Abstract:

Background & Aims: Developing a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) is an important implementation mechanism under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. To maintain consistency with the global targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and provide an updated guidance to domestic conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, China officially released the China National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2023‒2030) (China’s updated NBSAP) in January 2024, which is one of the first parties to submit an update in accordance with the KMGBF. We compared the action-oriented targets of China’s updated NBSAP and the KMGBF to understand their synergies and differences. Based on the core elements of global targets, the degree of synergy between the two is divided into four categories, according to the coverage of core elements. 

Findings: This paper reveals that the China’s updated NBSAP aligns strategically with the KMGBF, however China has adapted its approach by proposing phased objectives and guiding principles tailored to its national context. At the action level, both documents demonstrate high overall synergy in their targets, though differences emerge in quantitative benchmarks, priority-setting, action pathways, and core elements. The alignment between the China’s updated NBSAP and the KMGBF can enhance China’s biodiversity governance system and foster international convergence in biodiversity practices. While their disparities highlight gaps in China’s current governance framework, they also offer globally relevant insights. Notably, the “ecological product value realization” initiative exemplifies China’s innovative approach to reconciling conservation and development. By establishing a system to quantify and trade the diverse services and products derived from biodiversity, this mechanism incentivizes sustainable natural resource use by markets and businesses, channels funding toward conservation, and advances biodiversity mainstreaming in economic systems—presenting a unique solution. Building on this analysis, the paper proposes recommendations to optimize the implementation of China’s updated NBSAP, aiming to support both domestic execution and the global review process of the KMGBF’s progress.

Key words: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, ecological product value realization, global biodiversity governance