The loss of biodiversity is a global issue, with all countries needing to be part of the solution. This page shows key strategies at the international level relating to the protection of biodiversity.

United Kingdom Overseas Territories Strategy

UK Overseas Territories (UK OTs) are part of the United Kingdom. However, they have their own identity and governing structure and are not represented in the UK Parliament. Biodiversity in the UK OTs is globally significant; the OTs support unique ecosystems and a large number of rare and threatened species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Effective conservation of biodiversity in the OTs is essential if the UK is to meet the 2020 Biodiversity Target, as well as commitments under other relevant Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).

Together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Defra has agreed a Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in the UK Overseas Territories. The Strategy aims to address the needs of the Overseas Territories, and has been built upon an assessment of priorities for biodiversity conservation action carried out by the JNCC.

• Overseas Territory Strategy document

The UK OTs comprise: Turks and the Caicos Islands, Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, The Pitcairn Islands, Montserrat, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Cayman Islands, The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), British Virgin Islands, The British Antarctic Territory, Bermuda, Anguilla.

Overseas Territories – additional funding

Under the umbrella of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, Defra  announced funding of £250,000, dedicated to biodiversity projects in the UK Overseas Territories. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) administered this funding on behalf of Defra.

Secretary of State Caroline Spelman announced in Nagoya, on the occasion of the 10^th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in October 2010, that Defra would be contributing £200,000 towards a project being coordinated by the RSPB to eradicate rats from Henderson Island in the Pitcairn group, where these invasive rodents have been bringing endangered species such as the endemic Henderson petrel to the brink of extinction. Reports suggest that the RSPB’s project has been successful.

At the 2011 Overseas Territories Consultative Council meeting, Minister for the Natural Environment and Fisheries, Richard Benyon, announced that funding of £394,000 would be dedicated towards four new projects in the UKOTs comprising a project to eradicate invasive mice from Gough Island, a project to look at the effects of large marine reserves on pelagic, migratory species in the Chagos Island Marine Reserve, and two projects addressing the decline of albatross and petrel populations.

• Secretary of State Caroline Spelman’s speech at Nagoya
• UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies – including Defra funded projects

Overseas Territories Biodiversity Group

The official-level Overseas Territories Biodiversity Group (OTBG) comprises three government departments – Defra, DFID and FCO – with JNCC as the acting Secretariat, and the UK Overseas Territories Association, with additional governmental and non-governmental organisations participating where relevant. This official-level group meets broadly quarterly.

• OTBG Terms of Reference and Modus Operandi

Most recent meetings:

• 11 January 2012 – Included a presentation from Mike Harley of the AEA Group: Climate change and nature conservation: assessments of species and habitat vulnerability
• 6 October 2011 – Included a presentation from Keith Packer of the UK Hydrographic Office: Hydrography and Biodiversity – making the connection.
• 22 June 2011 – Included a presentation from Dr Colin Clubbe of the Royal Botanic gardens, Kew: Kew’s UK Overseas Territories Programme.

OTBG meeting notes and copies of the presentations are available on request. Please email UKOTenquiries@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

Overseas Territories and Multilateral Environment Agreements

On 6 September 2011 Defra hosted a workshop bringing together OT Government representatives based in the UK and UK policy expert, to give an overview of Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) to UK OT representatives, and for UK NGOs to give an overview of what assistance their organisations have to offer in relation to MEAs in UK OTs.

• List of Multilateral Environment Agreements (Excel 40 KB)

Presentations given on the day:

• Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) and the UK Overseas Territories: a general introduction plus a focus on CITES - Sally Cunningham (Defra)
• Theme 1: How do MEAs relate to Conservation? - Dr Vin Fleming (JNCC)
• Theme 2: Legal implications of MEAs: (e.g. CBD ABS, CITES) - Clare Hamilton (Defra)
• Theme 3: How MEAs relate to Funding (e.g. CBD, Best) – Christine Roehrer (DFID) and Tara Pelembe (JNCC)
• UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum:  Who we are, what we do, what we’ve done in OTs with whom, what type of assistance we can give. MEA focus: Ramsar. Also Environment Charters. - Dr Mike Pienkowski (UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum)
• RSPB / BirdLife Global Seabird Programme: Who we are, what we do, what we’ve done in OTs with whom, what type of assistance we can give. MEA focus: ACAP - James Millett (RSPB)
• Kew: Who we are, what we do, what we’ve done in OTs with whom, what type of assistance we can give. MEA focus: CBD and Global Strategy on Plant conservation - Dr Colin Clubbe – Royal Botanical Gardens Kew

The note of this workshop and copies of the presentations are available on request. Please email UKOTenquiries@defra.gsi.gov.uk.

The Environment in the United Kingdom’s Overseas Territories: UK Government and Civil Society Support

The UK OTs support a diverse range of ecosystems and habitats, and sustain a large number of rare and threatened species – it is estimated that over 90% of the UK’s biodiversity is located within its Overseas Territories. They also suffer from severe-weather events, which will become worse as the climate changes, and have major challenges such as access to fresh water and energy, and dealing with waste.

Following recommendations made by the Government’s National Security Council, Defra have produced a paper outlining our commitments to continue to support and engage with the Territories on the environment, in particular to conserve their unique biodiversity, inter alia through the Darwin Initiative.

The process of Government Departments’ developing their papers has been coordinated by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Defra’s paper, along with those from other Government Departments, will inform the development of a White Paper on the Overseas Territories, to be coordinated by the Foreign Office.

• Read the paper published on 16 January 2012