Currently fewer than 5 % of African parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have geospatial biodiversity data to inform wise land-use decisions and policies, and to promote conservation actions for achievement of the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (http://nbsapforum.net/uploads/2811.pdf ).
The assessment of the status of species and ecosystems at country level are the fundamental building blocks for the spatial identification of biodiversity priorities. So far, on the African continent, comprehensive assessments of both species and ecosystems has taken place only in South Africa and Uganda, and is urgently required in other countries to assist decision-makers in prioritizing areas for protection amidst the increasing pressures on biodiversity.
This project will develop geospatial biodiversity datasets by strengthening the technical capacity of conservation practitioners for assessment of the status of species and ecosystems via national Red Listing processes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has published global standards for species and ecosystems, as well as for identifying Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). These three knowledge products, mobilized by IUCN but integrating inputs from many other partners, provide a suite of tools to support countries’ land use decisionmaking, biodiversity mainstreaming into other sectors, and protected area consolidation and expansion.
