TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has reported significant progress in Eastern and Southern Africa towards the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Target 3 (TARGET 3: Conserve 30% of Land, Waters and Seas).
EXPLANATION:
- This target aims for countries to protect 30% of their terrestrial and marine environments.
- Eastern and Southern Africa have currently protected 17.24% of their terrestrial area, which includes 5,544 protected and conserved areas spanning 2,618,967 square kilometers.
- Despite the notable progress, there is considerable variability in protection levels across the region.
- Data from the World Database on Protected Areas indicates that 38% of countries in this region have less than 10% of their terrestrial area protected.
- The findings are detailed in the report titled “The State of Protected and Conserved Areas in Eastern and Southern Africa – Second Edition.”
- This report was launched by the IUCN in collaboration with Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife at Nairobi National Park during the Africa Conservation Forum held in Kenya from June 26-28, 2024.
- The report includes data from 26 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Governance and Management
- Governance in this region is predominantly government-driven, but there is a growing trend towards involving a wider range of stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and the private sector.
- Public-private partnerships (PPPs) and collaborations with tourism operators are becoming more prevalent.
- The report highlights a significant shift towards involving Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in conservation efforts.
- Of the 316 protected areas governed by these groups, 35.44% are in Namibia, with others in Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Botswana.
- Private governance is mainly found in southern Africa, particularly in Namibia and South Africa, and is often linked to wildlife tourism, game breeding, and trophy hunting industries.
Legislative and Policy Challenges
- The region faces diverse needs and priorities for development, necessitating revisions to legislation and policies for more inclusive conservation practices.
- The legal frameworks governing protected areas are complex and varied, which poses several challenges.
- In countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia, conservation mandates are dispersed across multiple ministries responsible for tourism, forestry, wildlife, agriculture, and mining.
- This division leads to inefficiencies and coordination difficulties, hindering integrated conservation efforts.
- PPPs are vital for effective management of protected areas.
- While some countries, such as Zambia and Zimbabwe, have established robust PPP frameworks, others, like Uganda, South Africa, and Tanzania, still face challenges in implementation.
Commitment to the Global Biodiversity Framework
- Despite the challenges, all countries in the region are committed to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the GBF.
- Achieving these commitments requires political will and resource allocations both regionally and globally.
- Accurate, current, and comparable data is crucial to measure progress against the GBF targets, particularly Target 3.
- This data supports the planning and resource allocation necessary for achieving the conservation goals.
- The IUCN report underscores both the achievements and the challenges faced by Eastern and Southern Africa in their efforts to meet global biodiversity targets.
- While progress is evident, continued effort, cooperation, and resource allocation are essential to fully realize the goals set by the Global Biodiversity Framework.
TARGET 3: Conserve 30% of Land, Waters and Seas
- Ensure and enable that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of terrestrial and inland water areas, and of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved.
- They are managed through ecologically representative, well-connected and equitably governed systems of protected areas.
- Other effective area-based conservation measures, recognizing Indigenous and traditional territories, where applicable, and integrating into wider landscapes, seascapes and the ocean.
- It is also ensured that any sustainable use, where appropriate in such areas, is fully consistent with conservation outcomes, recognizing and respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities, including over their traditional territories.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
- The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has 23 action-oriented global targets for urgent action over the decade to 2030.
- The actions set out in each target need to be initiated immediately and completed by 2030.
- Together, the results will enable achievement towards the outcome-oriented goals for 2050.
- Actions to reach these targets should be implemented consistently and in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Protocols, as well as other relevant international obligations, taking into account national circumstances, priorities, and socioeconomic conditions.
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN):
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
- Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
- IUCN’s mission is to “influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.”
- It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education.
- IUCN has a membership of over 1,400 governmental and non-governmental organizations from over 170 countries, and around 16,000 scientists and experts participate in its work on a voluntary basis.
- Its headquarters is in Gland, Switzerland.