The UK government and its Overseas Territories have, for the first time, signed up to a joint biodiversity strategy aimed at halting and reversing the decline of some of the world’s most
threatened ecosystems.
The plan, announced today by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Mary Creagh CBE MP, brings together governments from across the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) under a single framework to safeguard wildlife spanning the Antarctic, Caribbean, Atlantic and Pacific.
Home to 94% of the UK’s unique species — and a quarter of the world’s penguins — the UKOTs represent some of the planet’s most valuable natural environments. More than 40,000 species have been recorded across these territories, including 1,851 that exist nowhere else on Earth.
Among the species set to benefit are the emperor penguin and the green turtle, both icons of vulnerable ecosystems. Ascension Island, for example, hosts the Atlantic’s second-largest green turtle rookery, while South Georgia supports vast colonies of emperor, rockhopper and macaroni penguins.
Other rare and extraordinary species include the mountain chicken frog of Montserrat, a giant among amphibians capable of leaping two metres, and the Bermuda petrel — once thought extinct for 300 years before its dramatic rediscovery.
But climate change, invasive species, pollution and habitat loss continue to place immense pressure on these fragile environments. Officials say the new Overseas Territories Biodiversity Strategy marks a “step change” in international cooperation, creating six overarching goals with clear actions tailored to each territory. Ministers from the UK and UKOTs will review progress every three years.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “We are blessed with remarkable wildlife in our Overseas Territories from the polar landscapes of British Antarctica to the cloud forests of St Helena – there are thousands of species that cannot be found anywhere else.
“However, this precious biodiversity is under threat from global warming and it is our duty to protect it.
“For the first time all 14 UK Overseas Territories have signed off this strategy to safeguard these treasured species in these iconic places.”
Minister for the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty said:
“Our Overseas Territories are vital custodians of our oceans and ecosystems – overseeing 94% of Britain’s unique species. With many of the territories positioned on the front lines of the climate crisis, we are absolutely committed to preserving and protecting these habitats into the future.
“This strategy marks an important moment in our collaboration with our partners across the Overseas Territories, uniting us for the first time behind a shared ambition to protect their unique and extraordinary biodiversity.”
John Cortes, Environment Minister for Gibraltar, said: “This strategy is the result of tremendous collaborative work by many people, in the OTs and in the UK, and of many years of study into our unique biodiversity.
“It is an example to others of what can be achieved by working together even if scattered across the globe and sets a challenge to present and future generations to protect the amazing biodiversity that we all treasure.”
Dr David Cooper, chair of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee said: “The UK Overseas Territories represent some of the world’s most pristine wilderness areas, from the mangrove forests of the Cayman Islands to the remote landscapes of South Georgia.
“This new Biodiversity Strategy will strengthen support for implementation of multilateral environmental agreements, enhance sharing scientific expertise, and foster cross-territory relationships, ensuring these globally important ecosystems continue to thrive and support local economies. Our collective commitment to cooperation is essential for preserving these natural treasures.”
The strategy will be supported by the Darwin Plus programme, which recently awarded around £5 million to conservation projects across the territories.
For residents of the UKOTs, the stakes are high. Many local economies rely heavily on tourism and fishing, while natural defences such as Anguilla’s sand dunes and the Cayman Islands’ carbon-rich mangroves provide vital protection from storms and climate impacts.
The new framework forms part of the UK’s wider commitment to restore nature and deliver on the global goal of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030.
The announcement coincides with the annual Joint Ministerial Council in London, where leaders from the UK and the Overseas Territories are meeting to discuss shared priorities. Photo by Se Mo, Wikimedia commons.