The KBA Programme

The KBA Programme aims to identify, map, and promote the conservation of the most significant places for nature worldwide – A Global Standard for Key Biodiversity Areas was developed to achieve this ambitious goal. The Standard, resulting after several years of extensive consultation, sets clear global criteria with quantitative thresholds. Additional detailed guidelines are available to help proposers apply these criteria effectively.

The implementation of the KBA Programme is guided by the KBA Partnership, following a 6-year Strategic Plan from 2025-2030.

Our Vision

The vision of the KBA Programme is "a comprehensive network of sites that contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity is appropriately identified, correctly documented, effectively managed, sufficiently resourced and adequately safeguarded."

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Our Goal

The goal of the KBA Programme is: “to implement a programme to develop and maintain an up-to-date, fully documented list of sites identified against the KBA Standard, and to communicate, promote and position this information to enable the achievement of the KBA vision.”

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Guiding conservation to the right places

Identifying and proposing KBAs is a highly inclusive, nationally driven process. This is how it works:

Anyone possessing relevant scientific data can propose a site, with consultation from national stakeholders including governmental and non-governmental organisations.
KBA National Coordination Groups are established. These groups are essential to coordinate national level assessments and subsequent monitoring of sites.
Expert working groups collect and analyse relevant data, confirm qualifying species and site boundaries.
Assessed sites undergo consultation with key stakeholders, especially with the government and local and Indigenous communities.
Once all the information is collated, sites are proposed through the World Database of KBAs.
Independent scientific review is conducted by the Regional Focal Points.
Confirmed KBAs are published in the World Database of KBAs (WDKBA) and on the KBA website, and made accessible to a wide range of users: governments, private sector companies, philanthropists, financing institutions, and the conservation and research community.

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Working to safeguard biodiversity

Several groups work tirelessly to support the national implementation of the KBA Programme and ensure that the KBA criteria are applied consistently and rigorously. The main structures within the KBA Programme are:

KBA Partnership

The KBA Partnership Agreement is a global, multi-organisational agreement to jointly identify, map, monitor, and conserve sites of global importance for the planet's biodiversity.

KBA Committee

Responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the KBA Partnership.

KBA Secretariat

Coordinates the activities of the KBA Partnership and ensures the delivery and promotion of the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas.

KBA National Coordination Groups (KBA NCGs)

Includes representatives of government, NGOs, scientific institutions, universities, museums, herbaria and Indigenous communities. They coordinate national level initiatives to identify and conserve KBAs.

KBA Community

Provides a platform for collaboration and exchange between experts and organisations involved in KBA identification, review, and monitoring.

Regional Focal Points

Individuals who support the KBA identification and review process in a particular region, employed by KBA Partners or the KBA Secretariat.

KBA Standards and Appeals Committee (SAC)

Established to ensure the correct application of the Global Standard for the identification of Key Biodiversity Areas.

Technical Working Group

Seeks to ensure that the KBA identification, documentation, and monitoring efforts of the KBA Partners are implemented consistently.

Other Working Groups

Other KBA working groups are actively operating to ensure the work of the KBA Partners is supported, funded, communicated and effectively shared with key decision makers.