Think Global Act Local: The latent power of the LNRSs to deliver global targets

November 2024

In recent weeks, world leaders, policymakers, Indigenous Peoples, activists, scientists and conservationists have been in Colombia for the world’s largest nature conference (CBD COP16). During the talks, it transpired that insufficient progress has been made towards meeting any of the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

The GBF is intended to set the pace and spotlight the ambition required to restore the living world by 2030. Yet only 20% of GBF signatory countries have succeeded in producing their nature recovery action plans (the UK wasn’t among them). With just 5 years to go in this critical decade, the need to turn talk into action is now paramount.

So, the question is, how do we bridge the gap between international agreements and tangible action?

First and foremost, a robust chain of delivery is needed to provide clear linkages all the way from national government through to implementation on the ground. Implementation always happens at the local level, and so locally-led planning like the Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) exists in the crucial space between ambition and action.

An LNRS is a spatial targeting strategy, laid out by a responsible authority (a nominate local authority) and developed in consultation with local experts and communities to map key sites and local priorities for connecting, enhancing and restoring nature in England.

LNRSs have the potential to be a key enabling mechanism for connecting global targets to action on the ground because they are:

• Decentralised and locally adapted. The LNRSs benefit from understanding of the people and communities who know the area best. This results in plans that are tailored to suit the ecological character of the LNRS region.
• Designed through inclusive participation. Developing an LNRS requires strengthening networks between local government, nature recovery practitioners, businesses and communities. This is crucial to meeting many of the ‘tools and solutions’ targets of the GBF as it simultaneously upscales the reach of nature recovery work and increases participation in it.
• Part of a wider network of nature recovery. A network of well-designed LNRSs can operate in the same way as a fungal mycelium, allowing for resources (material, data and learnings) to be freely shared across the entire Nature Recovery Network. With 48 LNRSs across England, Nature Networks happening in Scotland, and Nature Recovery Action Plans in Wales, the lessons learnt from opportunity mapping and prioritisation can be shared and assimilated across the whole of the UK, improving overall efficacy.

However, improvements are needed to turn this idealistic vision into a reality and unlock the full potential of the LNRSs:

• Clear delivery mechanisms. While responsible authorities have a legal requirement to develop the strategy, there are currently no clear mechanisms in place to guarantee their delivery. Clear guidance is now urgently required outlining linkages between the LNRSs, other local strategies and the wider policy landscape (particularly Environmental Land Management, as our farmers are a crucial stakeholder group). Without this, the LNRSs could present an enormous, missed opportunity at a pivotal time.
• Better funding and financing. Like a mycelium, the LNRS networks require resources to develop, strengthen and expand. The central role that the strategies could play in unifying action for nature across sectors should be recognised and prioritised for resourcing. Investing in and supporting the responsible authorities and the plans they produce is absolutely crucial to delivering important outcomes for nature recovery.
• Centralised information sharing and better transparency. Providing an accessible space for stakeholder groups to find information on the LNRSs (key dates for consultations, workshops, maps, priorities and measures) would streamline the process of developing the strategies, improve consistency between regions and give national organisations a better opportunity to feed in where appropriate.
• A strategic framework to improve equity and consistency. Responsible authorities vary significantly in terms of funding, resourcing, and access to (and quality of) biological data. Implementing measures to target and support LNRSs which are facing challenges, and facilitating consistency and join-up between regions should be strategic priorities for Defra and Natural England.
• Active inclusion and community involvement. Nature should not be a privilege – every one of us has a right to it, but currently, access is disproportionately granted to higher income groups, who also contribute disproportionately to the deterioration of nature on the global stage. Through community involvement and mobilisation, LNRSs can begin to re-establish the relationship between our society and the landscape.

There is a growing recognition that the key to achieving the GBF targets will be mainstreaming and embedding nature-positive operations across sectors and across society. This principle lies at the heart of the LNRSs. The creation of these strategies could mark a turning point where we begin to move towards a more nature-positive society where living systems are valued, respected and protected.

This is only the first iteration of the LNRS process, and the more enthusiastically we engage, and the louder we champion solutions, the sooner we will unlock the potential of the LNRSs.

Meg Griffiths is Conservation Officer (Species Recovery) at Plantlife. Follow @Love_plants

Nida Al-Fulaij is CEO of People's Trust for Endangered Species. Follow @PTES

Carol Williams is Special Advisor at The Bat Conservation Trust. Follow @_BCT_

The opinions expressed in this blog are the authors' and not necessarily those of the wider Link membership.