Gabon

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Sub-Saharan AfricaSource: Gabon NBSAP

Translated from French

1. Overview

Gabon's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) was developed under the Ministry of the Environment, Ecology and Climate (MEEC), engaging stakeholders across Gabonese society including NGOs, youth and women's associations, and indigenous peoples and local communities [§10]. The strategy constitutes a revision aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) [§38].

The NBSAP sets 23 national commitments,* organised into three strategic axes: threat reduction (Targets 1–8), sustainable use and benefit-sharing (Targets 9–13), and implementation tools (Targets 14–23) [§10].***Gabon organises its 23 national commitments into three "strategic axes" (axes stratégiques), its own grouping mechanism without a direct KMGBF equivalent.Gabon's NBSAP calls these "national targets" (cibles nationales). This page uses "national commitment" to avoid confusion with the 23 GBF Targets. The action plan specifies 44 strategic actions and 57 indicators across these commitments [§10]. The strategy adopts the four KMGBF goals for 2050 without modification [§191]. The 2050 vision states that Gabon "will have conserved, restored and sustainably valorised its exceptional biodiversity, in a harmonious balance between economic development, the well-being of populations and ecosystem resilience" [§188].

Of the 23 national commitments, four qualify as measurable commitments with quantified thresholds and deadlines; the remaining 19 are directional aspirations specifying intent but deferring quantitative outcome targets. The NBSAP covers the period 2025–2030. The strategy contains no aggregate budget or cost estimate for implementation [§235].

A Central African country of 267,667 km² with 88% forest cover and a deforestation rate below 1% per year, Gabon is already close to the 30×30 target — 21% terrestrial and 26.2% marine protection — and commits to closing the remaining gap by 2030. The NBSAP's most distinctive structural features are a zero-deforestation policy backed by satellite monitoring, the Gabon Bleu marine protected area network covering over a quarter of territorial waters, and an unconditional commitment to carbon neutrality through 2050.

Sources:

  • §10 — Executive Summary
  • §38 — General Introduction
  • §188 — 2.1 Vision
  • §191 — 2.4 Strategic Goals
  • §235 — 3.2 Financing and Resource Mobilisation

2. Ecological Context

Gabon straddles the Equator in Central Africa, with approximately 22 million hectares of forest — nearly 40% of which remains in a primary state — constituting the largest intact forest block in Central Africa [§41]. The lowland and mid-altitude rainforest is considered the most species-rich on the African continent [§41]. The flora harbours an estimated 7,000–7,500 plant species, with 508 strictly endemic species (approximately 11%) concentrated in centres including the Cristal Mountains, the Doudou Mountains, and the Belinga Mountains [§41].

The forests support an estimated 95,000 elephants, 35,000 gorillas, and 64,000 chimpanzees [§44]. The avifauna comprises 749 recorded species [§45]. The maritime domain covers nearly 265,000 km², with an 800 km coastline that constitutes one of the most important nesting sites in the world for the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) [§48][§49]. Continental waters harbour more than 200 freshwater fish species, with several endemic or sub-endemic to the Ogooué basin [§52][§53]. Mangrove systems at Mondah Bay (35,000 ha), the Komo Estuary (85,000 ha), and the Ogooué Delta (80,000 ha) form ecologically significant coastal habitats [§63].

Gabon completed the first comprehensive Key Biodiversity Area assessment in the Congo Basin, identifying 35 KBA sites (26 terrestrial, 5 mixed, 4 marine) covering 111,432 km² — 24% of the country's terrestrial and oceanic territory [§72][§73]. The sites were identified on the basis of 188 trigger species, of which 139 are IUCN-threatened and 31 are critically endangered [§74]. Sixteen of the 35 KBA sites currently lack formal protection [§73].

Pressures on biodiversity include forestry concessions covering approximately 15 million hectares [§151], with felling operations damaging up to 50% of the canopy around harvested trees [§153]. More than 200 mining exploration permits cover approximately 20% of national territory [§154]. The invasive little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) has eliminated approximately 95% of native ants in regions infested for more than 10 years [§122]. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing represents an estimated 30–40% of total catches [§156]. Climate models forecast a temperature increase of 1.5–2°C by 2050 [§137]. Between 1994 and 2003, Ebola epidemics killed approximately 5,000 gorillas in the Minkébé region, contributing to the Western Lowland Gorilla's classification as Critically Endangered [§135]. Human-wildlife conflict, primarily with elephants driven toward settlements by climate-altered fruit production, is identified as a persistent national challenge [§162][§137].

