How can biodiversity strategy and action plans incorporate genetic diversity and align with global commitments?

National, subnational, and supranational entities are creating biodiversity strategy and action plans (BSAPs) to develop concrete commitments and actions to curb biodiversity loss, meet international obligations, and achieve a society in harmony with nature. In light of policymakers’ increasing recognition of genetic diversity in species and ecosystem adaptation and resilience, this article provides an overview of how BSAPs can incorporate species’ genetic diversity. We focus on three areas: setting targets; committing to actions, policies, and programs; and monitoring and reporting. Drawing from 21 recent BSAPs, we provide examples of policies, knowledge, projects, capacity building, and more. We aim to enable and inspire specific and ambitious BSAPs and have put forward 10 key suggestions mapped to the policy cycle. Together, scientists and policymakers can translate high level commitments, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, into concrete nationally relevant targets, actions and policies, and monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

HOBAN Sean;  HVILSOM Christina;  AISSI Abdeldjalil;  ALEIXO Alexandre;  BELANGER Julie;  BIALA Katarzyna;  EKBLOM Robert;  FEDORCA Ancuta;  FUNK Chris;  LORENA GONCALVES Alejandra;  GONZALEZ Andrew;  HEUERTZ Myriam;  HUGHES Alice;  ISHIHAMA Fumiko;  STROIL Belma Kalamujic;  LAIKRE Linda;  MCGOWAN Philip J K;  MILLETTE Katie;  O'BRIEN David;  PAZ-VINAS Ivan;  RINCÓN PARRA Victor;  ROBUCHON Marine;  RODRIQUEZ Jon Paul;  RODRÍGUEZ MORALES Maria;  SEGELBACHER Gernot;  STRAZA Tiffany;  SUSANTI Ruliyana;  TSHIDADA Ntakazeni;  VILAÇA Sibelle;  DA SILVA Jessica; 

2025-05-16

OXFORD UNIV PRESS

JRC138161

0006-3568 (online),   

https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae106,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC138161,   

10.1093/biosci/biae106 (online),