Marshall Islands

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

MicronesiaApplies 2026–2030Source: National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2030

National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2030

1. Overview

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2030 of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) sets out what it describes as "a practical, nationally grounded pathway to conserve biodiversity, sustain ecosystem services, and meet international obligations" under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) through 2030 [§8]. The document was prepared by the RMI Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) with technical support from UNEP, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) [§2].

Rather than reporting against all 23 KMGBF targets individually, the NBSAP structures its commitments around three national commitments* grouped by theme, each containing sub-targets** directly aligned with specific KMGBF targets [§11][§27]. The three national commitments are: (1) Reducing Threats to Biodiversity, with eight sub-targets aligned with GBF Targets 1–8; (2) Meeting People's Needs through Sustainable Use and Benefit-Sharing, with five sub-targets aligned with GBF Targets 9–13; and (3) Tools and Solutions for Implementation and Mainstreaming, with ten sub-targets aligned with GBF Targets 14–23. The NBSAP describes this architecture as a "systems-based implementation model in which biodiversity outcomes are delivered through routine governance mechanisms" [§11].

*The RMI's NBSAP calls its three headline pledges "national targets." This page uses "national commitment" to avoid confusion with the 23 GBF Targets.

**The NBSAP's 23 numbered sub-targets (1.1–3.23) carry numbers that mirror GBF Target numbers — for example, sub-target 1.3 aligns with GBF Target 3 (30×30) — but represent the RMI's own national formulations, not the GBF Targets themselves.

The structural foundation of the NBSAP is Reimaanlok ("Looking to the Future"), the RMI's pre-existing community-based conservation framework. Rather than creating new conservation institutions, the strategy formally aligns Reimaanlok with the KMGBF and extends its scope to areas not historically covered, including genetic resource governance, pollution management, private-sector engagement, biosafety, biodiversity finance, and the Exclusive Economic Zone [§8]. The strategy adopts three national goals (A, B, C)† adapted from the KMGBF, and all 23 GBF Targets are addressed through the sub-target structure.

†RMI reformulates KMGBF Goals A–C as 2030 operational goals rather than 2050 aspirational goals. KMGBF Goal D is not separately enumerated; its implementation and tools theme is encompassed within national Goal C.

The Marshall Islands NBSAP is built on a single pre-existing community governance system — Reimaanlok — that structures protected area management, indicator tracking, and community consultation across every atoll. Its three consolidated national commitments deliver all 23 GBF Targets through a systems approach that embeds biodiversity within routine governance. Two features distinguish this NBSAP internationally: the legacy of 67 nuclear tests conducted between 1946 and 1958 shapes restoration and pollution commitments across multiple sub-targets; and the Protected Areas Network already covers 34% of nearshore marine areas, exceeding the KMGBF 30×30 marine threshold.

Sources:

  • §2 — Acknowledgements
  • §8 — Foreword and Endorsement > National Context and Purpose
  • §11 — Three National Targets Aligned with Global Targets
  • §27 — 2.2 Targets

2. Ecological Context

The Marshall Islands comprise 29 low-lying coral atolls and five islands without lagoons, rising from the central-western Pacific to just a few metres above sea level [§16]. Despite an Exclusive Economic Zone spanning over 2 million km², less than 0.01% is land (184 km²) — the second largest water-to-land ratio of any sovereign state, after Tuvalu [§16]. The approximately 1,200 islands form the Ratak (Sunrise) and Ralik (Sunset) chains, lying entirely within the Conservation International Polynesia/Micronesia Hotspot [§16].

Documented biodiversity comprises over 700 species of flora (excluding algae) and almost 5,100 species of fauna [§16]. Bony fishes (n = 1,030), snails and slugs (n = 1,542), insects (n = 571), and decapod crustaceans (n = 560) are the most species-rich animal groups; stony reef-building corals number 308 species within 362 cnidarians [§16]. Ecologically and culturally significant groups with lower species richness include terrestrial mammals (n = 9), cetaceans (n = 26), sharks and rays (n = 29), reptiles (n = 21), and sea turtles (n = 5) [§16]. Vegetation communities span coral reefs and seagrass meadows, mangrove forests (jon), strand vegetation, atoll forest (bulon-mar), and cultivated agroforests [§16].

These ecosystems provide fisheries production, shoreline protection, freshwater regulation, and cultural continuity. The NBSAP frames biodiversity conservation as "inseparable from national priorities related to climate adaptation, food and water security, economic resilience, and long-term survival" [§9]. Acute environmental pressures include sea-level rise, ocean warming and acidification, invasive species, pollution, land-use change, and the legacy of nuclear testing [§9].

Sources:

  • §9 — Foreword and Endorsement > National Context and Purpose > Living Atolls, Living Sea
  • §16 — 1.1 Marshall Islands Geography and Biodiversity

Nuclear Testing Legacy: Ongoing Biodiversity Contamination and Restoration

Between 1946 and 1958, 67 nuclear tests were conducted across RMI atolls [§17]. Studies indicate the initial loss of up to 28 coral species in specific areas as a direct result [§17]. Ongoing radioactive contamination continues to affect marine and terrestrial biodiversity across affected atolls [§38].

Nuclear radiation is named explicitly in sub-target 1.7, which calls for effective management of waste, chemicals, pollutants, and nuclear radiation alongside conventional pollution categories — a formulation with no equivalent in comparable NBSAP submissions. Nuclear-damaged ecosystems also constitute a distinct restoration category under sub-target 1.2 (ecological restoration of degraded areas).

The principal delivery instrument is the National Nuclear Commission 2020–2023 Strategy for Coordinated Action (2021), which includes a dedicated environment pillar covering two functions: restoration of ecosystems damaged by nuclear testing, and environmental remediation of radioactive fallout [§38]. The NNC Strategy thus operates as a biodiversity instrument alongside its nuclear and social missions.

