Comments on Draft National Biodiversity Economy Strategy

On 16 April 2024, the Biodiversity Law Centre, together with the EMS Foundation, submitted comments on the Draft National Biodiversity Economy Strategy (NBES).

The Draft NBES has been “developed to optimise biodiversity-based business potentials across the terrestrial, fresh water, estuarine, and marine and coastal realms, and to contribute to economic growth with local beneficiation, job creation, poverty alleviation, and food security, whilst maintaining the ecological integrity of the biodiversity resource base, for thriving people and nature”

While the Biodiversity Law Centre supports policy developed in the context of ecologically sustainable use, we are concerned that the Draft NBES – which is in many instances vague and unsubstantiated – falls short of the Constitutional requirement of ensuring that the environment is protected for the benefit of present and future generations. Read our comments below.