Update of the National Biodiversity Strategy
The last version of the Strategy
The Biodiversity 2020, Update of Belgium’s National Strategy was adopted by the Interministerial Conference for the Environment on 13 of November 2013. To comply with the European and international commitments, the objectives of the strategy integrated elements from the European Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The strategy spells out a range of 15 priority strategic objectives and 85 operational to guide the development of actions by the competent regional and federal authorities. This updated strategy was established for an eight-year period (2013-2020). the update of the strategy was undertaken and reviewed by the Federal Government and the three Regions of Belgium (Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia).
The Biodiversity 2020, Update of Belgium’s National Strategy publication is available only in electronic version and can be downloaded in various languages from that page. The text is available in English, French, Dutch and German.
Update of Belgian Biodiversity Strategy 2030
Following the new European Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 and the adoption of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the Conference of the Parties in Montreal in December 2022, the Interministerial Conference for the Environment decided to update the Belgium’s national strategy to align our objectives for the coming decade.
The update will be undertaken by a contact group established under the Steering Group on CBD. This contact group will be composed of representatives of the 4 governments and coordinated by the CBD National Focal Point. |
The update process of the national biodiversity includes different steps:
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February - March 2023: The approval of ICE to engage the NBS update |
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March 2023: The establishment of the contact group. |
April 2023 - April 2024: Work of the contact group on the strategy substance. The CG will meet several times to propose an updated version of the NBS. | |
April 2024 - June 2024: Translation of the NBS in 3 Belgian national languages. | |
June 2024 - September 2024: Public consultation. The idea is to integrate stakeholders' views within the NBS update and to create a dialogue. | |
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End of 2024: Approval of the NBS updated version by the ICE. |
The update of the National Biodiversity Strategy is the first step in a long process. The action plans are also keys and need to be developed to further implement the national biodiversity objectives.
Furthermore, the updated NBS should be mainstreamed into the planning and activities of all those sectors whose activities are dependent or can have an impact on biodiversity. The active participation of not only the environment community but all relevant actors (local, regional, federal authorities, the Communities, the Provinces, the business sectors, the scientific institutions, non-governmental organisations, ...) will be crucial for the future.