The NBSAP does not specify which remediation activities have been completed, which are under way, or which atolls remain contaminated. The restoration commitments and documented initial species losses can be described; remediation outcomes as of the time of writing are not available in the source material.

No other NBSAP in the current CBD submission corpus carries this dimension. For cross-referencing within this page: the NNC Strategy is the delivery instrument for nuclear-related aspects of sub-target 1.7 (Pollution, GBF Target 7) and sub-target 1.2 (Restoration, GBF Target 2).

Sources:

  • §17 — 1.2 National Biodiversity Policy and Planning
  • §38 — Multisectoral Plans

3. National Commitments and GBF Alignment

The NBSAP adopts its strategic themes and goals from the KMGBF while adapting commitments, actions, and indicators to national context [§24]. Three national goals structure the framework [§26]:

  • Goal A: Reduce threats to biodiversity by 2030 through effective management, conservation, mitigation, restoration, research, and regulatory compliance.
  • Goal B: Meet people's needs by 2030 through sustainable use and benefit-sharing of wild species, renewable and genetic resources, urban green and blue spaces, and associated ecosystem services.
  • Goal C: Provide tools and solutions for implementation and mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation by 2030 through international environmental agreements, technology-sharing, financial resources from all sources, biosafety and regulatory compliance, and private sector incentives, "with accessible information and participatory decision-making that is all-inclusive and gender representative" [§26].

National Commitment 1 — Reducing Threats to Biodiversity

Aligned with GBF Targets 1–8; eight sub-targets (1.1–1.8)

Sub-target 1.1 calls for all atolls and islands to be engaged in Reimaanlok processes, with most offshore waters and deep benthic environments of high biodiversity importance under spatial planning to reduce biodiversity loss. Measurability: directional aspiration — "all" implies a threshold but no deadline is specified, and "most" is undefined for offshore waters.

Sub-target 1.2 commits to at least 30% of degraded nearshore waters and land areas under effective ecological restoration or restored. Measurability: measurable commitment — quantitative threshold (30%), defined scope (degraded nearshore and terrestrial areas), and 2030 deadline implied by the NBSAP period.

Sub-target 1.3 (aligned with GBF Target 3, 30×30) commits to effective management of marine waters that includes at least 30% of nearshore waters in Type 2 and/or Type 3 conservation areas with fisheries management between and around them, and effective management of 30% of land areas with at least 20% in Type 2 and/or Type 3 conservation areas. Measurability: measurable commitment — dual quantitative thresholds (30% marine, 20% terrestrial within 30% land total) with defined conservation types and a 2030 deadline. Protected area coverage and the full framework are addressed under GBF Target 3 in Section 7.

Sub-targets 1.4–1.8 cover: biophysical research to support management actions halting human-induced extinction of known threatened species (1.4); compliance with all regulations on sustainable harvesting and trade of wild species (1.5); effective management of native and alien invasive species in line with existing national plans (1.6); effective management of waste, chemicals, pollutants, and nuclear radiation in line with existing national plans (1.7); and mitigation and adaptation of climate change impacts through nature-positive approaches (1.8). Measurability: directional aspirations — each defers to existing plans or specifies intent without quantitative thresholds or independently defined deadlines. Sub-target 1.7's explicit inclusion of nuclear radiation alongside conventional pollutants is a distinctive national formulation.

Key delivery instruments include the Reimaanlok framework and Protected Areas Network, the NISSAP 2021–2029, the SLASP (2025), the NNC Strategy (2021), the NDC (2025), and the NAP (2023). Designated headline indicators span biodiversity spatial plans (1.1), area under restoration (2.1), protected area and OECM coverage (3.1), Red List Index (A.3), effective population size (A.4), sustainable fish stocks (5.1), IAS establishment rate (6.1), coastal eutrophication (7.1), and pesticide concentrations (7.2) [§52].

National Commitment 2 — Meeting People's Needs through Sustainable Use and Benefit-Sharing

Aligned with GBF Targets 9–13; five sub-targets (2.9–2.13)

Sub-targets 2.9 through 2.12 commit to: effective management and use of wild species for community benefit through nature-positive approaches (2.9); nature-positive management of agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry (2.10); restoration and enhancement of ecosystem services for local communities (2.11); and enhancement of urban green and blue spaces for human well-being and biodiversity (2.12). Measurability: directional aspirations for all four — each specifies intent and direction without quantitative thresholds.

Sub-target 2.13 commits to establishing national capacity to manage traditional knowledge and genetic resources in accordance with applicable international ABS instruments. Measurability: directional aspiration — "established" is a qualitative institutional capacity threshold. The NBSAP does not confirm whether national ABS legislation currently exists or whether the Nagoya Protocol has entered into force for the RMI; these are information gaps.

The NBSAP notes that the RMI refers to "local communities" rather than the KMGBF's "indigenous peoples and local communities" framing, as the majority of the population is indigenous and "local community control over resources depends on traditional, local, and national government institutional arrangements" [§29].

Key instruments include the MIMRA 2024–2027 Strategic Plan, the Forest Action Plan 2020–2030, the Agriculture Sector Plan 2021–2031, the Majuro Urban Master Plan, and the Nagoya Protocol framework. Headline indicators include ecosystem services flows (B.1), urban public spaces share (12.1), and monetary and non-monetary ABS benefits (C.1, C.2) [§52].

National Commitment 3 — Tools and Solutions for Implementation and Mainstreaming

Aligned with GBF Targets 14–23; ten sub-targets (3.14–3.23)

All ten sub-targets under this commitment are directional aspirations — none carries a quantitative threshold. Sub-targets 3.17 (biosafety) and 3.19 (finance mobilisation) carry the most substantive action portfolios.

