Eleanor McGregor [Director: Conservation] Gauteng Department of Agriculture & Rural Development On behalf of Adv. John Nesidoni (Acting HOD) Overall Policy Perspective on Biodiversity & Governance Keynote Address Biodiversity is life- Biodiversity is our life WRC Seminar Tswaing Meteorite Crater Reserve Soutpan (Soshanguve) 17 September 2010

Overview of presentation Biodiversity- South Africa’s rich heritage General value of Biodiversity Biodiversity management pressures & challenges Legal tools and broad policy framework – Governance. 2

South Africa 3 rd most biodiverse country in the world

Biodiversity underpins development Biodiversity can alleviate poverty and create work Biodiversity can increase agricultural productivity Biodiversity can prevent a water crisis in SA Biodiversity can reduce the cost of disaster management Biodiversity can help us adapt to climate change

Forestry Agriculture Mining Pressures on biodiversity Loss of natural habitat = single biggest threat to biodiversity in SA

Other key competing pressures / Challenges 7 Increased urban sprawl/ urban development Socio-economic drivers Non aligned legislation Aligning and integrating importance of biodiversity & knowledge of conservation tools in development strategies

Legal context for biodiversity management Four main pieces of legislation- – Constitution of SA (sec 24) – National Environmental Management Act 1998 – National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act 2003 – National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act 2004 (established SANBI) Several regulations linked to these Acts

BIODIVERSITY GOALS Representation & Persistence Climate change design principles STRATEGY 1 Expand and consolidate protected area network STRATEGY 2 Prevent loss of natural habitat in biodiversity priority areas outside the PA network Protected Areas Act Biodiversity Act, NEMA & EIA regs Tools for conservation agencies (incl contracts with private and communal landowners) Tools for land-use planning & decision-making in other sectors

Policy context for biodiversity management NBSAP: National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (2005) NSBA: National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment (2004) NBF: National Biodiversity Framework (2008) NPAES: National Protected Area Expansion Strategy (2008)

Examples of National Protected Area Expansion Strategies in South Africa

National Protected Area Expansion Strategy (NPAES) First for SA Includes terrestrial, freshwater and marine Ecosystem- specific protected area targets Strong focus on climate change resilience

NPAES: Focus areas for land-based PA expansion

Priority areas for offshore MPAs Offshore MPA Focal Areas

Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area Fish Support Area Rehabilitation for FEPA Upstream Management Area Flagship Free-flowing River

NFEPA Identifies National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (FEPAs) To inform water resource planning and management

Governance 17 Science Policy Management Definition of Governance: The way in which society as a whole manages the full array of its political, economic and social affairs. 3 key elements linked to BD Governance

Regional/Provincial Levels of Governance Local National International Agreements

19 DWADEA DAFF SANBI SANParksOC Provincial EA & Conservation Authorities LA E.g. Gauteng Dept of Agric & Rural dev. etc NGO LAComm International Agreements Current flow of inter- relations in SA Current flow of inter- relations in SA

National Frameworks Systematic Biodiversity Plan (usually provincial) New ones in future? Map of Critical Biodiversity Areas (local government) Multi-sectoral planning tools, frameworks, assessments etc Bioregional Plans (e.g. at district level) IDPs EMFs SEAs EIAs Coastal Mgmt Plans State of Env Reports SDFs Biodiversity sector’s input into…

Mandate for water: Department of Water Affairs Mandate for biodiversity: Department of Env Affairs Shared mandate for freshwater biodiversity E.g. The shared mandate for freshwater biodiversity NFEPA identifies freshwater ecosystem priority areas – the biodiversity sector’s input into DWA-led water resource planning and management

Conclusion Improve decision-making processes Support biodiversity governance at the local level Improve policy coherence and mainstreaming of biodiversity across all sectors Resourcing biodiversity conservation implementation on the ground Value ecosystem services in order understand what it is ‘worth’ & how much it would cost to attempt to replicate these services – Cost would be astronomical

“Take home message” “Biodiversity governance should be the way society at all scales manages its social, economic and political affairs with the aim to protect ecological functioning and biodiversity” 23