South Africa is faced with the critical task of expanding its natural environment protection areas in a practical and affordable manner to safeguard its vital biodiversity and ecosystem services. These services encompass carbon sequestration, clean air, healthy soils, fresh water, pollinating insect populations, and grazing-friendly grasslands, all of which are essential for the well-being and survival of the country's population.
IIED and partners have launched a new version of their Site-level Assessment of Governance and Equity (SAGE) tool, which enables frontline stakeholders and rightsholders to improve the governance and equity of nature conservation. In this blog, Phil Franks argues that bottom-up approaches like this will be crucial for achieving the 30x30 target of the new Global Biodiversity Framework
Designating an area as legally protected is a key step toward creating a safe haven for threatened habitats and wildlife. But it needs more than that. Protected areas must also be effectively managed so that countries can deliver on their national and global biodiversity targets. And at a time of growing scrutiny over human rights and nature conservation, they must be fairly governed and managed. But how can you tell if a protected area is effective? How can we help improve all types of protected and conserved areas to deliver successful outcomes for people and nature?