Sub-target 3.17 directly addresses an acknowledged compliance deficit: the NBSAP states that MoNRC must submit a compliance action plan "before June 2026" to regain compliance status under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, with the 2006 National Biosafety Framework flagged for legislative update [§33]. An NBSAP openly documenting an active compliance gap with a public deadline is unusual. Sources pre-date the June 2026 deadline; the compliance status at the time of writing was pending.

Sub-target 3.22 embeds inclusive participation structurally through Reimaanlok, under which community-led management plans are recognised under national law. The RMI's customary matrilineal land tenure system provides distinctive governance context for this sub-target; Appendix D of the NBSAP is identified as essential reading for accurate treatment of this area, but its content is not included in the per-question summaries on which this page is based.

Sub-targets 3.21 and 3.22 are cross-referenced across virtually every NBSAP action, reflecting the whole-of-government and whole-of-society implementation approach [§12].

Key instruments include the NBSAP Coordinator Program, the RMI EPA 2024–2027 Strategic Plan, the Marshall Islands Resilience and Adaptation Trust Fund (MIRA), the Reimaanlok Sustainable Finance Plan, the Gender Plan of Action (Decision 15/11), and the international conventions portfolio. Headline indicators include private sector disclosure (15.1), incentives and harmful subsidies (18.1, 18.2), biodiversity finance (D.1–D.3), biodiversity information availability (21.1), and land use and tenure (22.1) [§52].

Sources:

  • §11 — Three National Targets Aligned with Global Targets
  • §12 — Integration Across National Policies and Institutions
  • §24–30 — 2.1 Strategic Themes and Goals; 2.2 Targets
  • §33 — 2.3 Actions > Rio Conventions
  • §52 — 2.4.2 Headline Indicators

Reimaanlok: Community-Led Conservation as National Infrastructure

Reimaanlok ("Looking to the Future") is the RMI's community-based conservation planning framework, established before the KMGBF and now serving as the structural backbone of the NBSAP. The strategy does not establish new conservation institutions; it documents and formally aligns Reimaanlok with global targets, extending its scope to cover genetic resource governance, pollution management, and the EEZ [§8].

The framework operates through a seven-step process by which communities and local governments initiate and develop locally-led resource management plans that are recognised under national law [§38]. Steps 1–3 cover assessment and planning; Steps 4–6 cover implementation, management, and enforcement; Step 7 covers monitoring and adaptation. Actions across nearly all 23 sub-targets cite one or more Reimaanlok steps as a primary delivery mechanism.

Reimaanlok is implemented through the Protected Areas Network (PAN), supported by the National Reimaanlok Conservation Area Plan (2025 update) and Field Guide (2025 update) [§19]. The five-tier conservation area classification system structures legal designation and management intensity: Type 3 (Restricted and Protected Area — total restriction, IUCN Ia/V), Type 2 (Special Reserve — very low-level subsistence, IUCN Ib), Type 5 (National Sanctuary — large area declared by the Minister), Type 1 (Subsistence Only — non-commercial subsistence, IUCN VI), and Type 4 (Traditional Mo — customary management by Leroij or Iroij, IUCN VI) [§20]. Conservation area types 1, 4, and 5 are recognised as OECMs for CBD reporting [§20].

The NBSAP defines effective management as management that "maintains or improves atoll ecosystems — their biodiversity, health, productivity, and integrity; sustains artisanal and subsistence use of resources; and protects and preserves areas of significant natural and cultural heritage, through publicly developed, legitimately recognized, and actionable management plans with clear objectives; includes long-term biological and socioeconomic monitoring and evaluation against management objectives; and is recognized through customary or legal rules, and compliance systems" [§20]. This definition is intentionally broader than effective conservation, "encompassing livelihoods, governance, culture, and resilience — not just ecological condition" [§20].

As of early 2026, the PAN covers 34% of nearshore marine areas and 19% of terrestrial areas, with 20 completed management plans across 18 atolls; five additional processes have been completed and are awaiting sign-off [§10][§19]. The 2026 additions will result in 25 completed management plans and 90% of rural communities under spatial management plans with PAN coverage. Current process efforts prioritise communities in Kwajalein Atoll, Irooj Island in Majuro Atoll, and Kili Island in association with the Kili-Bikini-Ejit Local Government [§38]. A complete list of which atolls are already in the Reimaanlok system versus yet to enter is not available in the source material.

Community-level governance operates through the Conservation and Marine Affairs Committee (CMAC), with its secretariat at MIMRA, convening monthly Board/Executive meetings, quarterly meetings of all member organisations, and quarterly meetings of five technical working groups [§38]. Local Resource Committees (LRCs) and local governments implement actions in existing atoll and island management plans [§38]. CMAC serves as the first point of inquiry for research originating outside the RMI, ensuring Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is obtained [§38].

The Reimaanlok framework underpins the national indicator system directly: four of the 20 national indicators track PAN coverage disaggregated by community type (rural, rural proximity to urban, and urban) and conservation area category (Types 1–5 inclusive and Types 2–3 high-protection only), for both nearshore marine and terrestrial domains [§50][§51].

The PAN Sustainable Finance Plan provides the biodiversity-specific financing baseline. Plans for endowment growth and blended climate-biodiversity finance are to build on this foundation [§42]. The alignment of Reimaanlok with the Micronesia Challenge — which commits RMI to effectively conserving 50% of marine and 30% of terrestrial resources by 2030 — situates the national framework within a regional commitment that exceeds the KMGBF 30×30 marine threshold; the Micronesia Challenge targets are addressed in full under GBF Target 3.

Sources:

  • §8 — Foreword and Endorsement > National Context and Purpose
  • §10 — Foreword and Endorsement > Reimaanlok and the Protected Areas Network
  • §19 — Timeline
  • §20 — Timeline > Effective Management
  • §38 — Multisectoral Plans
  • §42 — Resource Mobilization
  • §50–51 — 2.4.1 National Indicators

4. Delivery Architecture

Implementation follows a "whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach," with biodiversity objectives embedded across national policies and institutional frameworks [§12]. Actions are organised into four pathways: MEA participation and compliance; national strategies and projects; regional cooperation and resource mobilisation; and community-identified priorities [§13].

