Ensure urgent management actions are taken to halt climate change-related and human-induced extinction of species as well as recover and conserve vulnerable species inhabiting terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine systems, including indigenous and migratory species, soil microorganisms, and wild relatives of crop and farm animals. This will be achieved using site- and species-specific approaches and maintaining and restoring the genetic diversity within and between populations of native, wild and domesticated species to maintain their adaptive potential. A range of approaches will be used to achieve this target including in situ and ex situ conservation approaches, sustainable management practices, community-based actions, habitat restoration, effectively managing human- wildlife interactions to minimize conflict, implementing recovery plans for species that have become vulnerable due to climate change-related and human-induced drivers.

Establishing a national list of species and ecosystem types with annual updating

Updating the national red list of species and ecosystems on a regular basis to facilitate evidence-based conservation planning

Conducting risk assessments to identify species that are vulnerable to climate change

Developing and implementing recovery plans for prioritized threatened species as well as climate vulnerable species

Establish ex situ conservation facilities in each bioclimatic zones for conservation, education, research and captive breeding to assist species recovery programs

Develop and implement species level management plans for mitigation of conflicts causing threatened species

Aim of this target is to prevent loss of species through innovative and science-based approaches. This will require involvement at all levels. Achieving this target will enhance the ecosystem health and in turn human well-being. Further, this target is consistent with multilateral agreements entered into by Sri Lanka including the Rio conventions.

Extinction of Threatened Species (GBF Target 4)

Preventing human-induced species extinction 

Recovering prioritized threatened species and climate vulnerable species 

Minimizing human-wildlife conflict

Private sector, civil society organizations and local communities will play a major role in achieving this targets. Private sector through mobilization of funds to support recovery programs, civil society organizations by channeling this funds to ground level interventions and local communities by directly carrying out conservation action at ground level to protect threatened species and climate vulnerable species.

The implementation will be through the Ministry of Environment mainly through its main line agencies such as Department of Wildlife Conservation, Forest department, Department of National Botanical Gardens, Department of National Zoological Gardens and other private sector and civil society stakeholders. The main barriers expected include availability of funds to support the recovery work and overcoming technical difficulties faced during species recovery projects.

This action will be implemented through identification of vulnerable species through Red Listing of Species and identification of species that are vulnerable to climate change through risk assessments and conducting recovery programs as well as habitat restoration programs to reduce the risk of extinction.