The National Environmental Management: ProtectedAreas Bill, provides for the establishment of a National Biodiversity Institute (NBI), through provision of criteria for the selection and appointment of, the governing board, defines functions, powers and operating procedures of the board and of the NBI, and provides provisions on general administration and financial matters. The Bill provides for biodiversity planning, monitoring and research, and for the co-ordination and alignment of biodiversity planningwith other environmental and sectoral planning, and allows for the Minister to set norms and standards for the management of biodiversity. Requirements andproceduresfor consultation are set out and the need for concurrence of relevant Cabinet members is established. A regulatory framework, fully integrated with other regulatory
frameworks, is created for the regulation of biological resources and activities involving biological resources to ensure thelong-termsustainabilityof biological resources and the equitable sharing of benefits derived from them.