The Future of Biodiversity in Africa: Turning Dar Vision Statement into Policy Initiatives

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The Future of Biodiversity in Africa Turning
Dar Vision Statement into Policy
Initiatives Discussion - Society for
Conservation Biology-Africa Conference,
Ghana Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group
(ABCG) www.abcg.org
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Background on the Dar Vision Statement

• Through the USAID Biodiversity Analysis and
  Technical
• Support (BATS) for USAID/Africa, ABCG
  organized a series of
• workshops in Africa and the U.S. on
• The Future of Biodiversity
  in Africa
• 15 May 2008 ABCG Workshop in Washington, DC, USA
• 17 -19 Sept. 2008 IUCN/ABCG Workshop in Dar es
  Salaam, TZ
• 8 Dec. 2008 National Council for Science the
  Environment (NCSE) Session in Washington, DC, USA
• 30 Jan. 2009 Society for Conservation
  Biology-Africa in Accra, Ghana

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Dar Workshop

• opportunities
• Draws upon USAID report Protecting Hard-Won
  Ground
• Brought 35 experts from across sub-Saharan Africa
  together to review achievements in biodiversity
  conservation, scan the horizon for emerging
  challenges, and articulate a vision statement for
  the future of biodiversity in Africa
• Goal To provide input into donor programs on
  the linkages between biodiversity, well-being,
  and emerging challenges

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Biodiversity Fundamental Basis for Development
and Underpins Well-Being

• Threats
• -swelling human demand for resources
• -inadequate institutional infrastructure
• -destruction of natural areas
• -climate change
• -globalization of trade
• -externalities Opportunities
• -significant areas in Africa where
  habitat is intact
• -conservation success
• -innovation

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Dar Vision StatementFuture of Biodiversity in
Africa

• By 2025, environmental degradation and
  biodiversity loss in Africa have been
  significantly slowed, people and nature are
  adapting to climate change, and species and
  ecosystem services are providing a foundation for
  human welfare in a society committed to
  sustainable economic development and equitable
  sharing of natural resource benefits.

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Dar Recommendations

• Mainstream Biodiversity in Human Well-Being and
  Development Agendas
• Promote Good Conservation Practices
• Strengthen the Role of Social and Development
  Institutions in Biodiversity Conservation and
  Human Well-Being

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Mainstream Biodiversity in Human Well-Being
Development Agendas

• Promote climate change mitigation, and climate
  adaptation for biodiversity and people
• Harness biodiversity and ecosystem services for
  improved agriculture
• Enhance greater accountability for sustaining
  biodiversity and ecosystem services by private
  sector institutions
• Promote restoration of degraded natural resources
• Enhance the role of healthy ecosystems in
  mitigating risk of emerging diseases
• Promote increased understanding and awareness of
  biodiversity and environmental issues

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Promote Good Conservation Practices

• Promote conservation of existing biodiversity
• Promote sound nature tourism development
• Demonstrate biodiversity and ecosystem services
  as fundamental bases of human well-being
• Promote sound governance rights-based
  approaches
• Promote innovative conservation funding
  mechanisms

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Strengthen Role of Social Institutions in
Conservation Human Well-Being

1. Reach out to faith communities for dialogue and
   collaboration
2. Reach out to relief and development organizations
   for mitigating impacts of migration and natural
   population growth

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Next Steps

• Feedback from SCB Experts on Dar Vision Statement
• What is the future of biodiversity in Africa
  (given the best or the worst scenarios)?
• How to call upon donors and partners to realize
  the Dar Vision and catalyze policy initiatives on
  biodiversity?

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Thanks for helping to turn the Dar Vision into
Policy Interventions!
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Contact

• Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG)
• nancy.gelman_at_wwfus.org
• www.abcg.org
• Photo credits
• USAID
• Ephraim Mwangomo
• Michael Gelman
• John Waugh
• College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka
• WWF-US