2030 Nature Plan

Nature is central to the life, identity and culture of Quebecers, First Nations and Inuit. Biodiversity, or the variety of life forms on Earth, is at the heart of the economy and also provides many essential ecological services to Québec communities. Faced with the accelerating decline in biodiversity in Québec, and on a global scale, we have decided to take action.

The 2030 Nature Plan (PDF 11.50 Mb) is the framework policy for biodiversity conservation in Québec. It aims to meet the majority of the new global targets of the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in 2022, while taking into account the realities of Québec’s regions and priorities.

The Nature Plan presents a vision for 2030 supported by four key pillars:

• Involve the First Nations and the Inuit
• Actively engage and mobilize society as a whole
• Foster discussion and synergy
• Promote access to nature

As nature is a precious ally in the fight against climate change, the actions implemented under the 2030 Nature Plan contribute to achieving Québec’s major climate objectives.

The 2030 Nature Plan includes three main areas of action (goals), 14 targets and 33 objectives in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Goal 1 — Protect and restore biodiversity to ensure ecosystem resilience

This goal aims to reverse and halt the loss of biodiversity in Québec by acting, as a priority, on the main drivers of its decline (e.g., invasive alien species, landscape fragmentation), through various actions promoting:

• Sustainable land use planning
• Restoration of ecosystems
• Conservation of natural environments and maintenance of their ecological functions
• Protection of threatened or vulnerable species
• Measures to combat invasive alien species

Goal 2 — Encourage sustainable practices that foster biodiversity and enhance access to nature

This goal aims to adapt commercial farming, aquaculture and forestry activities, as well as certain sports and leisure activities practised in nature (e.g., outdoor activities, hunting, fishing), to better conserve biodiversity and make natural environments more accessible to the entire population, while respecting First Nations and Inuit. This adaptation must also maintain Québec’s economic viability.

Goal 3 — Encourage all stakeholders to engage in biodiversity conservation efforts, and make the most of their contributions

This goal aims to empower citizens, civil society, Indigenous communities, environmental organizations and the business community. The objective is to offer all the people and organizations concerned, on a local, national and international scale, the opportunity to contribute to the transition to a society and economy that is more in harmony with nature.

The 2024–2028 Action Plan (PDF 7.72 Mb)  of the 2030 Nature Plan will enable the Gouvernement du Québec to reinforce its biodiversity conservation efforts and to take concrete action to achieve its objectives. With a budget of $922 million, it complements the various initiatives undertaken by government departments and bodies as part of their biodiversity conservation mandates and responsibilities.

Structured monitoring will be carried out in partnership with the parties involved and made public.

The 2030 Nature Plan is the result of a vast process of public consultation and mobilization. Various stakeholders have been asked to participate, including:

• The First Nations and the Inuit
• Municipalities
• The private sector
• Environmental organizations

Numerous meetings and surveys provided an opportunity to discuss biodiversity conservation issues and gain a better understanding of their challenges, needs and ideas. Avenues for collaboration and solutions for Québec were identified.

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity emerged from the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992. It is an international legally binding treaty with three central objectives:

• Conservation of biological diversity
• Sustainable use of biological diversity
• Fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources

That same year, the Gouvernement du Québec, a federated state with an international commitment (French), endorsed the objectives and principles put forward at the convention. Today, the government is convinced of the importance of action by subnational governments, federated states and regions in conserving biodiversity and fighting climate change.

From 2011 to 2020, the Gouvernement du Québec carried out more than 370 measures and actions to conserve biodiversity within its territory. The Rapport sur la contribution du Québec au Plan stratégique de la Convention des Nations Unies sur la diversité biologique 2011-2020 et ses Objectifs d’Aichi (PDF 3.76 Mb) (French) reveals that Québec made significant progress in several areas.

Among the highlights are:

• The increase in the surface area of protected areas since 2011
• The improvement in the quality of protected natural environments
• The strong protection of different categories of protected areas

Despite significant progress, none of the Aichi Targets were fully achieved, neither in Québec nor elsewhere in the world. Québec must leverage its existing policies and practices and continue its efforts to promote biodiversity, as it plans to do with the roll-out of the 2030 Nature Plan.