Belarus’s Biodiversity Strategy Aligns with Major Global Nature Goals — But Challenges Persist FEB 6, 2026

Photo by Margaret Polinder on Unsplash (Illustrative photo of a wild garden)

Belarus’s Biodiversity Strategy Aligns with Major Global Nature Goals — But Challenges Persist

Belarus has approved a national biodiversity conservation strategy and action plan for 2026–2030 with ambitious goals — such as expanding protected natural areas, restoring degraded ecosystems, and strengthening the genetic diversity of wild and domesticated species. The initiative was formalized by a Council of Ministers resolution signed by Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin and will take effect immediately, involving multiple government sectors in the country.

This strategy marks an important step in Belarus’s environmental policy and also connects directly to broader international commitments to address the accelerated loss of biodiversity on the planet.

International Biodiversity Targets by 2030

In December 2022, almost all countries in the world adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) during the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) — often described as the “Paris Agreement for Nature”.

The core targets of this agreement include, by 2030:

Conserve and effectively manage at least 30% of the Earth’s terrestrial, marine, coastal, and inland water areas, with special attention to areas of biological importance, while maintaining ecological representativeness and interconnections between biomes.

Restore at least 30% of degraded ecosystems on land and at sea, as a way to recover essential ecosystem functions and services.

Reduce the loss of areas of high biodiversity importance, protecting ecosystems of high integrity.

These global ambitions reflect the understanding — supported by environmental scientists — that significant conservation and restoration goals are essential to avoid the sixth mass extinction of species and to protect the nature services on which humanity depends.

How Belarus' Strategy Connects to the Global Framework

The main objectives of the Belarusian plan — such as restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems and raising areas under environmental protection to above 9% and 22% of the territory under different protection categories — follow the spirit of international goals, although with its own levels defined by the local government (lower than the global 30% for protected areas) reflecting national priorities and capacities.

Belarus' emphasis on expanding specially protected zones, maintaining the integrity and connectivity of natural habitats, and preserving genetic diversity among plants and animals also echoes international biodiversity conservation directives. All these axes are aligned with the expected results of the GBF and concrete actions to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

The Challenges of Global Implementation

Although the 2022 international agreement established ambitious goals, recent analyses point to significant challenges: more than half of the countries have not yet submitted complete plans that include clear targets for protecting 30% of land and water by 2030, and others set less stringent targets or are lacking in their commitments. This has been a subject of debate in successive sessions of the CBD.

This complex scenario highlights that, despite Belarus and other nations approving robust national policies, the effective implementation of global ambitions will depend on resources, governance, monitoring, and continued international cooperation — especially in countries with less technical or financial capacity.

Why This Matters for Global Conservation

The connectivity between national commitments and multilateral goals is more than diplomatic rhetoric: it directly influences the protection of essential ecosystem services such as water quality, pollination, pest control, and carbon sequestration—critical elements for food security, climate resilience, and human well-being.

By contextualizing the actions of countries like Belarus within the broader scope of the GBF and global biodiversity goals, it becomes clear that national strategies do not exist in isolation: they are integral parts of a collective effort to curb species loss and restore natural systems across the Earth.

The Green Amazon News – International

This text was compiled using public data, scientific reports, and information from meteorological institutions.

The Green Amazon News — All rights reserved.