Publisher : UNU-IAS
Place of publication :
Publication year : 2006
Thematic : Biodiversity
Language : English
Note
This paper analyses the current status of biodiversity conservation in Kyrgyz Republic
(Kyrgyzstan, KR) in response to policy developments related to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD), how the country is implementing the National Biodiversity
Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and the links to achieving the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). Kyrgyz Republic has rich biodiversity and is one of the world’s centres of
origin for cultivated plants like walnuts, apples, pears, cherry-plums, apricots, pomegranates,
grapes, raspberry bushes, currant bushes, tulips, onions and ornamental flowers. However the
country is faced with several developmental challenges that places enormous pressure on its
natural resources and biological diversity. Biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate due
to direct or indirect human activities and habitat loss. In addition, land degradation and
desertification also contribute to social and economic problems such as unemployment, food
insecurity, migration and political instability. There are relatively high poverty levels with
about 40.8% of the population below the poverty line.
Several national and regional projects have promoted economic development, poverty
reduction and biodiversity conservation in the recent years in Kyrgyz Republic. It has been
recognized that improving environmental management to reduce poverty requires local
understanding of how environmental conditions relate to poverty, identification of policy
options and evaluation of their effectiveness and impact. For achievement of the MDGs in
Kyrgyz Republic it is necessary to: a) integrate Sustainable Development (SD) principles in
policy and education programmes; b) involve local communities in decision making
processes; c) improve the competence and skills of experts/teachers on SD and Education for
SD; and d) increase public awareness on biodiversity conservation and sustainable
development.
There are several policy documents for biodiversity conservation in Kyrgyz Republic. There
are the National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP, 1995), the Regional Environmental
Action Plan (REAP) and the National Biodiversity and Action Plan (NBSAP, 1998). The
NEAP provides a guiding framework in environmental conservation and management in the
country. It identifies the priority action-fields of land degradation, water management,
deforestation and biodiversity conservation. The NEAP links biodiversity conservation with
land degradation, agricultural and rural development efforts focusing on market-based farm
restructuring and commercialization, and salinization. However, the NEAP, NBSAP and
REAP have very weak links with national actions and policies related to realizing the MDGs.
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Keywords : Marine resources
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje