Local Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (LBSAPs) to accelerate actions for biodiversity by local governments

A Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is currently under consideration and will be adopted at the next meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (CBD COP 15). In Japan, discussions are underway to revise the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). Local governments are expected to develop new, or revise existing, Local Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (LBSAPs) under the new NBSAP.

In 2017, the PANCES research team conducted a questionnaire survey on the development and implementation of LBSAPs in 70 municipalities that had already developed them at that time. The team also conducted a similar questionnaire survey of all of the prefectures and case studies represented by PANCES model sites (in Hokkaido, Ishikawa, Niigata, and Okinawa prefectures). In addition, PANCES has produced a number of findings which we expect to be useful for the development, revision, and implementation of LBSAPs. Based on findings from PANCES, this Policy Brief sets out policy recommendations to encourage more municipalities to develop LBSAPs and to help them improve their LBSAPs for better outcomes.