How EU information systems can support biodiversity planning in Africa

Transcription

1 How EU information systems can support biodiversity planning in Africa Bastian Bertzky, Lucy Bastin, Andrea Mandrici, Luca Battistella, Mariagrazia Graziano, James Davy, Stephen Peedell & Gregoire Dubois Skukuza Camp, Kruger NP, South Africa 23 March 2017

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3 Outline 1. Who is JRC? What do we do? 2. EU support for biodiversity conservation in Africa 3. What is JRC s contribution? 4. Globally the Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA) 5. Regional and national support the BIOPAMA Programme a. Regional Observatories and Information Systems b. Potential linkages with SANBI s work 6. Next steps for Southern Africa

4 Who is JRC? European Commission (EC) = Executive Body of the European Union (EU) based in Brussels Joint Research Centre (JRC) = in-house science service of the EC; provides independent scientific and technical support to EU policy Around 3,000 staff

5 Forests Carbon Soil Land Degradation & Desertification Invasive Alien Species JRC works on: e.g. Terrestrial Earth Observation Freshwater Biodiversity & Protected Areas Marine Ecosystem Services Food Security

6 Global Surface Water Explorer Etosha Pan Pekel et al. (2016)

7 Why do we work on global biodiversity issues? Global biodiversity loss affects the EU and EU contributes to global biodiversity loss EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020: Target 6 Help avert global biodiversity loss EU and Member States support biodiversity conservation in developing countries: New EU B4LIFE flagship initiative to give 800 million Euros from Informed by EU Regional Strategies

8 EU Wildlife Conservation Strategy for Africa Covers all of Sub-Saharan Africa Identifies key threats and responses for next 10 years ( 7.7 billion needed) Important for aid programming Focus on 85 Key Landscapes for Conservation = over 300 PAs (many TFCAs) Marine strategy for Africa in prep.

9 EU-funded Protected Areas (examples)

10 Key Landscapes for Conservation (KLCs)

11 What is JRC s contribution? Scientific and technical support to: - European Commission & EuropeAid - Partner regions and countries - the CBD Secretariat, IUCN, UNEP-WCMC, etc. Information systems & observatories: - Digital Observatory for Protected Areas (DOPA) - Biodiversity & Protected Areas Management Prog. (BIOPAMA)

12 Guiding questions Need for reference data and information systems to support and improve decision making on biodiversity conservation and linkages to livelihoods especially in data-poor environments: Which species and ecosystems are present? How much are they threatened & how well are they protected? What are the main anthropogenic pressures? What are the protected areas in greatest need of support? How can we improve conservation effectiveness?

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14 DOPA in a nutshell Global reference information system developed by JRC in collaboration with EC & EuropeAid and other partners Integrates and intersects critical global biodiversity datasets Broad range of indicators on biodiversity values and threats/pressures to facilitate comparison and prioritization Provides decision makers and other users with easy access to information at PA, national, ecoregion and regional level Supports planning, monitoring, reporting & funding allocation DOPA is free and open access but respects data restrictions

15 Information for policy and decision-making

16 Comparing protected areas Based on: e.g. (i) Biodiversity value (ii) Anthropogenic pressure Hartley et al. (2007)

17 For all PAs >100km 2 (soon >50km 2 )

18 DOPA and the CBD DOPA recognized as support tool for NBSAP and PoWPA action planning and implementation (Decision XI/24 & Notification) especially in data-poor environments Currently a focus on Aichi Targets 11 & 12 DOPA supports: - UNEP-WCMC/IUCN Protected Planet Reports - CBD Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP) - CBD Regional workshops - CBD Country dossiers

19 Global PA connectivity indicator for ecoregions and countries Protected Connected land (global ecoregion average), for 10 km median dispersal distance, June 2016 Protected Connected land (% of ecoregion area), for 10 km median dispersal distance, June 2016 Saura et al. 2016

20 African, Caribbean, Pacific Group of States focus for EU Cooperation >8000 protected areas 79 countries >800 million people Regional information systems need regional ownership & include regional and national datasets & other resources

21 Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Programme Key facts about the BIOPAMA Programme: Initiative of the ACP Secretariat Funded by the European Development Fund Implemented by JRC and IUCN with partners in the target regions Phase 1: million Phase 2: million (incl. Action Funds)

22 Better information for PA Management: Phase 1 ( ) 1. Protected Areas Component (JRC & IUCN) 2. Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Component (GIZ) Result 1 Develop, implement and deploy Regional Information Systems on PAs & biodiversity (JRC) Result 2 a) Establish Regional Observatories for PAs & biodiversity b) Develop and implement capacity building (IUCN)

23 A Network of Regional Observatories for PAs & Biodiversity Region West and Central Africa Eastern and Southern Africa Caribbean Pacific Regional Observatory Hosts Observatory for Central African Forests (OFAC), DRC & Cameroon; maybe West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), Burkina Faso East African Community (EAC), Tanzania; Southern African Development Community (SADC), Botswana; Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Djibouti University of the West Indies (UWI), Barbados Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Samoa

24 Eastern Africa

25 Southern Africa

26 Store, search and share data, maps and documents

27 Support mapping and spatial analyses

28 Past and present activities Steps Inputs data Assessments Outputs indicators Products maps, reports, tools, info systems, etc. Broader support Activities Needs assessments, standards & protocols, mobilization & integration of global / regional / national data Ad hoc analyses or automated through DOPA & RRIS PA coverage, representation, connectivity; PA values & threats / pressures & conditions; etc. Maps, regional State of PAs reports, Integrated Management Effectiveness Tool (IMET), DOPA & RRIS, etc. Capacity building, staff resources, IT resources, technology, etc.

29 Better information for PA Management: Phase 2 ( ) Key objectives for BIOPAMA 2 include: Fully establish and enhance the Regional Observatories Develop regional information systems into decision support systems Support regional State of Protected Areas reporting Roll out management effectiveness assessments Link better information to targeted actions on the ground through Action Funds

30 Key role for mapping and spatial analyses What to do? Build on existing guidance & best practice Address key needs of end users Support countries & PAs most in need Work with regional & national partners Add value, see results Sustainability?

31 Better information for PA Management: Phase 2 ( ) Next steps for Southern Africa: Broader consultation on regional priorities to develop a detailed work plan for BIOPAMA 2 Identification of key partners in the region: what can we do together and how? Maybe join forces with partners such as SANBI to help improve spatial planning in other SADC countries? Explore potential options for a SADC-wide Regional Observatory and Information System (beyond TFCAs)

32 Thanks!