RMI EPA leads overall NBSAP implementation, coordinating across national and operational focal points and MEA authorities, and is responsible for national reporting, financing, and capacity development for CBD and KMGBF [§33][§38]. The NBSAP Coordinator Program embeds three biodiversity coordinators within host institutions: one for Reimaanlok at the Marshall Islands Conservation Society (MICS), one for Biosecurity and Agroforestry at MoNRC, and one for Biosafety and Pollution at the RMI Ports Authority (RMIPA) [§38].

Key legislation and instruments:

  • National Sustainable Lagoon Aggregate Sourcing Policy (SLASP; 2025): Prohibits dredging in the shallow coastal zone, within traditional mo areas under customary law, and within a minimum distance from protected areas; applies the polluter-pays principle; mandates turbidity curtains with real-time monitoring for permitted extraction [§17].
  • NISSAP 2021–2029 (2023): Prioritised invasive species framework covering prevention through border controls, early detection and rapid response, high-risk pathway targeting, and endemic species protection [§17][§38].
  • RMI EPA 2024–2027 Strategic Plan: Seven priority areas including a cross-sector marine pollution task force, freshwater quality monitoring, coastal resilience, and waste and pollution risk reduction [§17][§38].
  • MIMRA 2024–2027 Strategic Plan: Science-based and precautionary fisheries management, strengthened IUU enforcement, access-fee negotiations, and aquaculture expansion [§39].
  • Forest Action Plan 2020–2030 / Agriculture Sector Plan 2021–2031: Biodiversity-aligned agroforestry, coconut monoculture transition to mixed-species systems, soil and water management, and biosecurity integration across supply chains [§39].

Named programmes and projects: The Pacific Islands Regional Oceanscape Program for Economic Resilience (PROPER) Phase II targets establishing the Reimaanlok process on five atolls per year [§39]. The Strengthening and Enabling the Micronesia Challenge 2030 project under GEF-7 International Waters supports institutional coordination and sustainable finance toward MC targets [§43]. MiCOAST implements Reimaanlok processes on Mili, Maleolap, Lae, and Ujae Atolls for community-based fisheries management and habitat restoration [§43]. The Pacific Bioscapes Programme supports evidence-based grouper harvesting strategies and reef fisheries management [§43]. MIMRA and partners survey remote atolls aboard the M/V Argo with National Geographic's Pristine Seas and map deep-sea habitats aboard the E/V Nautilus with the Ocean Exploration Trust [§39].

Completed biodiversity actions with named species and locations: Leucaena psyllid (Heteropsylla cubana) introduced to Majuro Atoll to control invasive leucaena; myna birds (Acridotheres tristis and A. fuscus) eradicated from Majuro; rats (Rattus exulans, R. rattus, and R. norvegicus) eradicated from Bikar Atoll and Jemo Islet — each programme with plans to expand to other affected atolls [§43].

Conventions and governance gaps: The NBSAP commits to engagement across the full Rio Conventions suite. Two governance gaps are openly identified: the RMI is not a party to CITES or the Convention on Migratory Species, and the NBSAP calls on government to "reconsider historical decisions" not to join both [§36]. A national integrated environmental safeguards coordination framework is to be developed to align RMI environmental assessment and permitting with international development partner requirements [§38].

Sources:

  • §12 — Integration Across National Policies and Institutions
  • §13 — Actions, Indicators, and Reporting
  • §17 — 1.2 National Biodiversity Policy and Planning
  • §33 — 2.3 Actions > Rio Conventions
  • §36 — Other Cultural and Biodiversity-related Conventions/Treaties/Agreements
  • §38 — Multisectoral Plans
  • §39 — Sectoral Plans
  • §43 — Other

5. Monitoring and Accountability

Governance and oversight. RMI EPA leads NBSAP implementation across all four action pathways. The NBSAP Mapping Matrix in Appendix A maps each GBF target to national sub-targets, primary delivery mechanisms, action pathways, reporting sources, and indicator approaches, providing "a clear and auditable framework for monitoring, reporting, and adaptive management" [§73][§80].

Indicator framework. Three tiers align with the KMGBF [§13]:

National indicators number 20, with designated data leads, covering PAN coverage by type and domain (nearshore marine and terrestrial, Types 1–5 and Types 2–3); Reimaanlok management plan coverage; invasive species management; nature-based and engineered shoreline protection; aggregate sourcing sustainability; waste management access and outreach; sewage outfall upgrades; marine water quality; and recycling [§50][§51]. These indicators measure community coverage disaggregated by type (rural, rural proximity to urban, and urban).

Headline indicators number 28, mapped to KMGBF targets with specified agency data leads, spanning Red List of Ecosystems (A.1), natural ecosystem extent (A.2), biodiversity spatial plans (1.1), area under restoration (2.1), protected area and OECM coverage (3.1), Red List Index (A.3), effective population size (A.4), sustainable fish stocks (5.1), IAS establishment rate (6.1), coastal eutrophication (7.1), pesticide concentrations (7.2), ecosystem services (B.1), urban green and blue spaces (12.1), ABS monetary and non-monetary benefits (C.1, C.2), private sector disclosure (15.1), incentives and harmful subsidies (18.1, 18.2), biodiversity finance (D.1–D.3), biodiversity information availability (21.1), and land use and tenure (22.1) [§52].

Binary indicators track the existence of policies, legal frameworks, or institutional arrangements: biodiversity-inclusive planning and management processes (1.B), wild species trade regulation (5.B), and invasive species regulation and measures (6.B) [§53].