Sources:

  • §41 — Chapter 1 > 1.1.1.1 Floristic diversity
  • §44 — Chapter 1 > Mammals
  • §45 — Chapter 1 > Avifauna
  • §48 — 1.1.2 Trends in aquatic ecosystems
  • §49 — 1.1.2 > Ichthyofauna and marine reptiles
  • §52 — Lagoon ecosystems > Freshwater ichthyofauna
  • §53 — Lagoon ecosystems > Endemism and threatened species
  • §63 — 1.2.2.1 Ecological characteristics (Mangroves)
  • §72 — 1.3.2 Gabon's Leadership in the Congo Basin
  • §73 — 1.3.3 Characteristics of the 35 Identified KBA Sites
  • §74 — Trigger species
  • §122 — 3.1.2.2 Animal Species
  • §135 — 3.3.1 Emerging Diseases
  • §137 — 3.3.3.1 Observed and Projected Impacts
  • §151 — 3.4.2 Exploitation of Forest Resources
  • §153 — Fragmentation and Degradation of Habitats
  • §154 — 3.4.3.1 Expansion of the Mining Sector
  • §156 — 3.4.4.1 Overfishing in Marine Waters
  • §162 — 3.4.5.4 Human-Wildlife Conflicts

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

Gabon's 23 national commitments mirror the 23 GBF Targets in numbering and scope. They are grouped below by the NBSAP's three strategic axes.

Axis 1 — Threat Reduction (Commitments 1–8)

Commitment 1 — Spatial planning (GBF Target 1). Gabon commits to implementing and coordinating the National Land Use Plan (Plan National d'Affectation des Terres, NLAP), described as already in an active phase with a legal and institutional framework in place [§185][§12]. The 35 identified KBAs serve as a strategic tool to guide territorial planning. Measurability: Directional aspiration — no quantified coverage or completion threshold is stated.

Commitment 2 — Ecosystem restoration (GBF Target 2). The NBSAP commits to mapping all degraded ecosystems (forest, savannah, soils, mangrove, freshwater, and marine) by 2028, and restoring 30% of priority habitats [§201][§15]. Mangrove restoration is underway at Mondah Bay, Komo Estuary, and the Ogooué Delta [§113]. Measurability: Measurable commitment — two quantified thresholds with deadlines. Indicators include area of ecosystems mapped and restored.

Commitment 3 — Protected areas (GBF Target 3). Gabon commits to conserving 30% of lands, waters, and seas, specifying increases of 8% terrestrial and 4% marine protection by 2030 [§203][§17]. The existing network comprises 13 national parks (21% terrestrial coverage, created in 2002) and 20 marine protected areas established through the Gabon Bleu initiative (26.2% of marine waters, launched 2017) [§87]. Measurability: Measurable commitment — specific percentage increases with a 2030 deadline. Indicators include legislative texts adopted.

Commitment 4 — Species recovery (GBF Target 4). The NBSAP aims to limit human-wildlife conflict, strengthen knowledge on threatened species, and prevent extinction [§249]. A National Strategy and Action Plan for the Management of Human-Wildlife Conflict has been developed [§185]. Anti-poaching infrastructure includes specialised eco-guard units, drones, camera traps, collaboration with INTERPOL, and courts specialised in environmental crimes [§102]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — indicators are activity-based (at least 100 km of electric fencing, at least 5 studies on threatened species).

Commitment 5 — Sustainable harvest (GBF Target 5). Gabon commits to ensuring sustainable harvesting and legal trade of wild species through seven strategic actions including FSC certification of forest concessions, revision of the Forestry Code, and increased fisheries enforcement [§207][§249]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — indicators are process-based (certifiers trained, inspection missions conducted).

Commitment 6 — Invasive alien species (GBF Target 6). The NBSAP commits to conducting an assessment of invasive alien species and developing a strategy and action plan to reduce introductions [§210]. Knowledge of IAS in Gabon is acknowledged as partial and lacking national-scale mapping [§247]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — framed as assessment and strategy development.

