United Nations General Assembly Adopts Landmark Resolution “Nature knows no borders”

On 16 April 2021, the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 75/271 “Nature knows no borders: transboundary cooperation a key factor for biodiversity conservation, restoration and sustainable use”. Originally sponsored by Kyrgyzstan, the resolution was eventually co-sponsored by 60 additional countries* and passed by consensus. This marks the first-ever such General Assembly resolution on transboundary conservation and the first time that the terms “connectivity” and “ecological corridors” have been included at this high level of decision making representing the 193 Member States of the United Nations. It further highlights the dedication that is needed around the world to achieve the aims of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), as well as contributions that can be made in this regard as nature based solutions for climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and avoiding future pandemics.

In demonstration of the significance of connectivity conservation, and the impact that this resolution can have around the world, a main action-oriented paragraph states that the:

“General Assembly, …Encourages member States to maintain and enhance connectivity of habitats, including but not limited to those of protected species and those relevant for the provision of ecosystem services, including through increasing the establishment of transboundary protected areas, as appropriate, and ecological corridors based on the best available scientific data, in accordance with international law and national legislation, and to promote initiatives to strengthen the already existing ones and improve their effective management and other effective area-based conservation measures, thereby contributing to the maintenance of their functioning;”

A number of initiatives and regions already contributing to the resolution’s aims are also mentioned. These include areas where CCSG Members are actively engaged in a variety of ways, including the Carpathian mountains in Eastern Europe, Central Asian mammal populations, and jaguar corridors in Central and South America. CCSG is encouraged by this strong mandate given to countries and other important stakeholders around the world and looks forward to further supporting activities and contributing toward its objectives.

Importantly, the UN Secretary-General is invited to report to the General Assembly in two years’ time – at its 77^th session – on progress toward implementation. Other key passages of the resolution related to ecological connectivity include:

Stressing the need for connectivity between ecosystems and cooperation in order to maintain healthy and intact ecosystems and habitats;
Highlighting the need to maintain connectivity across ecosystems, which often requires cooperation among range States inhabited by a certain species; and
Encouraging Member States and international organizations and other relevant stakeholders to emphasize the importance of protecting vulnerable ecosystems and their connectivity.

* Co-sponsoring countries: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, India, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Lesotho, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Singapore, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, VietNam, Zambia and Zimbabwe

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Hampshire	2026	SB592	Enables regional, conservation, and energy resource planning for habitat strongholds and wildlife corridors
New Hampshire	2019	SB200	Requires the New Hampshire Department of Transportation to consider fish and wildlife crossings and mitigation measures in all future road and culvert projects
New Hampshire	2016	SB376	Requires the fish and game department to identify existing and needed wildlife corridors connecting wildlife habitats in the state and to make recommendations for legislative changes

State	Year	Policy	Description
Maine	2023	LD258	Appropriates $7.5 million to Department of Transportation to improve roadways with potential adaptations for wildlife
Maine	2023	LD1881	Establishes compensation fee program relating to fish and wildlife habitats and associated corridors, including compensation paid by solar energy development
Maine	2023	LD508	Requires Department of Environmental Protection to review its permitting laws concerning climate change, habitat connectivity, ecological resilience, and coastal environments

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Jersey	2025	S3618	Directs state agencies to develop a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Jersey	2024	S3916/A5486	Expands eligibility for existing wildlife fencing programs by including farmers leasing farmland
New Jersey	2007	NJAC7:13	Requires the state to incorporate wildlife crossings or a natural bank for terrestrial threatened and endangered species and/or species of concern when a new bridge or culvert project would cause habitat fragmentation

State	Year	Policy	Description
New Mexico	2023	SB72	Appropriates money to new Wildlife Corridors Fund for implementation of wildlife crossing projects under New Mexico Wildlife Corridor Action Plan
New Mexico	2022	HB 2	Allocates funding for projects to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and allows the Department of Transportation and Department of Game to implement their Wildlife Corridors Action Plan
New Mexico	2019	SB 228	Requires the creation of a Wildlife Corridor Action Plan that includes comprehensive guidance to agencies for identifying, prioritizing and maintaining important areas for wildlife movement