Reporting deadlines. The 7th National Report is due to the Online Reporting Tool by February 28, 2026; the 1st National Report on Nagoya Protocol implementation to the ABS Clearing-House by February 28, 2026; the 5th National Report on Cartagena Protocol implementation to the Biosafety Clearing-House by February 28, 2026 (with the compliance action plan due before June 2026); and the 8th National Report by June 30, 2029 [§33]. Post-2030 NBSAP preparation is scheduled for 2030–2031 [§33].

Identified monitoring capacity gaps. The 7th National Report process identified: no consolidated spatial time series for ecosystem extent and condition; no national Red List of Ecosystems assessment completed; ecosystem services not compiled into formal accounting frameworks; limited genetic diversity monitoring; and water quality monitoring focused primarily on microbial contamination rather than the broader contaminant parameters required for KMGBF indicators such as pesticide residues and nutrient concentrations [§83]. The 7th National Report also concluded that "the principal reporting challenge for RMI is not the absence of biodiversity action, but the absence of structured institutional systems that translate ongoing implementation into standardized, reportable outputs" [§82].

Three-phase preparation framework for the 8th National Report (Appendix C): Phase I (2026) establishes an interagency biodiversity-indicator coordination mechanism, maps existing datasets against KMGBF headline indicators, and develops a national ecosystem classification framework; Phase II (2027–mid-2028) develops spatial layers for ecosystem extent, pilots ecosystem-service accounting, and expands analytical capacity; Phase III (mid-2028–February 2029) produces pre-drafted indicator narratives, incremental ORT population, and internal technical review before final submission [§84–§87]. These measures are characterised as "enabling measures" that "do not constitute additional biodiversity policy commitments" [§88].

Sources:

  • §13 — Actions, Indicators, and Reporting
  • §33 — 2.3 Actions > Rio Conventions
  • §50–53 — 2.4 Indicators
  • §73 — 4.1 Appendix A: NBSAP Mapping Matrix
  • §80 — 4.2.6 By Implementation Architecture
  • §82 — 4.3.1 Institutional Lessons from the 7th National Report
  • §83 — 4.3.2 Monitoring and Technical Capacity Gaps
  • §84–88 — 4.3.3–4.3.4 Strategic Preparation Framework

6. Finance and Resource Mobilisation

The NBSAP does not specify an aggregate biodiversity expenditure, cost estimate, or implementation budget [§41]. The government finances biodiversity domestically "through the implementation of national policies and plans, and through the routine operational budgets of agencies," but these mechanisms are not itemised [§41].

National financing. The Marshall Islands Resilience and Adaptation Trust Fund (MIRA), administered by the Ministry of Finance, Banking, and Postal Services (MoFBPS) with the Climate Change Directorate (CCD), provides nationally managed financing for climate resilience and adaptation [§42]. The Reimaanlok Sustainable Finance Plan and PAN funding constitute the existing biodiversity-specific financing base; plans call for endowment growth and blended climate-biodiversity finance [§42].

Multilateral windows. RMI EPA, as GEF National Focal Point, is directed to programme the national biodiversity allocation under the GEF System for Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR) in direct alignment with NBSAP priorities during each replenishment cycle [§42]. Specific windows targeted include the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF), Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF), Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF), and the GEF-8 Pacific Biodiversity Finance (BIOFIN) Umbrella Programme [§42]. The Cali Fund for Digital Sequence Information and the Nagoya Protocol Financial Mechanism are targeted for ABS-related capacity [§42].

Climate finance. CCD is directed to pursue Green Climate Fund accreditation leveraging biodiversity-climate adaptation synergies, access the Pacific Resilience Facility for grant-based climate adaptation support, and engage the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage for technical assistance [§42].

Bilateral and project-level funding. Targeted mechanisms include GIZ/IKI funding for the Livable Atolls via Community Action on Biodiversity (LACAB) project, the Darwin Initiative and similar bilateral programmes, and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund for civil society and community small grants [§42]. The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership is referenced for specific equipment funding, including purchase of a commercial-grade turbidity curtain [§42].

GBF Target 19 alignment. Sub-target 3.19 addresses mobilisation and tracking of financial resources for biodiversity from all sources. Three headline indicators (D.1 — international public funding; D.2 — domestic public expenditure; D.3 — private funding) are designated with MoFBPS and RMI EPA as joint data leads [§52]. The NBSAP references "progressively closing the biodiversity finance gap of USD 700 billion per year" as a global framing context; no national mobilisation figure is assigned to the RMI [§26]. GBF Target 19 receives substantive treatment through 14 numbered resource mobilisation actions. Regional cooperation and resource mobilisation account for 24% of all NBSAP actions [§75].

Sources:

  • §26 — Themes > Goals
  • §41 — 2.3.3 Actions on Regional Cooperation and Projects
  • §42 — Resource Mobilization
  • §52 — 2.4.2 Headline Indicators
  • §75 — 4.2.1 By Action Pathway

7. GBF Target Coverage

GBF Target 1 — Spatial Planning

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.1 commits all atolls and islands to Reimaanlok processes and most offshore waters and deep benthic environments of high biodiversity importance to spatial planning. Delivery is through the PAN, EEZ spatial data systems, and Reimaanlok Steps 1–3. Headline indicator 1.1 (Biodiversity Spatial Plans — percent of land and sea covered by biodiversity-inclusive spatial plans) encompasses all Reimaanlok areas and offshore managed zones, with MIMRA and MoNRC as data leads; indicators A.1 (Red List of Ecosystems) and A.2 (Extent of Natural Ecosystems) track ecosystem condition. Offshore mapping through the E/V Nautilus with the Ocean Exploration Trust will complement nearshore data for indicator A.2. Spatial planning operates through community governance rather than top-down zoning; indicator 1.1 covers the entire EEZ. Biodiversity risk screening is integrated into urban planning, shoreline development, and infrastructure project design through the NIIP.

