This national strategy establishes a shared vision and roadmap for halting and reversing biodiversity loss in Canada, laying the groundwork for transformative change. These six pillars ensure that the path to 2030 is inclusive, adaptable, and evidence-based:
- Recognizing, upholding, and implementing the rights of Indigenous Peoples and advancing reconciliation, as Indigenous Peoples are the original caretakers of the lands, waters, and ice.
- Ensuring a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach to create policy coherence and draw on the strengths of every segment of society to build and deliver the solutions we need.
- Supporting a resilient economy and improving efficiency and certainty, as our prosperity is inherently linked to a healthy environment.
- Empowering on-the-ground action by reflecting regional differences, supporting communities, and adopting flexible community-based approaches.
- Using the best available science and knowledge, incorporating new insights, sharing information, and giving equal weight to western science and Indigenous Knowledge.
- Applying integrated, holistic approaches to ensure our actions are inclusive and transparent.
The strategy addresses all 23 of Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets - including Target 8 on minimising the impact of climate change and increasing the climate resilience of biodiversity - and builds on historic recent investments of more than $12B since 2018 in conservation, ecosystem restoration, species protection, and natural climate solutions. In relation to target 8, Canada will mitigate by reducing greenhouse gas emissions economy wide; implementing nature-based solutions; supporting ecosystem-based approaches; and advancing science and knowledge. Canada will adapt by implementing natural climate solutions; advancing science and knowledge; and developing tools and capacity. Canada will also consider cliamte change and biodiversity effects in decision-making, and foster positive impacts of climate action.
The federal government may also explore additional opportunities, including:
- Advancing new and innovative solutions that address the nexus between climate change and biodiversity loss.
- Developing an Ocean Climate Action Plan, which could include the use of climate information in decision making.
- Enhancing our understanding of the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity in Canada's oceans, developing risk management and adaptation approaches, and gaining a better understanding of the carbon sequestration potential of our oceans.
- Addressing knowledge gaps to support positive biodiversity conservation outcomes from boreal wildfire management response measures and associated forest management practices.
