Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Africa
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The regional assessment report on BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR AFRICA SUMMARY FOR POLICYMAKERS I THE REGIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR AFRICA SUMMARY FOR POLICYMAKERS OF THE IPBES REGIONAL ASSESSMENT REPORT ON BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR AFRICA Copyright © 2018, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) ISBN No: 978-3-947851-00-3 Reproduction For further information, please contact: This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and any form for educational or non-profit services without special Ecosystem Services (IPBES) permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement IPBES Secretariat, UN Campus of the source is made. 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P. 3: IISD_S Wu (Sir R T Watson) P.4-5: UNEP (E Solheim) / UNESCO (A Azoulay) / FAO (J Graziano Traceable accounts da Silva) / UNDP (Achim Steiner) The chapter references enclosed in curly brackets (e.g. {2.3.1, P. 8-9: MJ Somers 2.3.1.2, 2.3.1.3}) are traceable accounts and refer to sections P. 11: MJ Somers / P Failler / P Failler / P Failler / Shutterstock_ D of the chapters of the IPBES Regional Assessment Report on Ryszawy / MC Cormier-Salem Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Africa. A traceable P. 13: Shutterstock_ R Slootweg / Shutterstock_D Rata / P Failler account is a description within the corresponding texts of these P. 16-17: Shutterstock_Larsek chapters, reflecting the evaluation of the type, amount, quality, P. 44-45: Shutterstock_A Nickolls and consistency of evidence and the degree of agreement for that particular statement or key finding. Technical Support Michele Walters Disclaimer on maps Anicia Malebajoa Maoela The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps used in this report do not imply the expression of any opinion Graphic Design whatsoever on the part of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy MOABI / Maro Haas, Art direction and layout Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services concerning the Zoo, designers graphiques, Figures design legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, Jacqueline Gensollen-Bloch, Figures or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. These Yuka Estrada, SPM figures maps have been prepared for the sole purpose of facilitating the assessment of the broad biogeographical areas represented therein. SUGGESTED CITATION: IPBES (2018): Summary for policymakers of the regional assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services for Africa of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. E. Archer, L. E. Dziba, K. J. Mulongoy, M. A. Maoela, M. Walters, R. Biggs, M-C. Cormier-Salem, F. DeClerck, M. C. Diaw, A. E. Dunham, P. Failler, C. Gordon, K. A. Harhash, R. Kasisi, F. Kizito, W. D. Nyingi, N. Oguge, B. Osman-Elasha, L. C. Stringer, L. Tito de Morais, A. Assogbadjo, B. N. Egoh, M. W. Halmy, K. Heubach, A. Mensah, L. Pereira and N. Sitas (eds.). IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany. 49 pages. MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE WHO PROVIDED GUIDANCE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF THIS ASSESSMENT: Sebsebe Demissew and Jean-Bruno Mikissa (Multidisciplinary Expert Panel); Fundisile G. Mketeni and Alfred Oteng-Yeboah (Bureau). This report in the form of a PDF can be viewed and downloaded at www.ipbes.net II The regional assessment report on BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FOR AFRICA SUMMARY FOR POLICYMAKERS AUTHORS:1 Emma Archer (co-chair, South Africa), Luthando Dziba (co-chair, South Africa), Kalemani Jo Mulongoy (co-chair, Democratic Republic of the Congo); Malebajoa Anicia Maoela (IPBES), Michele Walters (IPBES); Reinette (Oonsie) Biggs (South Africa), Marie-Christine Cormier-Salem (France), Fabrice DeClerck (Belgium), Mariteuw Chimère Diaw (Senegal/Cameroon), Amy E. Dunham (United States of America), Pierre Failler (France/United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Christopher Gordon (Ghana, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Khaled Allam Harhash (Egypt), Robert Kasisi (Canada), Fred Kizito (Uganda), Wanja Nyingi (Kenya), Nicholas Oguge (Kenya), Balgis Osman-Elasha (Sudan), Lindsay C. Stringer (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Luis Tito de Morais (France); Achille Assogbadjo (Benin), Benis N. Egoh (Cameroon, South Africa), Marwa W. Halmy (Egypt), Katja Heubach (Germany), Adelina Mensah (Ghana), Laura Pereira (South Africa), Nadia Sitas (South Africa). 1. Authors are listed with, in parenthesis, their country of citizenship, or countries of citizenship separated by a comma when they have several; and, following a slash, their country of affiliation, if different from citizenship, or their organization if they belong to an international organization: name of expert (nationality 1, nationality 2/affiliation). The countries or organizations having nominated these experts are listed on the IPBES website. FOREWORD he objective of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services is to provide Governments, the private sector, and civil society with scientifically credible and independent up-to-date assessments of Tavailable knowledge to make informed decisions at the local, regional and international levels. This regional and subregional assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services for Africa has been carried out by 127 selected experts, including 7 early career fellows, assisted by 23 contributing authors, primarily from Africa, who have analyzed a large body of knowledge, including about 2,400 scientific publications. The Report represents The Regional Assessment Report on Biodiversity the state of knowledge on the Africa region and subregions. and Ecosystem Services for Africa produced by the Its chapters and their executive summaries were accepted, Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and its summary for policymakers was approved, by the and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) provides a critical analysis Member States of IPBES at the sixth session of the IPBES of the state of knowledge regarding the importance, status, Plenary (18 to 24 March 2018, Medellín, Colombia). and trends of biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people. The assessment analyses the direct and underlying causes for the observed changes in biodiversity and in This Report provides a critical assessment of the full range nature’s contributions to people, and the impact that of issues facing decision-makers, including the importance, these changes have on the quality of life of people. The status, trends and threats to biodiversity and nature’s assessment, finally, identifies a mix of governance options, contributions to people, as well as policy and management policies and management practices that are currently response options. Establishing the underlying causes available to reduce the loss of biodiversity and of nature’s of the loss of biodiversity and nature’s contributions to contributions to people in that region. people provides policymakers with the information needed The assessment addresses terrestrial, freshwater, and to develop appropriate response options, technologies, coastal biodiversity and covers current status and trends, policies, financial incentives and behavioral changes. going back in time several decades, and future projections, with a focus on the 2020-2050 period. The Assessment concludes that biodiversity and nature’s The present document, the Summary for Policymakers of contributions in Africa are economically, socially and the Assessment Report, was approved by the sixth session culturally important, essential in providing the continent’s of the Plenary of IPBES (Medellín, Colombia, 18-24 March food, water, energy, health and secure livelihood, and 2018). It is based on a set of chapters which were accepted represent a strategic asset for sustainable development at this same Plenary session. The chapters are available as and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. document IPBES/6/INF/3/Rev.1 (www.ipbes.net). However, the Assessment also notes that the current 2 FOREWORD loss and decline of biodiversity, which is due to human activities, is reducing nature’s contributions to people, and undermining human well-being. Unregulated land cover change, i.e., habitat change and over-exploitation, has been the primary cause of biodiversity loss to date, Mulongoy (Democratic Republic of the Congo), as well but given Africa’s extreme vulnerability to the impacts of as of the coordinating lead authors, lead authors, review climate change, climate change is likely to be a dominant editors, fellows, contributing authors and reviewers, and driver of change in the future. The likely doubling of Africa’s