Japanese local governments committed to biodiversity

16 November 2009, Nagoya (Japan). With over fifty local governments working on their local biodiversity strategies and plans, Japan is leading with a number of countries in the world the implementation of a comprehensive system for urban biodiversity.

On 13 November, a conference on biodiversity management for local authorities in Nagoya was attended by 200 participants, with more than 100 representatives from Japanese local governments, including several Countdown 2010 partners. The event offered an opportunity for delegates to share information and learn from each other in view of preparing their local plans and improving biodiversity management and conservation at a local level.

In June 2008, the government of Japan adopted an “Act on Biodiversity” which recommended that all Japanese local governments adopt a Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (LBSAP). The first LBSAP in Japan was completed by the Chiba Prefecture in March 2008. Currently, 6 municipalities have completed their LBSAP, 7 are in the process of preparing one and more than 40 are planning to produce one soon. These local strategies are aligned with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan which Japan developed as a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Japan is in the spotlight for biodiversity as Nagoya will host the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) in October 2010, thus following up on the CBD Presidency of Germany and building on the momentum created through the Message from Bonn. Regarding urban biodiversity, a Mayors’ conference will be organized during the COP10 and the next URBIO conference will take place also in Nagoya in May 2010 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the city.

Last week’s event was organised by the Aichi-Nagoya Promotion Committee for the CBD COP 10 with the support of JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency). Countdown 2010 took part in the event and actively supports the efforts of the city of Nagoya and all local governments to improve their biodiversity management.

• City of Nagoya on the Countdown 2010 website
• Aichi Prefecture on the Countdown 2010 website
• Factsheets on local authorities and biodiversity (also available in Japanese)