Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Burundi’s ecosys- tems cover a total area of 27,834 km 2 and encompass more than 4,555 known species [ ] 71 Raising awareness of diversity risks To implement these strategies, several interventions have been carried out, including those relating to Aichi’s first objective and UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 15. For example, several studies have been conducted to identify the state of biodiversity and to assess the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, highlighting the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services and their contribution to human wellbeing. Several documents have been pro- duced and awareness-raising actions have been carried out for stakeholders in the implementation of the Nagoya protocol and the preservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems. Papers from studies on issues or threats to biodiversity and the chal- lenges of the Nagoya protocol have been developed and awareness-rais- ing actions for different target audi- ences have been conducted. Thus, in response to the first na- tional objective that corresponds to Aichi’s first objective that states: “By 2017, all stakeholders, including de- cision-makers, local and indigenous communities, are aware of the value of diversity risks and infused with the measures and practices that they must take to preserve and use it durably”, awareness materials have been devel- oped and awareness-raising work- shops have been organized for target groups including decision makers, and local indigenous communities. Burundi has adopted its aware- ness-raising approach in four phases: • The identification of relevant issues or threats to biodiversity • Conducting studies to improve knowledge and deepen targeted issues or root causes of targeted threats, identify target groups, and establish evaluation indicators • Build awareness tools • Organize awareness workshops by target group. Three areas of awareness have been targeted, namely the: • Protection of biodiversity • Conservation of protected areas • Challenges of the Nagoya protocol and of the identified target groups, including decision-makers, re- searchers and local and indigenous communities, including practition- ers and local government. Sunset over Burundi Burundi F ollowing the ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity on 15 April 1997, Burundi established its first biodiversity strategy and Action Plan (SNPA-DB) in 2000. Since the development of SNPA-DB, one interim report and five national reports — each on the Nagoya protocol of access and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the sustainable use of genetic resources — have been produced and submitted to Conference of the Parties at the CBD. In its latest report, Burundi highlighted the important reasons for the need to revise its national biodiversity strategy. The process of its revision began in May 2012 and resulted in the new National Strategy and Action Plan on Biodiversity 2013–2020. Torsten Pursche