On the 16th February, 2026, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), through the Sustainable Development Unit and in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held a validation workshop for its 7th National Report (7NR) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The workshop, held at the NIS Conference Room, brought together government agencies, civil society organisations, and community partners to assess SVG's progress under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) - a global roadmap to halt biodiversity loss by 2030.
A defining theme of the report is the critical role of civil society and local communities in driving SVG's most significant conservation gains. While government policy provided direction and enabling legislation, community groups, NGOs, and local volunteers have been at the forefront of protecting the country's unique natural heritage.
Key conservation achievements highlighted in the report include an approximately 80% increase in the Union Island Gecko population (from 10,000 to 18,000 individuals since 2018), a stable Amazona Guildingii (national bird) population despite the impacts of the 2021 La Soufrière eruptions, permanent bans on sea turtle and parrotfish harvesting, SVG's first closed season for Queen Conch (2023), and the establishment of the Prospect Mangrove Conservation Park (2025).
The report also acknowledges significant challenges, including habitat damage from the 2021 La Soufrière eruptions and Hurricane Beryl in 2024, persistent data gaps, limited enforcement capacity, and the need for sustained domestic financing for conservation. Despite these setbacks, SVG remains committed to accelerating progress toward its 2030 biodiversity targets.
"Biodiversity conservation is not separate from economic progress - it is fundamental to it. The Sustainable Development Unit's efforts to integrate nature into national development planning are deliberate, ensuring that the natural capital of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is valued, protected, and leveraged to build resilience and strengthen livelihoods," said Janeel MillerFindlay, Director of the Sustainable Development Unit.
UNDP's Karima Degia, Cluster Lead for Nature, Climate and Energy for UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, commended SVG's whole-of-society approach, noting that empowering communities as co-stewards of their natural heritage ensures that national commitments under the GBF are both achievable and deeply rooted in local ownership.
The Sustainable Development Unit will incorporate decisions from the workshop to finalise the 7NR ahead of its 28th February 2026 submission to the CBD Secretariat. The findings will also inform the implementation of SVG's new National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2026–2030, which aims to bridge the biodiversity funding gap and scale up ecosystem restoration nationwide.
SOURCE: Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation,and Sustainable Development
