African Development Bank WWF Technical Partners: Publication details The African Development Bank (AfDB) WWF is one of the world’s Global Footprint Network Zoological Society of London Published in May 2012 jointly by Group’s mission is to help reduce largest and most experienced WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature The Global Footprint Network Founded in 1826, the Zoological poverty, improve living conditions independent conservation (Formerly World Wildlife Fund), and promotes the science of Society of London is an international for Africans and mobilize resources organizations, with over 5 AfDB – African Development Bank. sustainability by advancing the for the continent’s economic and million supporters and a global Any reproduction in full or in part Ecological Footprint, a resource educational organization. Its mission social development. With this network active in more than of this publication must mention the accounting tool that makes is to achieve and promote the objective in mind, the institution 100 countries. WWF’s mission title and credit the above-mentioned sustainability measurable. worldwide conservation of animals aims at assisting African countries – is to stop the degradation of the publishers as the copyright owners. Together with its partners, and their habitats. ZSL runs ZSL individually and collectively – in their planet’s natural environment and the Global Footprint Network London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade © Text and graphics: 2012 the efforts to achieve sustainable economic to build a future in which humans works to further improve and African Development Bank and development and social progress. live in harmony with nature, by implement this science by the Institute of Zoology and is WWF – the World Wide Fund Combating poverty is at the heart conserving the world’s biological coordinating research, developing for Nature. of the continent’s efforts to attain diversity, ensuring that the use methodological standards, conservation worldwide. sustainable economic growth. To of renewable natural resources is All rights reserved. and providing decision-makers this end, the Bank seeks to stimulate sustainable, and promoting the with robust resource accounts to An electronic version of this and mobilize internal and external reduction of pollution and Institute of Zoology help the human economy report and other related materials resources to promote investments as wasteful consumption. Zoological Society of London operate within the Earth’s can be found at: well as provide its regional member Regent’s Park, ecological limits. WWF International London www.panda.org/lpr/africa2012 assistance. AfDB is owned by 77 Avenue du Mont-Blanc United Kingdom WWW.afdb.org Global Footprint members, including 53 from the 1196 Gland, NW1 4RY, UK ISBN 978-2-940443-39-0 region. As the continent’s premier Switzerland Network www.zsl.org/indicators 312 Clay Street, Suite 300 www.panda.org www.livingplanetindex.org Front cover image: Oakland, California 94607 African Development Bank (AfDB) © Brent Stirton / Getty Images Group borrows from capital markets USA for on-lending to its regional member www.footprintnetwork.org countries. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance. African Development Bank 15 avenue du Ghana BP 323, 1002 Tunis Belvedere Tun isia www.afdb.org Foreword 4 Introduction 6 Ecological wealth and human prosperity 8 Ecological Footprint 10 Water Footprint 18 People and nature 26 Toward sustainable development 32 Africa’s Ecological Infrastructure (Case studies) 40 Conclusions and calls for action 56 Ecological Footprint FAQs 66 Living Planet Index: technical notes 67 References and further reading 68 3 In response to the Around the world, nature and natural resources Earth. Our ecological infrastructure – terrestrial, maintaining natural capital with additionaland broader decline of the are under more pressure than ever before – and freshwater and marine ecosystems and targeted investment; and highlighting the very real global environment, nowhere is this more striking than in Africa. The biodiversity – is as essential to inclusive human the concept of “green principal driver behind Africa’s growing ecological development and improved quality of life as are natural capital and natural resource management. economy” is now footprint is growing consumption, driven by industrial and social infrastructures such as roads, We are proud to share some of our experiences on evolving from being population increase and the robust expansion schools, hospitals and energy provision. sustainable development in the run up to Rio+20 just an ideal, to a of the regional economy. The region’s per capita Investment in natural capital can help drive and especially thank the Government of Brazil for concrete and achievable income has gone up and poverty rates have declined the development of a green economy and secure supporting production of this joint report. approach to growth in some countries, giving rise to a growing, and ecosystem services on which we all depend. These that is gathering more increasingly urbanised, middle class. These The African Development Bank and WWF, services provide food, water and energy, support and more support from changes are resulting in greater consumption of together with their partners, are committed to our livelihoods, and help us stay resilient to the countries worldwide resources in Africa and beyond, and increasingly supporting countries in Africa in transitioning uncertain conditions of a changing climate. impact the natural environment, degrading the towards a future of sustainable develop ment – ecosystems that underpin the economy and In Africa the sustainable use of natural resources with healthy people thriving on a healthy planet. sustain life itself. needs to be mainstreamed in economic development. Governments and businesses need Africa has choices. Embracing a more sustainable to make green economies a reality, and excellent initiatives have already been started both by in terms of environmental security, human individual countries and by regional groups. well-being and increased competitiveness. The choices made today about infrastructure, energy how they use resources and invest in new and food production will shape our opportunities technologies and innovation will help these and options far into the future. initiatives further. With their relatively low In response to the broader decline of the global footprints, African countries, their governments, environment, the concept of “green economy” is business leaders and investors need to show now evolving from being just an ideal, to a concrete ever greater leadership if the continent’s natural Donald Kaberuka Jim Leape and achievable approach to growth that is gathering resources are to be used sustainably. President Director General more and more support from countries worldwide. This report presents examples of solutions that African Development WWF International For us the lessons and messages are clear: as promote the creation of wealth and alleviation of Bank the world develops, greater attention must be poverty through more sustainable management paid to improving the livelihoods of the poor, of the natural capital of the continent. These reducing the excessive consumption of the rich, strategies focus on reducing the detrimental effect and sustaining the natural fabric of life on of human consumption on the Earth’s resources; 4 5 © WW F-Cano n / S imo n Rawles Children walking near the forest landscaperestoration nursery in KaseseDistrict, Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda 6 livelihoods and economies are built. ecological infrastructureof the planet that provides Fundamentally we alldepend on nature: the Living Planet Index Index Planet Living populations over the the over populations indicatesthere has per cent in animal animal in cent per Figure 1. Figure (WWF/ZSL,2012) (1970 – 2008) beenan overall 38-yearperiod reduction of 39 39 of reduction Africa’s Africa’s . Index value disproportionately by the poor. borne being are effects and well-being and servicesis compromising futuresecurity, ecosystem healthof Loss pressures. local and of global impact combined the through before ever Yet Africa’s ecosystems arechanging fasterthan (Figureshows1) a reductionof 39 per cent in Index Planet Living Africa the volume, this in animal populations over the 38 year period period year 38 the over populations animal consumption in a minority of countries. countries. of minority a in consumption capita per increased as well as populations 1961 and 2008(Figure 2) as a result of growing between cent per 240 by increased countries Africanall of Footprint Ecological The or biocapacity– byabout 50 per cent. overshoots theplanet’s regenerative capacity– hasmore than doubled sinceand 1961 now living world’s resources, its Ecological Footprint, wastes we produce. Humanity’son demand the the absorb and resources regenerate to capacity planet’s the exceeding now is which services and goods for demand voracious humanity’s to traced Much of the pressure on ecosystems can be 2008. and 1970 between EcologicalFootprint Figure 2. Figure trends in Africa’s Africa’s in trends (Global Footprint Network, 2011) Built-upland (1961-2008) Historical Cropland Grazing Grazing Carbon Fishing Fishing Fo rest Billion Global hectares Looking ahead, Africa as a whole is projected projected is whole a as Africa ahead, Looking