National dialogue on OECMs launches in Sri Lanka

As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Sri Lanka is committed to contribute towards achieving global target of increasing its terrestrial, freshwater, and marine protected and conserved area coverage to 30% of its territory by 2030 set by the Kuming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Target 3. Currently, the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) records Sri Lanka’s terrestrial and inland waters protected areas at approximately 30% while marine protected area coverage stands 0.1%. Given the challenges associated with designating new protected areas, the OECMs approach is particularly valuable in the Sri Lankan context, as the Target includes both protected areas in the narrow sense as well as OECMs. 

The concept of OECMs was first introduced in 2010 under the CBD Aichi Targets and formally defined eight years later  as “A geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in-situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio–economic, and other locally relevant values”(CBD, 2018). 

While protected areas are set up for conservation as their primary goal, OECMs are designed to achieve effective and long-term   biodiversity conservation outcomes in their original locations, regardless of their original objectives. Both PAs and OECMs contribute to achieving biodiversity conservation and complement each other in creating comprehensive and connected conservation networks.

As a crucial first step, IUCN Sri Lanka convened the NSC to establish a national framework for OECMs in September 2024. The committee, co-chaired by the former Secretaries of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, focuses on tailoring global OECMs guidelines to local contexts. The NSC will also identify key processes such as site identification, assessment, recognition, governance, monitoring and adaptive management of OECMs. Furthermore, the NSC will review existing policies and legislation to facilitate the integration of OECMs into existing conservation strategies. A Technical Working Group (TWG), a sub-committee of NSC, will support the NSC by conducting site visits, reviewing documents, and ensuring the credibility and effectiveness of OECMs. 

Building on these efforts, a stakeholder awareness workshop was held in Colombo in December 2024 to introduce the OECMs concept to a wider audience. The workshop covered the general criteria for the OECMs declaration process, including management structures and governance frameworks for various potential landscape types, such as wetlands, sacred lands, productive landscapes like tea and rubber plantations, Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), and geoparks. Furthermore, the contributions and distinctions between OECMs, Environmental Protection Areas (EPAs), and Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) were thoroughly discussed, including the potential pathways for these nationally designated areas to achieve global recognition. Some EPAs and ESAs hold significant promise for future designation as OECMs, further enriching Sri Lanka’s conservation strategies. This transition could enhance the integration of biodiversity conservation with sustainable development, aligning local initiatives with global frameworks. Nationally, EPAs and ESAs play a critical role in conserving biodiversity beyond traditional Protected Areas (PAs), while OECMs add value by securing international recognition and benefits. 

Currently, IUCN Sri Lanka is assisting in preparing the national strategy for OECMs, which will be presented to the NSC. With all terrestrial, inland waters and marine landscapes/seascapes offering significant potential, high level of interest from the relevant government authorities, the declaration of the first OECM site in Sri Lanka is likely not very far from today. This will further reinforce the country’s commitment to conserving biodiversity and achieving global biodiversity targets.

Further reading:

https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/PAG-036-En.pdf

https://www.iucn.org/story/202308/site-level-tool-identifying-other-effective-area-based-conservation-measures-oecms-0 

https://iucn.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/guidance-to-advance-oecms-in-asia_feb2024-compressed.pdf