On 27 March 2026, the Government of Vanuatu officially launched its revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2026–2030, marking a major milestone in the country’s commitment to protecting its natural heritage and advancing global biodiversity goals. The launch, officiated by Minister of Climate Change, Ralph Regenvanu, alongside Director General of the Ministry of Climate Change, David Gibson, underscores Vanuatu’s leadership in biodiversity action.

At the heart of the strategy is Vanuatu’s vision of biodiversity as a foundation for life, culture, and resilience. This vision is reflected in the foreword to the NBSAP, which states: 

“In Vanuatu, biodiversity is our food, our culture, our tradition, our money, our medicine, our shelter, our protector, and our pride.”

The revised NBSAP reaffirms Vanuatu’s deep commitment to conserve biodiversity, promote sustainable use, and ensure equitable benefit sharing of Nature, aligning with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and its 2050 vision of living in harmony with Nature.

A central ambition of the NBSAP is Vanuatu’s commitment to protect 30% of its land and marine areas by 2030. This target positions the country as a global leader in integrated approaches that connect climate action, ocean conservation, and biodiversity protection from ridge to reef.

The inclusive revision process, led by the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation (DEPC), brought together a wide range of stakeholders across government, civil society, and local communities. National ministries spanning climate change, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, water, and land sectors worked alongside provincial governments across all six provinces, as well as NGOs, private sector actors, and local community representatives.

Through extensive consultations and validation workshops, the process ensured that local voices, traditional knowledge, and community priorities were embedded across the NBSAPs five strategic areas:

1. Conservation of ecosystems, species, and genetic resources
2. Sustainable management and benefit sharing
3. Mainstreaming biodiversity across sectors
4. Resource mobilisation
5. Environmental governance and knowledge management

This inclusive approach reflects a growing global recognition that biodiversity strategies must be both locally grounded and nationally coordinated to be effective.

The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, through its in-country Facilitator, Adrien Moineau, played a supporting role throughout the revision process, contributing to: 

• Whole-of-society (WoS) consultations
• Provincial validation workshops across all provinces
• Drafting and refinement of the NBSAP document

This collaborative effort highlights the importance of coordinated international support in strengthening national biodiversity planning and implementation. By connecting technical expertise with country-led priorities, the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership helps support the implementation of ambitious NBSAPs towards the goals and targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Vanuatu’s NBSAP 2026–2030 goes beyond conservation alone. The robust, inclusive, and forward-looking strategy positions biodiversity as a foundation for broader sustainable development, linking ecosystem protection with food security, sustainable livelihoods, cultural heritage, climate adaptation, and gender inclusion.

As a small island developing state on the frontlines of climate change, Vanuatu continues to advocate for the protection of the “Blue Continent” while demonstrating how integrated approaches can deliver benefits across environmental, social, and economic priorities.

With the launch of its revised NBSAP, Vanuatu has set a clear and ambitious course toward achieving the 2050 vision of living in harmony with nature. Continued collaboration across government, communities, and partners will be essential to translate this strategy into action on the ground.

As countries around the world accelerate efforts to implement the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Vanuatu’s experience offers a compelling example of how inclusive, country-driven processes can shape effective and resilient biodiversity strategies.

Curious about the Facilitator Programme? Learn more about its critical role in accelerating NBSAPs here.