The Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS) – Bethlehem University, in partnership with the Environmental Quality Authority (EQA), held a workshop to conclude the activities of the Sixth National Report on Biodiversity on Monday, 9 November 2021.
The workshop also aimed to launch activities to update and prepare the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Palestine (NBSAPP) in the presence of relevant institutions and stakeholders who form the basis for updating and preparing the strategy.
The Director-General of Natural Resources at the Environmental Quality Authority, Dr. Issa Adwan, noted that the conclusion of the report and updating the NBSAPP comes within the commitment of the State of Palestine to the International Convention on Biological Diversity and contributes to supporting Palestine’s commitment to the Convention.
Adwan stressed that the NBSAPP aims to preserve biodiversity and its sustainability, and also helps in facing the challenges and threats behind its loss through integrating the values of biodiversity in all relevant sectors and strategies. It also aims at improving the state of biodiversity by conserving ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity. It will focus on enhancing implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management, capacity building, and raising community awareness.
Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, Director of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, delivered a presentation to introduce the audience to the national biodiversity strategy, its parts, and the need to work on it, referring to examples of biodiversity strategies in other countries.
Mr. Mohammad Mahasneh, Director of the Biodiversity Department at the Environmental Quality Authority, presented the roles of stakeholders and arranged the action plan.
A general discussion followed to organize weekly sessions for the relevant stakeholders in order to present the various aspects of the strategy and to come up with weekly recommendations that serve to formulate updating the NBSAPP.
