Islands are biodiversity hotspots, home to unique ecosystems and cultures, and yet are among the most vulnerable to global biodiversity loss and climate change.

In 2024, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the CBD recognized that the programme of work on island biodiversity still corresponds to global priorities and contains guidance that provide essential support for the implementation of the Framework, but that there are many areas of the programme of work that have not been fully implemented and for which the enhanced provision of financial resources and capacity-building is especially needed, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

At the same meeting, the COP identified gaps and areas in need of additional focus with respect to the programme of work in order to support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, providing a key opportunity to reinvigorate attention on key island issues under the CBD.

Recognizing the urgent need for coordinated action, the Island Biodiversity Coalition (IBC) has been formed to catalyse, coordinate, and advocate for the conservation and sustainable management of island biodiversity at local, regional, and global levels.

The purpose of the Island Biodiversity Coalition is to:

• Revitalise and catalyse the implementation of island biodiversity strategies.
• Support islands in achieving the 30x30 target and other global conservation commitments.
• Strengthen coordinated advocacy for island biodiversity, particularly within the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) processes and other relevant international and regional forums.

The Coalition consist of island (both national and subnational) and biodiversity-supporting organisations which meet on a monthly basis to exchange knowledge, align strategies, and champion collective action.