Mainstreaming Conservation into Policies, Plans and Legal Frameworks

Cedric Schuster

WWF-South Pacific Program

What is mainstreaming Mainstreaming conservation is the

internalisation of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity as an integral component of national and community development – Legislation and budgets endorsed

through parliaments– National Development Plans, Policies,

Programmes– National Budgets and Aid Programmes– Private Sector Actions– Community Plans and decision-making

Examples of Mainstreaming at the Government Level

National Sustainable Development Plan: FSM

National Environment or Sustainable Development legislation: Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, etc..

National Tourism Plan: Samoa, Fiji Vanuatu Cultural Policy National Biodiversity, Marine, Water,

and Forest Policies: Samoa NBSAP’s (FSM, Niue, Vanuatu, RMI,

Samoa, Fiji, Kiribati, Cook Islands

Critical Issues for Mainstreaming Information

– Generating the right information and making it available to the right audience at the right time

Capacity– Political and traditional leaders, civil servants and civil

society capacity build to deal with conservation issues Finances

– Availability of mechanisms to access and generate funding for conservation

Network– Network available to facilitate collaboration and

coordination of activities Willingness to Act

– Political, community and individual

Conservation Issues– Species Conservation– Habitat conservation– Cultural Conservation

Tools– Protected areas – Species protection – Biosecurity management – Ex-situ protection – Environmental Assessments and Monitoring– Economics Instruments– Environmental Education and awareness– International Agreements

Target Audience Government.

– Parliament and Cabinet – The National Planning, Finance and Foreign Affairs– Line Ministries

External Influences: Aid Donors, Tourists, Researchers

Private Sector: Exporters Communities: Traditional leaders, Village/tribal

councils, women's and youth groups Schools Religious Groups NGO’s: environmental, gender, human rights and

development NGO’s

Triggers and Drivers Mainstreaming does not happen automatically,

it is usually initiated and driven by something or someone. Pacific examples– Natural occurrences:– Concerned Leaders : – Concerned Civil Servants:– Concerned Citizens:– International commitment:– Outside pressures: – Availability of resources:

NBSAP’s in the Pacific

Information: – Public awareness materials– Public forums– Technical reports

Financial Resources: GEF and Governments

Network: Multistakeholder planning and implementation teams

Capacity: FSM, Cook Islands, RMI, Vanuatu, and Samoa

Issues for Consideration

Regional and International Level– Policies to support mainstreaming actions

at the national level, – Coordination and technical support – International mechanisms supporting

mainstreaming National and Local Actions

– Getting the right audience to act