Commitment 7 — Pollution reduction (GBF Target 7). The NBSAP addresses pollution through enacted legislation: Ordinance No. 0012/PR/2024 on single-use plastics, the Hydrocarbons Sector Law prohibiting systematic gas flaring, and promotion of reduced pesticide use [§98]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — legislative instruments are described but no quantified pollution-reduction targets are stated.

Commitment 8 — Climate and biodiversity (GBF Target 8). The strategy commits to mitigating climate impacts on biodiversity, supported by the climate law (Ordinance No. 019/PR/2021) and the unconditional carbon neutrality commitment through 2050 under the Second NDC [§185][§186]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — the carbon neutrality commitment is quantified but sits in the NDC; the NBSAP target itself calls for "at least 2 studies."

Axis 2 — Sustainable Use and Benefit-Sharing (Commitments 9–13)

Commitment 9 — Wild species use (GBF Target 9). Gabon commits to managing wild species sustainably, with strategic actions to develop supply chains for non-timber forest products (PFABO) and redirect community forests away from timber extraction [§213]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — indicators are activity-based (communities trained, community protected areas created).

Commitment 10 — Agriculture, forestry, fisheries (GBF Target 10). The NBSAP addresses all three sectors: mandatory forest management plans with 25–30 year rotation cycles, spatial fisheries management through the Gabon Bleu framework, and agroecological practices promoted through the Agricultural Development Agency (ADAG) [§111][§106]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — FSC certification has intermediate targets (50% by 2028) but the national commitment itself does not state a single quantified threshold.

Commitment 11 — Ecosystem services (GBF Target 11). The NBSAP commits to restoring, maintaining, and enhancing nature's contributions to people, with a strategic action to continue establishing bodies and export licences under the Nagoya Protocol and the ABS framework [§216]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — indicator is adoption of legal texts.

Commitment 12 — Urban biodiversity (GBF Target 12). Gabon commits to developing Urban Development Master Plans (SDAU) and a national urban forestry programme [§217]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — indicators are planning documents.

Commitment 13 — Genetic resources and ABS (GBF Target 13). The NBSAP aims to increase benefit-sharing from genetic resources, digital sequence information, and traditional knowledge through capacity-building and technology transfer [§249]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — indicators are training sessions and equipment.

Axis 3 — Implementation Tools (Commitments 14–23)

Commitment 14 — Mainstreaming (GBF Target 14). Gabon commits to creating a National Commission on Biodiversity as a multi-stakeholder platform and drafting a biodiversity law to transpose multilateral environmental agreements into domestic law [§220][§232]. Measurability: Directional aspiration — indicator is a regulatory text.

Commitment 15 — Business disclosure (GBF Target 15). The NBSAP sets a target of at least 20% of businesses applying corporate social responsibility (CSR), supported by the draft CSR law (AWASSI initiative) [§221]. Measurability: Measurable commitment — quantified threshold of 20%.

Commitments 16–22 address sustainable consumption, biosafety, harmful subsidies, finance mobilisation, capacity and technology, data and information, and inclusive participation. All are classified as directional aspirations with activity-based or process-based indicators [§249][§250].

Commitment 23 — Gender equality (GBF Target 23). The NBSAP commits to at least 30% female representation on biodiversity decision-making committees, to be guaranteed by a regulatory text [§229][§250]. Measurability: Measurable commitment — quantified threshold of 30%.

Sources:

  • §12 — Executive Summary > Target 1
  • §15 — Executive Summary > Target 2
  • §17 — Executive Summary > Target 3
  • §87 — 2.1.2.2 Protected areas
  • §98 — Sectoral legislation
  • §102 — 2.2.1.4 Fight against poaching
  • §106 — Forest management plans
  • §111 — 2.2.2.4 Sustainable agricultural practices
  • §113 — 2.2.3.2 Mangrove restoration
  • §185 — 1.2.1 Strategic Axis 1
  • §186 — 1.2.2 Strategic Axis 2
  • §201 — Target 2: Restoration
  • §203 — Target 3: Protected areas
  • §207 — Target 5: Sustainable harvesting
  • §210 — Target 6: Invasive alien species
  • §213 — Target 9: Wild species use
  • §216 — Target 11: Nature's contributions
  • §217 — Target 12: Urban biodiversity
  • §220 — Target 14: Mainstreaming
  • §221 — Target 15: Business disclosure
  • §229 — Target 23: Gender equality
  • §232 — 3.1.1 Ministry in Charge of the Environment
  • §247–§250 — Annexes: Action Plan tables

