Mainstreaming across political sectors: Assessing biodiversity policy integration in Peru

Abstract

AbstractMainstreaming biodiversity across political sectors and levels is a central challenge to conserving global biodiversity. This article introduces biodiversity policy integration (BPI) as an analytical approach for assessing the ecological performance of nonenvironmental sectors using the following criteria: inclusion, operationalization, coherence, capacity and weighting. To date, we know little about the barriers and enabling factors for integrating biodiversity into sector policies in resource intensive economies of the Global South. BPI in Peruvian political sectors of Agriculture and Irrigation, Economy and Finance, Energy and Mining, Production and Fishery, and Communication and Transport were analyzed based on sector strategies, related legal and strategic documents as well as qualitative expert interviews. While sectors commit to biodiversity conservation in general terms, a weak operationalization of biodiversity targets and low institutional capacity results in ineffective policy. Specific targets and indicators are not yet incorporated into sector strategies, national development planning, the evaluation of impact assessments or budget allocation. Biodiversity policies remain disconnected from the sectors' policy practices, which undermines the potential of reducing harmful incentives (Aichi target 3) and maintaining production within sustainable limits (Aichi target 4). Based on the results I identify the framing of sector‐specific targets, favorable actor constellations and adaptive institutional learning arrangements as key elements for improving BPI. Facilitating agents, such as the environmental Ministry or intersectoral commissions, play a central role in generating ownership of biodiversity objectives in sector policy‐making and supporting institutional learning processes.