The Department of Forestry (DOF), in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Lao PDR, convened a national protected area managers’ consultative meeting in Luang Prabang to strengthen the implementation of recently adopted legal measures related to protected area management and responsible development. The meeting, held under the theme “Responsible Investment and Development for Positive Impacts on Nature,” was chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somvang Phimmavong, Director General of DOF, and brought together 50 participants from the protected area sector, the National University of Laos, and technical organizations, including WCS and CDE.
The consultation represents a practical and incremental step in Lao PDR’s efforts to align national development priorities with the CBD Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and its commitment to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. Recognizing that economic development remains essential for poverty reduction, livelihoods, and national growth, discussions focused on how to gradually and realistically operationalize the Biodiversity Mitigation Hierarchy (Avoid, Minimize, Restore, Offset) as a tool to guide investment and development toward achieving No Net Loss and, where feasible, Net Gain of biodiversity.
“This meeting strengthens our collective ability to balance development with the protection of our natural heritage,” said Dr. Somvang Phimmavong. “By applying the mitigation hierarchy more rigorously, we can avoid damages and safeguard critical ecosystems while enabling responsible economic growth that benefits the people of Laos.”
The meeting directly supports Activity 2.5 of the National Protected Area (NPA) Roadmap, endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in August 2024. Participants emphasized that:
- Avoidance of high biodiversity and irreplaceable ecosystems must be the first priority before any land-use conversion or development.
- Project proponents must conduct robust analysis of development alternatives in line with Lao natural resources and environmental laws, including the 2024 Environmental Protection Law, 2022 EIA Decree, the 2019 Forestry Law, the 2023 Wildlife Law, and Decrees governing forest and wetland areas.
- Stronger collaboration between project developers, relevant sectors, the Department of Forestry, the Department of Environment, and independent experts is essential to ensure credible, science-based decision-making that is workable within Lao’s institutional and economic context.
To strengthen transparency and accountability, CDE presented practical tools such as the Land Concession Information System (LCIS) and the Quality of Investment (QI) assessment, which can help identify, track, and manage biodiversity risks and opportunities associated with investment projects.
Reflecting on the process, Mrs. Manoly SISAVANH, Deputy Country Director, WCS Lao PDR, noted, "This meeting marks the beginning of an important process for Laos. The immediate priorities are to clearly identify and agree on no-go areas where avoidance must non-negotiably apply, and to develop robust scientific methods for calculating biodiversity loss and gain under the mitigation hierarchy. By working closely across sectors—both vertically and horizontally—and combining rigorous science with practical planning, Laos can gradually build a system that supports measurable biodiversity outcomes while also contributing to national sustainable development goals."
The meeting concluded with initial agreement on the key elements that should inform a future data, legal, and policy framework on the Biodiversity Mitigation Hierarchy, which will be further developed through continued collaboration between the government and partners.
Photo and news by: Department of Forestry