State	Year	Policy	Description
Washington	2023	HB1216/SB5196	Requires Department of Ecology to prepare environmental impact statements for clean energy projects that consider impacts to habitat connectivity and wildlife migration corridors
Washington	2022	SB5689	Provides funding for US 97 Wildlife Crossing Improvements project
Washington	2019	SEO 1031.02	Recognizes the effect of roadways in creating barriers to wildlife movement, breeding, and migrations; the Washington State Department of Transportation will promote and support Practical Solutions and Planning and Environmental Linkages to integrate habitat connectivity and biodiversity plans; will make use of the highway prioritization map known as Habitat Connectivity Investment Priorities; and will corporate and coordinate with other agencies involved in wildlife habitat protection, specifically along highways

State	Year	Policy	Description
Vermont	2023	Act59	Vermont's 30x30 law that commits to conserving and maintaining an ecologically functional landscape that sustains biodiversity and maintains landscape connectivity
Vermont	2016	Act 171	Primarily focuses on timber harvesting regulations, but calls for a study of necessary revisions to planning statutes that protect contiguous areas of forestland from fragmentation and promote habitat connectivity between forestlands

State	Year	Policy	Description
California	2024	AB1889	Requires counties and municipalities to conserve wildlife corridors when planning new developments
California	2023	AB1760	Calls for a statewide analysis of wildlife corridors and connectivity to support conservation planning and climate change adaptation activities.
California	2023	SB145	Outlines provisions for transportation-related environmental mitigation, including funding for wildlife corridors, property and credit purchases for mitigation, reporting requirements, and mandates for wildlife crossings along Interstate 15.
California	2023	SB101	Provides funding for wildlife corridors and open spaces, including projects to improve connectivity and reduce barriers between habitat areas.
California	2022	AB2344	Establishes a state program to address roads with high wildlife-vehicle collisions, authorizes Caltrans to develop standalone wildlife connectivity projects, mandates an inventory and prioritization system for critical areas, and requires integration of wildlife passage features into relevant road designs.
California	2022	AB1384	Requires agencies to address vulnerabilities in Safeguarding California Plans, including protecting and enhancing wildlife corridors
California	2021	SB790	Approves compensatory mitigation credits for wildlife connectivity actions
California	2021	AB1183	Establishes the California Desert Conservation Program to protect biodiversity, including the protection and enhancement of habitat connectivity
California	2021	AB128	Appropriates funding for wildlife crossing projects, including the Liberty Canyon crossing for mountain lions
California	2015	AB 498	Amends the California Fish and Game Code to encourage, wherever feasible, voluntary steps to protect the functioning of wildlife corridors
California	2014	AB1471	Provides funds to the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta Conservancy, in part to protect and restore aquatic, wetland, and migratory bird ecosystems including corridors.
California	2008	AB2785	Orders Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to investigate, study, and identify key wildlife corridors and linkages within the state, and to make those areas public

State	Year	Policy	Description
Florida	2024	SB1638	Dedicates annual funding to land purchases, conservation easements, and trail maintenance within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	HB1379	Creates annual appropriation to acquire lands that complete certain linkages and are under high population stress within Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2023	SB2500 sec.146	Provides funding to buy Ocala to Osceola (“O2O”) Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2021	SB976	Tasks state agencies with maintaining wildlife connectivity and designates Florida Wildlife Corridor as an existing physical, geographically defined area
Florida	2021	SB2500	Appropriates $300 million to acquire lands to conserve Florida Wildlife Corridor
Florida	2019	SB7068	Creates a "Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance Program" that includes protection of wildlife corridors as an intended benefit
Florida	2008	SB542	Amends Florida Forever Act statues to include goals of connecting linkage corridors
Florida	2001	SB1468	Amends Florida Forever Act to establish that land acquisitions should include complete landscape linkages and corridors
Florida	1999	S908	Creates Florida Forever Program, with increased protection of lands that protect threatened or endangered species and plans to create a statewide system of connected landscape linkages