The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting Turkmenistan in updating its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) under a global initiative aimed at strengthening biodiversity governance and aligning national policies with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The initiative is implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Its main objective is to help the country improve conservation planning, strengthen implementation mechanisms, and prepare its Seventh National Report under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
As part of the process, a series of regional workshops were conducted across Turkmenistan’s administrative regions to gather input from government institutions, scientific experts, local authorities, protected area managers, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations. These consultations focused on reviewing national biodiversity targets for the period 2026–2030 and ensuring their alignment with global biodiversity goals, including ecosystem protection, sustainable resource use, and improved environmental monitoring systems.
The discussions also emphasized the importance of incorporating international environmental agreements such as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing into national biodiversity planning. Stakeholders contributed feedback on strengthening biodiversity monitoring, improving data collection systems, and enhancing coordination between institutions responsible for environmental protection and sustainable development.
A key focus of the updated strategy is to improve the effectiveness of national biodiversity conservation efforts while ensuring that policies reflect both local ecological conditions and global environmental commitments. The updated plan is expected to support more structured conservation actions, including better management of protected areas, improved ecosystem protection, and integration of biodiversity considerations into broader development planning.
Overall, the initiative reflects Turkmenistan’s commitment to strengthening its environmental governance framework with UNDP support, ensuring that biodiversity conservation is integrated into long-term national development strategies. The updated strategy is also expected to improve access to international cooperation, technical assistance, and funding mechanisms that support sustainable environmental management and global biodiversity protection efforts.