GBF Target 2 — Ecosystem Restoration

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.2 commits to at least 30% of degraded nearshore waters and land areas under effective ecological restoration or restored by 2030. Delivery is through Reimaanlok Steps 3–6. Headline indicator 2.1 (Area Under Restoration) tracks progress, with RMI EPA as data lead. Named restoration actions include a TNC/SPREP Coastal Restoration project on Bikirin Island in Majuro Atoll; Coral Testing and Restoration in Majuro; and establishment of a Laura Community 'Super Reef' Marine Protected Area, including identification of heat-tolerant corals. Mangrove restoration and coastal forest management under the Forest Action Plan address shoreline protection alongside biodiversity. Nuclear legacy restoration — addressing documented initial losses of up to 28 coral species from 67 tests conducted between 1946 and 1958 — is delivered through the NNC Strategy environment pillar.

GBF Target 3 — Protected Areas (30×30)

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.3 (aligned with GBF Target 3, 30×30) commits to effective management of marine waters with at least 30% of nearshore waters in Type 2 and/or Type 3 conservation areas — with fisheries management between and around those areas — and effective management of 30% of land areas with at least 20% in Type 2 and/or Type 3 conservation areas. As of early 2026, the PAN covers 34% of nearshore marine areas and 19% of terrestrial areas, with 20 completed management plans across 18 atolls; 2026 additions will bring 90% of rural communities under spatial management plans with PAN coverage. The five-tier classification (Types 1–5 with IUCN analogues) structures designation; Types 1, 4, and 5 are recognised as OECMs. Effective management is defined to encompass livelihoods, governance, culture, and resilience alongside ecological condition. The Micronesia Challenge commits RMI to effectively conserving 50% of marine and 30% of terrestrial resources by 2030 — the marine target exceeds KMGBF 30×30. Four national indicators and headline indicator 3.1 track coverage. PROPER Phase II targets five new Reimaanlok processes per year. GoRMI maintains a call for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining in international waters and is considering formalising a ban in national waters.

GBF Target 4 — Species Recovery

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.4 commits to biophysical research supporting management actions to halt human-induced extinction of known threatened species. Delivery is through EEZ biodiversity research and Reimaanlok Steps 1–3, 5, and 7. Headline indicators A.3 (Red List Index) and A.4 (Effective Population Size — proportion of populations with Ne > 500) are designated, with MIMRA and MoNRC as data leads. The NBSAP explicitly calls on government to reconsider historical decisions not to join CITES and the Convention on Migratory Species — an open institutional self-assessment about a governance gap. No national Red List of Ecosystems assessment has been completed. Surveying partnerships include National Geographic Pristine Seas (M/V Argo, building on the 2023 expedition to Bikar, Bokak, Bikini, and Rongerik) for remote atoll ecosystems, and the Ocean Exploration Trust (E/V Nautilus) for deep-sea biodiversity characterisation.

GBF Target 5 — Sustainable Harvest

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.5 commits to compliance with all national regulations and local government ordinances on sustainable harvesting and trade of wild species. Delivery is through national regulations, resource inventories, and Reimaanlok Steps 3–5 and 7. Headline indicator 5.1 (Sustainable Fish Stocks — proportion within biologically sustainable levels relative to MSY) is designated with MIMRA as data lead; binary indicator 5.B tracks the existence of legal frameworks. The MIMRA 2024–2027 Strategic Plan calls for science-based and precautionary fisheries management and strengthened monitoring, control, and surveillance against IUU fishing, including observer coverage and vessel monitoring systems. The Pacific Bioscapes Programme supports evidence-based grouper harvesting strategies. Engagement with the Whaling Convention, UN Fish Stocks Agreement, and BBNJ Agreement are included as actions.

GBF Target 6 — Invasive Alien Species

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.6 commits to effective management of native and alien invasive species in line with the NISSAP 2021–2029. Delivery is through NISSAP and Reimaanlok Step 6. Headline indicator 6.1 (IAS establishment rate) is designated with MoNRC as data lead; binary indicator 6.B tracks legal and regulatory measures. Completed eradications include myna birds (Acridotheres tristis and A. fuscus) from Majuro Atoll and rats (Rattus exulans, R. rattus, and R. norvegicus) from Bikar Atoll and Jemo Islet, with island-hopping expansion planned for both. Leucaena psyllid (Heteropsylla cubana) has been deployed on Majuro as a biocontrol agent for invasive leucaena, with plans to extend to other affected atolls. Biosecurity is integrated into agricultural and nursery supply chains through the Agriculture Sector Plan. GEF Regional Invasives Projects and PRISMSS provide regional implementation support.

GBF Target 7 — Pollution Reduction

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.7 commits to effective management of waste, chemicals, pollutants, and nuclear radiation in line with existing national plans. Delivery is through EPA regulations and permits, MEAs, and Reimaanlok Step 6. Headline indicators 7.1 (Index of Coastal Eutrophication) and 7.2 (Environmental Pesticide Concentration) are designated with RMI EPA as data lead. The RMI EPA 2024–2027 Strategic Plan includes a cross-sector marine pollution task force and national oil spill response plan for Majuro. Rotterdam Convention compliance involves addressing up to 57 absent import decisions for Prior Informed Consent identified as outstanding in 2024. The SLASP restricts dredging in sensitive areas, mandates turbidity curtains with real-time monitoring, and applies the polluter-pays principle for rehabilitation costs. Nuclear contamination from 67 tests conducted between 1946 and 1958 is a distinct pollution dimension; see the Nuclear Legacy section above.

