Gabon Sets Course for Sustainable Biodiversity

The Gabon has taken a significant step towards its future, with its new biodiversity strategy document coming into effect. After several days of work, the National Validation Workshop for the 2022-2030 National Strategy and Action Plan for Biodiversity (SPANB) closed in Libreville on Tuesday.

With a goal to protect at least 30% of its territory, this new roadmap is presented as ‘the country’s guiding policy framework to strengthen ecosystem protection and ensure the sustainable management of its exceptional biological heritage.’

The SPANB aims to translate the commitments made by 196 countries at the Kunming-Montréal agreement. In practice, the Gabon will focus on four key priorities by 2030: conserving at least 30% of its land, marine zones and coastlines; restoring degraded ecosystems; reducing threats to biodiversity such as hunting, deforestation, and pollution; and mobilizing sustainable funding for conservation.

The SPANB has been consolidated after incorporating the latest recommendations from stakeholders. It will be transmitted to the Government for final validation before being submitted to the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to officially endorse Gabon’s commitment on the international stage.

However, Mme Tsayi Mouvagha, coordinator of the strategy, emphasizes that the real challenge now lies in spreading awareness about the strategy among administrations, private sector, communities, and civil society to ensure its operational deployment across the entire national territory.

This new direction for Gabon is critical, given its high biodiversity value with 88% forest cover and 13 national parks. The SPANB must balance economic development, resource exploitation, and conservation.

But what about funding? Without a dedicated budget and genuine involvement from local authorities, businesses, and riverine communities, this strategy risks becoming an empty shell.