News
Biodiversity Protection in the Galápagos Islands
Quito, 30 May 2025 – During an extraordinary session of the Board of the Galápagos Invasive Species Control Fund (FEIG) held on 30 May 2025, the UNESCO Office in Quito was formally appointed as the first representative of the donors to this governing body. The appointment was made at the invitation of Ecuador’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE).
During the session, the Operational Manual of the new Biodiversity Protection Programme for the Galápagos Islands was also approved. This flagship initiative, led by MAATE, will be implemented with funding from German financial cooperation through the KfW Development Bank, and administered by the Environmental Internationalization Foundation (FIA).
UNESCO’s participation as a non-voting board member underscores the international community’s commitment to conserving the Outstanding Universal Value of the Galápagos Islands, which have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1978. As the United Nations agency mandated to safeguard World Heritage, UNESCO will contribute to ensuring that FEIG-funded actions and associated programmes remain fully aligned with the decisions and recommendations of the World Heritage Committee.
UNESCO emphasized the importance of integrated, transparent, and sustainable planning to address the major threats to the archipelago’s biodiversity, including increasing tourism, illegal fishing, and the introduction of invasive species. The approval of the new Operational Manual marks a decisive step forward in implementing concrete actions to protect the Galápagos’ unique ecosystems through strong governance and close coordination with national and international stakeholders.