GBF Target 8 — Climate and Biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 1.8 commits to mitigation and adaptation of climate change impacts on biodiversity through nature-positive approaches. Delivery is through the NDC, NAP, SLASP, and Reimaanlok Step 6. Binary indicator 8.B (Climate Change Policies) is the headline tracking mechanism with CCD as data lead. The NDC commits to reducing economy-wide emissions at least 58% below 2010 levels by 2035 through energy transition and international shipping decarbonisation. The NAP prioritises nature alongside engineered infrastructure for shoreline protection and addresses sea-level rise, extreme weather, and coral bleaching as the most intense pressures. GoRMI co-founded a coalition at the International Maritime Organization championing a universal greenhouse gas levy on international shipping. The SLASP links sustainable aggregate extraction for land reclamation and shoreline protection to biodiversity protection.

GBF Target 9 — Wild Species Use

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 2.9 commits to effective management and use of wild species for local community benefit through nature-positive approaches. Delivery is primarily through Reimaanlok Steps 3–6. Headline indicators 9.1 (Sustainable Wild Species) and 9.2 (Traditional Occupations) are designated; for indicator 9.2, the RMI tracks the number of local communities with plans for customary sustainable use rather than percentage of population in traditional occupations, reflecting national context. Binary indicator 9.B tracks legal frameworks. MIMRA and MoNRC are each directed to compile species use data for indicator 9.1 ahead of the 8th National Report.

GBF Target 10 — Agriculture / Forestry

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 2.10 commits to effective management of agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries, and forestry through nature-positive approaches. Delivery is through EPA permits and Reimaanlok Steps 3, 5–7. Headline indicators 10.1 (Sustainable Agriculture) and 10.2 (Sustainable Forestry) are designated with MoNRC as data lead. The Forest Action Plan 2020–2030 includes a programme to transition senile coconut monoculture to biodiversity-aligned agroforestry systems, engaging Tobolar Copra Processing Authority, the US Forest Service Coconut Tree Census project, and MICS surveys across priority atolls. The Agriculture Sector Plan 2021–2031 covers integrated pest management, composting, and biosecurity. MIMRA expands aquaculture of seagrass, mangrove, molluscs, and heat-tolerant coral to integrate food security with restored biodiversity. The Taiwan Technical Mission supports crop diversification and climate-resilient farming practices.

GBF Target 11 — Ecosystem Services (NbS)

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 2.11 commits to restoration, maintenance, and enhancement of ecosystem services for local communities through nature-positive approaches. Delivery is through EEZ biodiversity research, EPA permits, and Reimaanlok Steps 3–7. Headline indicator B.1 (Ecosystem Services — flows between ecosystem assets and economic units) is designated with MIMRA and MoNRC as data leads. The NAP treats biodiversity as a critical natural defence and prioritises nature-based solutions for shoreline protection. Ecosystem accounting frameworks are not yet in place; the NBSAP acknowledges that ecosystem services are recognised in national planning and community practice but are not compiled into formal frameworks capable of generating trend data for KMGBF reporting.

GBF Target 12 — Urban Biodiversity

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 2.12 commits to enhancement of urban green and blue spaces for human well-being and biodiversity. Urban focus is on Majuro and Ebeye, the two urban centres. Headline indicator 12.1 (Urban Public Spaces — average share of built-up area that is green/blue space) and binary indicator 12.B are designated with RMI EPA as data lead. The World Bank-supported Urban Resilience Project delivers the Majuro Urban Master Plan, including updated land-use zoning, designation of conservation and setback areas, and guidance for climate-resilient urban growth. RMI EPA is directed to conduct NBSAP-related urban consultations within the Master Plan process. The Forest Action Plan includes urban tree management to maintain and expand urban green spaces for shade and environmental quality.

GBF Target 13 — Genetic Resources / ABS

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 2.13 commits to establishing national capacity to manage traditional knowledge and genetic resources under applicable ABS instruments. Delivery is through the Nagoya Protocol framework and CHPO guidance. Headline indicators C.1 (Monetary Benefits) and C.2 (Non-Monetary Benefits) track benefit-sharing flows; binary indicator 13.B tracks legal and capacity measures. Key actions include formal designation of RMI EPA as Competent National Authority under the Nagoya Protocol; engagement in the AHTEG on Digital Sequence Information through an atoll-based expert, with advocacy for allocation methodologies reflecting large ocean-state realities; review of publicly available INSDC database records spanning decades of academic research on RMI biodiversity; and access to the Cali Fund for DSI equitable benefit flows. Whether national ABS legislation currently exists and whether the Nagoya Protocol has entered into force for the RMI are not confirmed in the source material.

GBF Target 14 — Mainstreaming

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.14 commits to holistic resource management and implementation of bilateral and multilateral environmental agreements. Binary indicator 14.B (Values Integration) is designated. Section 1.2 of the NBSAP systematically documents biodiversity integration across more than 12 national policies and plans, including Agenda 2030, the National Strategic Plan, NDC, NAP, SLASP, and infrastructure safeguards. All RMI agencies are directed to implement and update relevant plans to align with the NBSAP. Sub-target 3.14 is referenced across nearly every NBSAP action, reflecting its cross-cutting role.

GBF Target 15 — Business Disclosure

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.15 commits to private sector compliance with national regulations and local government ordinances affecting biodiversity. Headline indicator 15.1 (Private Sector Disclosure — number of companies disclosing biodiversity-related risks, dependencies, and impacts) is designated with RMI EPA as data lead. MoFBPS, EPPSO, and the Marshall Islands Chamber of Commerce are directed to establish and maintain national private-sector disclosure tracking systems. The Chamber of Commerce and MICNGOs are to engage with the ISO International Standard for Biodiversity and support its adoption by private-sector entities. The SLASP applies the polluter-pays principle for aggregate extraction operators. The NBSAP does not characterise the existing private-sector profile or current biodiversity-relevant footprint of private entities operating in the RMI.

