation and implementation of traditional knowledge and practices, particularly in rural areas of interest; strengthen the role of the scientific research and professional institutions, NGO sector and media including improvement of scientific technologies; prepare and adopt the strategy for mobilization of financial resources for conservation of biological diversity; and establish and strengthen cooperation for improved protection and sustainable use of biological diversity in the countries of the Western Balkans. Four principal plans have been made for the implementation of the Strategy: Communication Plan; Capacity Development Plan; Scientific Technology Development Plan; and Resource Mobilization Plan – all integrated into the document.
Strategy and Action Plan for Protection of Biological Diversity.