4. Delivery Architecture

Legislation

The regulatory framework rests on Law No. 007/2014 on Environmental Protection (air quality, pollutant inventories, waste management, environmental information) and Law No. 002/2014 on Sustainable Development Guidance [§96][§97]. Sectoral legislation includes the Forestry Code (Law No. 16/01 of 2001; revision underway), the National Parks Law (Law No. 003/07 of 2007), the Fisheries and Aquaculture Code (Law No. 015/2005), and the Hydrocarbons Sector Law (Law No. 002/2019) with its prohibition on gas flaring [§98]. The Penal Code (Law No. 042/2018) classifies environmental offences including ivory trafficking [§95]. Ordinance No. 0012/PR/2024 targets single-use plastics [§98]. A climate law (Ordinance No. 019/PR/2021, ratified 2022) defines measures to maintain carbon neutrality by 2050 [§98].

Flagship Programmes

The Gabon Bleu project created a network of 20 marine protected areas covering over 26% of territorial waters, integrating fisheries governance, ecotourism, and scientific research [§100]. The National Land Use Plan (NLAP) provides the spatial planning framework across competing land uses [§185]. The zero-deforestation policy is backed by real-time satellite monitoring through the Gabonese Agency for Space Studies and Observation (AGEOS) [§99]. Anti-poaching operations are coordinated through the National Agency for National Parks (ANPN) with specialised eco-guard units and international enforcement partnerships [§102].

Institutional Arrangements

The MEEC serves as the central implementing body and CBD focal point [§232]. Six sectoral ministries share implementation responsibilities, led by the Ministry of Water and Forests for sustainable forest and wildlife management [§92]. A National Commission on Biodiversity is to be established as a multi-stakeholder governance platform [§234]. The Gabonese Agency for the Development of the Green Economy (AGADEV), established in January 2025, is tasked with monetising environmental credits and valorising natural capital [§232].

Sources:

  • §92 — 2.1.3.1 Sectoral Ministries
  • §95 — 2.1.4.1 Legislative texts
  • §96 — Law No. 007/2014
  • §97 — Law No. 002/2014
  • §98 — Sectoral legislation
  • §99 — 2.2.1.1 Zero deforestation initiative
  • §100 — 2.2.1.2 Gabon Bleu
  • §102 — 2.2.1.4 Fight against poaching
  • §185 — 1.2.1 Strategic Axis 1
  • §232 — 3.1.1 Ministry in Charge of the Environment
  • §234 — 3.1.3 National Commission on Biodiversity

4a. Forests, Certification, and the Zero-Deforestation Policy

Forest governance is the connective tissue of Gabon's NBSAP, running through spatial planning, sustainable harvest, climate, agriculture, and financing. The country's approach rests on four interconnected pillars.

The zero-deforestation policy aims to maintain Gabon's 88% forest cover through real-time satellite monitoring via AGEOS, strengthened penalties against illegal deforestation, restoration of degraded areas, and strict application of forest management plans [§99].

The log export ban, in effect since 2009, prohibits the export of unprocessed timber, requiring all logs to be processed domestically [§101]. This has driven the development of local sawing and peeling units, second and third-stage processing (joinery, cabinet-making), and associated worker training [§108].

Mandatory forest management plans, required since 2001, include comprehensive inventories prior to exploitation, quotas based on regeneration rates, rotation of exploitation plots on 25–30 year cycles, protection of seed trees, and compliance with Minimum Exploitable Diameters [§106]. Five tree species — Afo, Andok, Douka, Moabi, and Ozigo — are subject to a 25-year felling ban from 2009 [§42].

FSC certification is the mechanism for scaling sustainable forestry. Currently 30% of forestry concessions are certified [§247]. The action plan targets 50% by 2028, with 15 national certifiers to be trained and 10 dissemination campaigns conducted [§249]. The NBSAP states the ambition of certifying all managed forestry concessions [§86]. The ongoing revision of the Forestry Code — with stakeholder consultations, validation of a provisional draft, and submission for adoption planned — is designed to update the legal framework supporting these instruments [§207][§249].

Forestry also intersects directly with the NBSAP's financing architecture: a dormant forestry fund is to be reactivated [§238], and carbon credits from forest conservation are identified as a revenue stream to be operationalised through AGADEV [§232].

