Transnational Biodiversity Initiatives and the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework: A Network Analysis of Target Linkages and Governance Divides

The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (hereafter “KMGBF”) sets 23 action targets for 2030, and its implementation has now entered a critical phase. Despite the Framework’s emphasis on a whole-of-society approach, little is known about how transnational biodiversity initiatives relate to its targets. Using qualitative content analysis and social network analysis, we identify linkages between 35 transnational biodiversity initiatives and the 23 KMGBF targets and compare these patterns with target mappings reported in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (hereafter “NBSAPs”) from 167 Parties. We find that initiatives primarily address targets concerning capacity-building and knowledge management, whereas NBSAPs exhibit broad coverage across all targets. Within the target–target network, spatial planning functions as an important bridging target connecting otherwise separate subsets of biodiversity issues, despite having only moderate overall connectivity. Four action targets—including corporate disclosure and harmful subsidy reform—remain entirely unaddressed by the initiatives in our sample. These targets turn primarily on regulatory and policy interventions, suggesting a stronger role for states in their implementation. These findings suggest that states and transnational initiatives relate to the Framework’s targets in distinct but potentially complementary ways.