Pakistan finalizes National Biodiversity Targets under global framework

2026-03-14 - 23:13

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Government of Pakistan has finalized its National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs), aligning them with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity, officials said on Saturday. The move marks a key milestone in the country’s global biodiversity commitments. The two-day high-level meeting, held in Islamabad and chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, brought together representatives from federal ministries, provincial environment, forestry and wildlife departments, academia, and development partners to review and refine Pakistan’s biodiversity priorities. Additional Secretary-I Dr Saad S. Khan, Director Biodiversity Naeem Ashraf Raja, and Conservator Wildlife Samar Hussain Khan participated in the sessions. A spokesperson for the ministry and a climate policy and biodiversity advocacy specialist, Mohammad Saleem Shaikh said the NBTs were finalized after extensive consultations with government and non-government stakeholders across the country. “The targets have been aligned with global frameworks, ensuring Pakistan’s biodiversity priorities reflect both ecological conservation needs and broader development objectives,” he said. The consultative process identified a comprehensive set of targets covering ecosystem conservation and restoration, sustainable use of natural resources, biodiversity finance, and inclusive governance.