Sources:

  • §42 — Plant species protection measures
  • §86 — 2.1.2.1 Preservation of forest heritage
  • §99 — 2.2.1.1 Zero deforestation initiative
  • §101 — 2.2.1.3 Log export ban
  • §106 — Forest management plans
  • §108 — 2.2.2.2 Local wood processing
  • §207 — Target 5: Sustainable harvesting
  • §232 — 3.1.1 Ministry in Charge of the Environment
  • §238 — 3.2.1.2 National Environmental Funds
  • §247 — Annexes (part 1/4)
  • §249 — Annexes (part 3/4)

5. Monitoring and Accountability

The MEEC holds overall accountability for NBSAP implementation, serving as conductor of inter-ministerial coordination and interface between national and international levels [§232]. Each sectoral ministry is to designate an NBSAP Sectoral Focal Point responsible for supervising actions, mobilising resources, collecting data, and reporting on progress [§233].

The monitoring and evaluation system operates through three tiers of indicators: process indicators (training sessions, area restored, laws adopted) monitored monthly or quarterly; outcome indicators (changes in practices, deforestation reduction) assessed through periodic surveys; and impact indicators (species conservation status, ecological connectivity) measured at mid-term and final evaluations [§244].

The reporting cycle includes quarterly or semi-annual progress reports, annual joint reviews (2–3 days) bringing together all stakeholders, a mid-term evaluation, and a final evaluation [§244]. A National Dashboard with priority indicators, graphical visualisation, and an alert system is to be made accessible to all stakeholders [§244]. A Biodiversity Information System, connected to the National Forest and Natural Resources Observation System (SNORF), is to feed three international clearing-house mechanisms: the biodiversity CHM, the Biosafety Clearing-House, and the ABS Clearing-House [§244].

The NBSAP specifies 57 indicators across its 23 national commitments [§10]. Baseline data are rarely stated for these indicators — the 21% terrestrial and 26.2% marine protection figures are among the few explicit baselines. The operational framework calls for annual action plans following the SMART methodology, sectoral roadmaps, and RACI matrices for major actions [§243].

Sources:

  • §10 — Executive Summary
  • §232 — 3.1.1 Ministry in Charge of the Environment
  • §233 — 3.1.2 NBSAP Sectoral Focal Points
  • §243 — 3.3.1 Operational Framework
  • §244 — 3.3.2 Monitoring and Evaluation System

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

The NBSAP identifies financing as "simultaneously the major challenge and the determining factor for the success of any strategy" [§235]. The document contains no aggregate cost estimate, total budget figure, or quantified financing gap analysis. The BIOFIN programme with UNDP is referenced but no results or figures are included [§223].

The sole existing dedicated biodiversity fund is the Gabon Biodiversity Preservation Fund (FPBG), a non-profit international organisation relying on blue bonds [§238]. Three additional national funds are identified: an environmental safeguard fund to be established under Law No. 007/2014 and funded by environmental taxation; a forestry fund described as dormant for more than five years and requiring reactivation; and an ecotourism resources fund [§238]. A dedicated budget line for biodiversity within the MEEC's allocations is called for [§237].

Bilateral partners include France (through AFD and the French Global Environment Facility) and the European Union. Multilateral sources include UNDP, UNEP, FAO, UNESCO, the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the GEF (GEF-8 currently being implemented through 2026), and the Green Climate Fund [§240]. Regional initiatives include the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) and the Congo Basin Forest Partnership, which Gabon co-facilitates [§240].

The NBSAP cites an existing debt-for-nature swap with France as a model to replicate with other creditor nations [§241]. Additional innovative mechanisms include payments for ecosystem services and carbon credits through voluntary markets [§241]. AGADEV, established in January 2025, is tasked with operationalising the monetisation of environmental credits [§232].

GBF Target 19 (finance mobilisation) receives substantive treatment through a dedicated NBSAP chapter on financing and resource mobilisation, though without currency-denominated targets.

