By 2030, Dominica aims to integrate biodiversity into settlement and urban planning in 25% of urban and town centres, expanding and improving access to green and blue spaces and applying design that benefits biodiversity to reduce heat, flooding and habitat fragmentation. Green spaces include vegetated public areas and habitats, while blue spaces include rivers, wetlands and coastal waters in and around settlements. The target promotes their quality, connectivity and accessibility, supporting native biodiversity, recreation, community well-being and climate resilience. Planning will consider how settlements connect with surrounding watersheds, coastal habitats and natural areas.

Dominica aims to establish biodiversity-inclusive settlement plans for 25% of urban and town centres. Implementation will define the centres included in the national baseline and establish clear criteria for assessing progress. Inventories will identify existing green and blue spaces, their ecological condition, public accessibility and opportunities for improvement. Priority actions include protecting and restoring river corridors, planting appropriate native and climate-resilient vegetation, improving public green spaces, and maintaining ecological connections within and around settlements. Inclusive design will support safe and equitable access, with attention to areas underserved by public spaces or exposed to heat and flooding. Planning guidance and development controls will integrate biodiversity into housing, infrastructure, drainage and post-disaster reconstruction. Measures may include permeable surfaces, vegetated drainage, shaded public spaces and appropriate buffers around sensitive habitats. Maintenance plans, community stewardship and monitoring will support lasting improvements in biodiversity, public access and ecosystem services.

Access to financial resources: Implementation requires sustained financing for planning, restoration, public access improvements, maintenance and monitoring.

Biodiversity and health: Well-managed green and blue spaces support recreation, physical and mental well-being, shade and reduced exposure to natural hazards, while providing habitat for native species.

Collective effort towards the targets: The target promotes coordinated contributions across public institutions, developers, businesses and communities.

Consistency with international agreements or instruments: Implementation supports biodiversity objectives and sustainable development priorities for safe, inclusive and accessible public spaces and resilient settlements.

Cooperation and synergies: The target connects urban planning with biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, public health and community development.

Ecosystem approach: Planning will consider settlements as part of connected landscapes and seascapes, maintaining links between vegetation, waterways, coastal habitats and nearby natural areas.

Formal and informal education: Public awareness, practical training and community participation will support understanding and long-term care of green and blue spaces.

Gender: Design and management will consider different patterns of use, safety concerns and access needs, promoting equitable participation and benefits.

Human rights-based approach: Implementation will support meaningful participation and safe, equitable access, with attention to underserved communities and the needs of children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

Intergenerational equity: Protecting and improving green and blue spaces will help maintain biodiversity, public amenities and resilient settlements for future generations.

National circumstances, priorities and capabilities: Implementation reflects Dominica’s steep terrain, coastal and riverine settlements, high rainfall and exposure to hurricanes, flooding and landslides.

Right to development: Biodiversity-inclusive planning will support liveable settlements, public amenities and resilient development while maintaining natural habitats and ecosystem services.

Science and innovation: Spatial inventories, biodiversity assessments and analysis of accessibility, heat and flood risks will guide priorities and evaluate outcomes.

Whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach: Implementation promotes coordination across sectors and inclusive participation by residents and communities in planning, stewardship and monitoring.

National Target 12 addresses key elements of GBF Target 12 through biodiversity-inclusive settlement planning, expansion of green and blue spaces, improved access to nature and reduced habitat fragmentation. Its focus on heat and flooding also links ecosystem management with human well-being and settlement resilience. The national commitment applies to 25% of urban and town centres. Implementation will require an agreed baseline list and criteria defining when biodiversity has been integrated into a centre’s planning. This coverage measure is distinct from the share of built-up land occupied by publicly accessible green or blue space. Further development of implementation arrangements can clarify expected improvements in space quality, ecological connectivity and integrity, native biodiversity and equitable access. These elements are not all explicit in the target title; but this does not imply their exclusion. Monitoring will assess ecological and social outcomes alongside planning coverage.

No formal non-State actor commitments have been identified towards this national target. Opportunities for voluntary contributions and partnerships can be further developed during implementation.

Additional financing, technical assistance and planning capacity are needed to define the baseline of urban and town centres, map green and blue spaces, and establish measurable standards for biodiversity, accessibility and resilience. Priorities include spatial information, ecological assessments, inclusive design guidance and practical tools for local planning and development review. Sustained investment is also needed for restoration, public access improvements and long-term maintenance. Training, community stewardship and coordinated monitoring will support delivery. Implementation planning will need to account for land availability, development pressures, technical and financial capacity, and competing reconstruction priorities.