Locations
Consultants and members of the project steering committee for the Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support Project in St. Vincent and the Grenadines touring critical biodiversity hotspots.
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines — Fresh from clinching the 2024 Best Nature Destination title at the World Tourism Awards, St. Vincent and the Grenadines is intensifying efforts to protect its globally recognized biodiversity. The award, announced late last year, underscores the nation’s pristine ecosystems — a legacy now at the heart of a new push to align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).
From March 18-20, 2025, the Sustainable Development Unit in the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture, working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), rolled out a series of biodiversity-focused activities under the Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support Project (GBF EAS Project). Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the initiative is part of a broader international effort to help nations update their biodiversity strategies following the landmark 2022 GBF agreement in Montreal, which set ambitious targets to halt nature loss by 2030.
For St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), the project will support revision of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to meet these global goals. Expected results include new national biodiversity targets, along with action plans for enhanced monitoring systems, stronger policy alignment, and innovative financing mechanisms to sustain biodiversity efforts. The work comes as small island states like SVG increasingly spotlight their role in global conservation, balancing ecological preservation with economic needs.
During the four-day mission, project consultants and some members of the project steering committee toured critical biodiversity hotspots and held consultations with stakeholders from government, civil society, and local communities. The field visits highlighted pressing challenges — like habitat degradation and resource overuse — while showcasing the resilience of SVG’s ecosystems. These visits provided participants with opportunities to engage with local stewards and resource users, offering firsthand insights into the real-world stakes of biodiversity loss.
The mission also included a consultation workshop in Kingstown where technical experts, sectoral and civil society representatives identified priorities for safeguarding nature and fostering sustainable development. The session focused on implementation, from setting measurable goals to securing funds — in keeping with the GBF’s call for actionable, financed plans.
Technical experts, sectoral and civil society representatives participating in a consultation workshop in Kingstown for the Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support Project in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Over the next few months, the project will open more avenues for public input, letting Vincentians shape how the country protects its natural wealth. With the GBF’s 2030 deadline looming, this project could offer a blueprint for how small island developing states can leverage global frameworks to protect nature while sustaining local livelihoods. SVG’s efforts reflect a growing trend among GBF signatories to localise global commitments. The UNDP Multi-Country Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean is supporting six other countries in the region to undertake similar activities.
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org/barbados or follow at @UNDPBarbadosEC.
About the Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support Project
The Global Biodiversity Framework Early Action Support (GBF-EAS) project is designed to mobilise funding and support so that countries can meet the new biodiversity targets. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the GBF-EAS project is working to fast-track readiness and early actions. The project is country-led with joint implementation support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat and the GEF. It provides financial and technical support package that focuses on four components: alignment with national biodiversity strategies and action plans, national monitoring systems, policy and institutional coherence, and biodiversity finance. View the GBF-EAS Project brochure.