Sources:

  • §223 — Target 18: Harmful subsidies (BIOFIN reference)
  • §232 — 3.1.1 Ministry in Charge of the Environment (AGADEV)
  • §235 — 3.2 Financing and Resource Mobilisation
  • §237 — 3.2.1.1 National Budget
  • §238 — 3.2.1.2 National Environmental Funds
  • §240 — Traditional Bilateral and Multilateral Partners
  • §241 — 3.2.1.4 Public-Private Partnerships and Innovative Mechanisms

7. GBF Target Coverage

Gabon's NBSAP explicitly addresses all 23 GBF Targets. All entries below are Tier 1 — Addressed.

Target 1: Spatial planning

Gabon commits to implementing and coordinating the National Land Use Plan (NLAP), described as already in an active phase with a legal and institutional framework in place. The 35 KBAs covering 111,432 km² serve as a strategic tool for guiding territorial planning and mainstreaming biodiversity across governmental planning. Gabon was the first Congo Basin country to complete a comprehensive multi-taxon KBA assessment. Indicators are not explicitly quantified for this commitment.

Target 2: Ecosystem restoration

The NBSAP commits to mapping all degraded ecosystems by 2028 and restoring 30% of priority habitats across forest, savannah, soils, mangrove, freshwater, and marine categories. Mangrove restoration programmes are underway at priority sites including Mondah Bay, Komo Estuary, and the Ogooué Delta, with local communities trained in restoration techniques and management committees established. This is one of four national commitments classified as a measurable commitment.

Target 3: Protected areas (30×30)

Gabon commits to increasing terrestrial protection by 8% (from 21% to 30%) and marine protection by 4% (from 26.2% to 30%) by 2030. The existing network comprises 13 national parks created in 2002 and 20 marine protected areas established through the Gabon Bleu initiative in 2017. Of the 35 identified KBAs, 16 currently lack formal protection. Extension strategies include buffer zones, community reserves, and enlargement of existing parks. Indicators include at least 2 legislative texts adopted.

Target 4: Species recovery

The NBSAP aims to limit human-wildlife conflict, strengthen knowledge on threatened species, and prevent extinction. The strategy documents significant populations of elephants (95,000), gorillas (35,000), and chimpanzees (64,000). A National Strategy and Action Plan for the Management of Human-Wildlife Conflict has been developed. Anti-poaching infrastructure includes specialised eco-guard units, drones, camera traps, INTERPOL collaboration, and courts specialised in environmental crimes. Indicators include at least 100 km of electric fencing and at least 5 studies on threatened species.

Target 5: Sustainable harvest

Gabon commits to ensuring sustainable harvesting and legal trade through FSC certification of forest concessions (currently 30%, targeting 50% by 2028), revision of the Forestry Code, and increased fisheries enforcement. The 2009 log export ban and mandatory 25–30 year rotation plans support this commitment. IUU fishing is estimated at 30–40% of total catches. Indicators include 15 certifiers trained and 10 forestry companies certified.

Target 6: Invasive alien species

The NBSAP commits to assessing the current state of IAS and developing a strategy and action plan to reduce introductions. The little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) has eliminated approximately 95% of native ants in long-infested regions. Water hyacinth invades certain waterways. The NBSAP acknowledges that national IAS knowledge is partial, lacking exhaustive distribution mapping and impact assessments.

Target 7: Pollution reduction

The NBSAP addresses pollution through enacted legislation: Ordinance No. 0012/PR/2024 on single-use plastics, the Hydrocarbons Sector Law prohibiting gas flaring, and promotion of reduced pesticide use. Artisanal gold mining releases 2–3 grammes of mercury per gramme of gold extracted. No quantified pollution-reduction targets are stated in the NBSAP itself.

Target 8: Climate and biodiversity

Gabon commits to mitigating climate impacts on biodiversity, supported by the climate law (Ordinance No. 019/PR/2021) and the unconditional carbon neutrality commitment through 2050 under the Second NDC. The NBSAP documents climate impacts including disease outbreaks (Ebola killing approximately 5,000 gorillas), disruption of phenology, and projected sea level rise of 0.3–0.5 metres by 2100. Indicators include at least 2 studies assessing climate impacts on biodiversity.

Target 9: Wild species use

The NBSAP commits to managing wild species sustainably, with strategic actions to develop supply chains for non-timber forest products (PFABO) and redirect community forests away from timber extraction. At least 10 communities are to be trained in sustainable management of non-timber forest resources, and at least 2 community protected areas are to be created.

