Shan Shui colleagues Xiangying Shi and Chunyue Wei participated in the Subregional workshop on Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework for South Asia in Kathamandu, Nepal. This event was organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in collaboration with the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development.

Workshop group photo

During the workshop, the quantitative and qualitative elements of GBF Target 3 —such as coverage, connectivity, ecological representation, management effectiveness, equity—were elaborated upon. Participants from different countries identifying and discussing the status, gaps, challenges and opportunities for the implementation of Target 3, which further suggested needs for technical and scientific support, as well as capacity building. Additionally, the workshop featured information on various existing tools and platforms aiming at facilitating knowledge sharing and provision of support regarding the Target 3 implementation, such as 30×30 toolkit and 30×30 Matchmaking Platform.

Following this, there was another workshop on “Leveraging the Prospects and Potentials of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) for Transboundary Cooperation in the Hindu Kush Himalaya.” During this session, Xiangying presented on OECMs in the Himalaya areas of China, providing an overview of the potential forms, challenges, and opportunities for OECMs in China along with case studies in Himalaya areas such as Nanren and Sayong Village, snow leopard small grant projects working with Nepal partners.

Xiangying Shi’s presentation on OECMs in China

Panel discussion on transboundary OECMs

These workshops provided a valuable opportunity for us to learn from and exchange experiences with South Asian countries on different aspects of Target 3. The discussions covered various considerations for recognizing and effectively managing OECMs, which is of significant relevance to advancing OECM implementation in China.

Discussion on achieving Target 3 beyond boundaries