Led by member Jenny Kane, this session will share lessons learned from developing the 2024 USAID Biodiversity Policy and introduce a proposed biodiversity science-policy initiative to continue the learning, evidence, and thought leadership work outlined in the Policy in support of transformative change. We welcome your participation and feedback!
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USAID Biodiversity Policy Sharing and Concept Note Feedback Session
Humankind possesses greater access to food and energy, scientific knowledge, and technology today than ever before. Simultaneously, the world is experiencing unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. In response, scientific experts and policymakers around the world are calling for “transformative change” to fundamentally shift society’s relationship with the global environment, and to meet ambitious global targets for biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development, notably under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
In this context of a worsening biodiversity crisis and calls for transformative change, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) updated its Biodiversity Policy in 2024 to reflect both a deep understanding of the role that healthy natural systems play in achieving development goals and the need for major shifts to address biodiversity loss and climate change together. The Biodiversity Policy guided the design and implementation of USAID’s $350 million (annual) global biodiversity conservation portfolio and the integration of biodiversity considerations across its entire $20+ billion (annual) development portfolio.
The 2024 USAID Biodiversity Policy was developed through a robust internal and external engagement process through which USAID consulted with stakeholders globally, including current and former staff, implementing partners, international and local nongovernmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples organizations, the U.S. Government interagency, donors, academia, and the private sector. It also incorporated evidence from more than 140 studies and reports.