GBF Target 16 — Sustainable Consumption

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.16 commits to relevant and accessible information enabling sustainable consumption choices based on nutrition and biodiversity. Binary indicator 16.B (Sustainable Consumption — policy instruments encouraging sustainable consumption choices) is designated with RMI EPA as data lead, with EPA, MoNRC, and MoHHS as reporting sources. The sub-target is framed around nutrition and biodiversity rather than waste reduction alone, reflecting RMI's food security context. RMI EPA is directed to develop, adopt, or implement policy instruments tracked by indicator 16.B.

GBF Target 17 — Biosafety

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.17 commits to enhanced national capacity to implement biosafety measures under the Cartagena Protocol framework. Binary indicator 17.B (Biosafety Measures) is designated with MoNRC as data lead. The NBSAP explicitly documents an active compliance deficit under the Cartagena Protocol: MoNRC must submit a compliance action plan — original deadline May 2024, revised to before June 2026 — to regain compliance status [§33]. The 2006 National Biosafety Framework is flagged for legislative update. Actions include formal designation of MoNRC as Competent National Authority, submission of the 5th National Report to the Biosafety Clearing-House by February 28, 2026, and development of biosafety procedures for inspection and control of transboundary movement of living modified organisms at ports of entry. Compliance status was pending as of the NBSAP's preparation; sources pre-date the June 2026 deadline.

GBF Target 18 — Harmful Subsidies

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.18 commits to private sector incentives across economic sectors contributing to biodiversity. Headline indicator 18.1 tracks positive incentives in place; headline indicator 18.2 tracks the value of subsidies harmful to biodiversity, including agricultural, fisheries, and fossil fuel subsidies. MoFBPS and RMI EPA are joint data leads. MoFBPS, EPPSO, and the Chamber of Commerce are directed to establish national tracking systems for both indicators. GoRMI participates in the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS) and co-founded a coalition at IMO championing a greenhouse gas levy on international shipping. The primary commitment under this target is to establish tracking systems rather than to commit to specific subsidy reform targets.

GBF Target 19 — Finance Mobilisation

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.19 commits to mobilisation and tracking of financial resources for biodiversity from all sources. Three headline indicators track international public funding (D.1), domestic public expenditure (D.2), and private biodiversity finance (D.3), with MoFBPS and RMI EPA as joint data leads. The NBSAP contains 14 numbered resource mobilisation actions targeting MIRA, GEF STAR, GBFF, KBF, SCCF, GCF, Pacific Resilience Facility, Santiago Network for Loss and Damage, LACAB/IKI, NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, Darwin Initiative, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity, and the Cali Fund. No aggregate national mobilisation figure is committed. The Reimaanlok Sustainable Finance Plan and PAN funding constitute the existing national biodiversity financing base.

GBF Target 20 — Capacity and Technology

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.20 commits to enhanced national capacity for research and technology-sharing for biodiversity. Binary indicator 20.B (Research and Technology) is designated with RMI EPA, MIMRA, and MICS as reporting sources. GoRMI engages with CROP agencies — SPC, SPREP, FFA, and others — for regional technical assistance and capacity building. Specific capacity-building projects include the Managing Coastal Aquifers Project under SPC, the Decision Ready Tools project for coastal and marine spatial planning using earth observation data, and the Scaling-up Climate-resistant Coral Reefs project equipping local teams to identify heat-tolerant corals. Appendix C documents specific monitoring and technical capacity gaps from the 7th National Report process, including equipment, human resources, technical standards, and data management systems requiring incremental investment.

GBF Target 21 — Data and Information

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.21 commits to biodiversity information being available and accessible to stakeholders and decision-makers. Headline indicator 21.1 (Biodiversity Information — availability, coverage, and quality of data for each indicator, including evaluation of traditional knowledge integration and FAIR and CARE data principles) is designated with RMI EPA as data lead. Sub-target 3.21 is the most frequently cross-referenced sub-target in the NBSAP, appearing in virtually every numbered action. RMI EPA is directed to establish a centralised national repository for biodiversity project data, geospatial outputs, monitoring results, and technical reports, consolidating currently dispersed agency-level information. FAIR and CARE principles are explicitly referenced for biodiversity monitoring scheme design.

GBF Target 22 — Inclusive Participation

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.22 commits to equitable, accessible, and all-inclusive representation and participation in decision-making for biodiversity. Headline indicator 22.1 (Land Use and Tenure — proportion of lands held or used by local communities with legal recognition or perceived security of tenure) is designated, adapted to RMI's local community framing; binary indicator 22.B tracks frameworks for equitable participation. Participation is structurally embedded through Reimaanlok: community-led management plans are recognised under national law, and processes are initiated by communities and/or local governments. Sub-target 3.22 is co-referenced with 3.21 across the majority of NBSAP actions, indicating a systematic whole-of-society approach. The RMI's customary matrilineal land tenure system provides distinctive governance context; Appendix D of the NBSAP is identified as essential reading but its content is not included in the per-question summaries on which this page is based.

GBF Target 23 — Gender Equality

Tier 1 — Addressed. Sub-target 3.23 commits to gender equality and responsiveness in biodiversity implementation. Binary indicator 23.B (Gender Plan of Action — legal and administrative frameworks covering women's participation and leadership, access to land and natural resources, gender-responsive implementation, and sex-disaggregated data) is designated with RMI EPA as data lead. The NBSAP advances the Gender Plan of Action (Decision 15/11). Community consultations produced specific actions: GoRMI and partners are to ensure women's active engagement in natural resource management and food systems decision-making; agencies and NGOs are to support capacity-building for women in biodiversity leadership roles. The ADB Women and Youth Skills Empowerment Project supports technical and vocational skills for women and youth in environmental management. Appendix D, identified as essential reading for customary matrilineal tenure and gender relations in the RMI context, is not included in the per-question summaries on which this page is based.