Target 10: Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries

Gabon addresses all three sectors through mandatory forest management plans with 25–30 year rotation cycles, spatial fisheries management through the Gabon Bleu framework, and agroecological practices promoted through ADAG under Law No. 023/2008. Practices include agroforestry, intercropping, reduced pesticide use, and conservation of local crop varieties through community seed banks. Sectoral roadmaps are planned for each domain.

Target 11: Ecosystem services (NbS)

The NBSAP commits to continuing the establishment of bodies and export licences under the Nagoya Protocol and ABS framework. Payments for ecosystem services and carbon credits on voluntary markets are identified as potential funding sources. The debt-for-nature swap with France is cited as a replicable model. The indicator is adoption of law and regulatory texts.

Target 12: Urban biodiversity

Gabon commits to developing Urban Development Master Plans (SDAU) and a national urban forestry programme. Libreville concentrates nearly 50% of the Gabonese population. Two arboreta in Libreville — Sibang and Raponda Walker — serve as ex situ conservation sites; the Raponda Walker Arboretum has the highest concentration of KBA trigger species per unit area (11 species over 85 km²).

Target 13: Genetic resources and ABS

The NBSAP aims to increase benefit-sharing from genetic resources, digital sequence information, and traditional knowledge through capacity-building and technology transfer. The monitoring system will feed the ABS Clearing-House of the Nagoya Protocol. The NBSAP documents erosion of cultivated varietal diversity, with traditional cassava, plantain, and yam varieties progressively disappearing.

Target 14: Mainstreaming

Gabon commits to creating a National Commission on Biodiversity as a multi-stakeholder platform comprising government, NGOs, indigenous and local communities, and academic institutions. A new biodiversity law is planned to transpose multilateral environmental agreements into domestic law. The MEEC serves as conductor of inter-ministerial coordination.

Target 15: Business disclosure

The NBSAP sets a target of at least 20% of businesses applying CSR, supported by the draft CSR law (AWASSI initiative) in active adoption process. National banks and businesses are to be encouraged to incorporate biodiversity into their financing operations. The mining and petroleum sectors already require mandatory environmental impact assessments and ecological compensation.

Target 16: Sustainable consumption

The NBSAP commits to awareness-raising campaigns (at least 2) and integration of environmental education into school curricula. Ordinance No. 0012/PR/2024 on single-use plastics supports the waste management dimension.

Target 17: Biosafety

Gabon commits to developing and adopting a national legal and regulatory framework for biosafety and implementing the Cartagena Protocol. A biosafety bill exists but has not yet been adopted. A national focal point for the Cartagena Protocol is designated.

Target 18: Harmful subsidies

The NBSAP commits to conducting at least 2 studies assessing investment policies and their impacts on biodiversity, referencing the BIOFIN initiative with UNDP. The approach is framed around assessment before reform rather than specifying particular subsidies for elimination.

Target 19: Finance mobilisation

The NBSAP devotes an entire chapter to financing and resource mobilisation. Strategic actions include optimising the FPBG (which relies on blue bonds), finalising the Marine Spatial Plan, establishing a dedicated budget line for the MEEC, and reactivating the dormant forestry fund. AGADEV, established in January 2025, is tasked with monetising environmental credits. Bilateral, multilateral, and innovative mechanisms (debt-for-nature swaps, PES, carbon markets) are identified. No aggregate funding target is stated.

Target 20: Capacity and technology

The NBSAP commits to establishing a capacity-building committee for biodiversity, with indicators of a regulatory text and at least 3 partnerships signed with research institutions. AGEOS provides remote sensing capacity for forest and ecosystem monitoring. A Biodiversity Information System is planned.

Target 21: Data and information

The NBSAP commits to creating an operational website for biodiversity knowledge and deploying a Biodiversity Information System connected to the SNORF national database. A National Dashboard with priority indicators and an alert system is planned. The system will feed three international clearing-house mechanisms (CHM, BCH, ABS-CH).

Target 22: Inclusive participation

The NBSAP commits to involving local communities in project monitoring and empowering decentralised administrations and NGOs, with at least 2 annual missions. The NBSAP development process included a Pygmy peoples' representative and a youth representative on the technical committee. Community participation is operationalised across mangrove restoration, forest certification, and fisheries management.

Target 23: Gender equality

Gabon commits to at least 30% female representation on biodiversity decision-making committees, to be guaranteed by a specific regulatory text. This is one of four national commitments classified as a measurable commitment.