Safeguarding Africa’s Natural Heritage: The Case of Mining in Protected Areas

The document examines the conflict between mining, oil, and gas extraction and the conservation of protected areas (PAs) and World Heritage (WH) sites in Africa. It highlights that 32% of African natural WH sites are 'in danger' and argues that extractive activities are incompatible with WH status. The author calls for the implementation of 'no-go zones' in WH sites and the adoption of strict operational guidelines and biodiversity offsets where mining in other PAs is unavoidable. It emphasizes the role of the private sector as a custodian of the environment, noting that financial institutions and international standards (such as the Equator Principles) are increasingly driving corporate compliance to avoid investor stigma and protect shareholder value.

• Africa possesses 7,000 registered protected areas (PAs), but only 41 of these have achieved UNESCO natural World Heritage (WH) site status.
• African natural World Heritage sites face significant threats, with 32% (13 sites) declared 'in danger' and 23% listed as being 'of significant concern' according to the WH Outlook 2014.
• The World Heritage Committee considers mineral and oil/gas exploration and exploitation, including associated infrastructure, to be incompatible with World Heritage status and prohibits them within these sites.
• Specific African sites are currently threatened by extractive interests: Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo faces oil prospecting, while the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania has proposals for oil, gas, and uranium mining.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) PA Management Categories Index specifies that all mineral resource exploration and extraction should be prohibited by law in Categories I–IV.
• Corporate compliance with conservation standards is increasingly driven by business risk management, shareholder value, and requirements from financial institutions, such as the Equator Principles.
• The government of Botswana maintained the World Heritage status of the Okavango Delta by withdrawing prospecting concessions and agreeing not to grant new ones within the core protected area.

APA

Chevallier, R. (2015). Safeguarding Africa’s Natural Heritage: The Case of Mining in Protected Areas. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Policy-Insights-15.pdf

Chicago

Chevallier, Romy. Safeguarding Africa’s Natural Heritage: The Case of Mining in Protected Areas. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Policy-Insights-15.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chevallier |first1=Romy |title=Safeguarding Africa’s Natural Heritage: The Case of Mining in Protected Areas |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=15 May 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Policy-Insights-15.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chevallier2015safeguarding, author = {Chevallier, Romy}, title = {{Safeguarding Africa’s Natural Heritage: The Case of Mining in Protected Areas}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Policy-Insights-15.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }