Emerging Insights into Governance and Sustainable Management of Africa’s Natural Ecosystems

The document argues that African countries must integrate an ecosystem-based approach into economic planning to protect natural assets from pressures like population growth and extractive industries. It advocates for the use of ecological accounting and natural asset pricing to quantify the economic value of ecosystems, which often exceeds the value of their conversion for mining or farming. The brief recommends a multi-level governance system—combining national interdisciplinary coordination with local community co-management—and the adoption of innovative financing like Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and Blue Carbon frameworks. It emphasizes the need for rigorous environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and scientific spatial mapping to guide conservation priorities and regulate development in sensitive areas.

• Human pressures and economic activities are compromising the resilience of Africa's ecosystems and their ability to provide vital services. Key drivers of habitat destruction include population growth, economic development, urbanisation, energy demand, new infrastructure projects, and the expansion of large-scale commercial aquaculture and agriculture.
• The discovery of oil, coal, and gas has led to increased exploration and mining in ecologically sensitive areas across Africa. Specific examples include wetlands and estuaries in Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, and Mozambique; mangrove areas and fisheries breeding grounds in Lamu, northern Kenya; dune forests and the Karoo in South Africa; and the Congo Basin rainforest and Virunga National Park in east Africa.
• Econometric models indicate that the total economic value of sustainably managed ecosystems is higher than the value gained from converting them into intensive practices such as logging, mining, or farming. Natural asset accounting and the pricing of externalities are proposed to help policymakers better reflect this value in intervention strategies.
• An 'ecosystem-based approach' (EbA) using spatial mapping is recommended to balance multiple objectives and recognize the interdependence of terrestrial, marine, and coastal systems. This approach is particularly relevant for managing the water–food–energy nexus.
• Effective governance requires a dual system: horizontal coordination at the national level through interdisciplinary forums, and vertical coordination that includes partnerships and co-management with local communities and municipalities to incorporate indigenous knowledge.
• Innovative financing mechanisms, such as Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and Blue Carbon calculations for coastal ecosystems, can provide financial incentives for conservation and generate income for local participants.
• There is an urgent need to strengthen legal frameworks and the implementation of rigorous environmental impact assessments (EIAs), particularly in the oil, gas, and extractive sectors, to ensure ecosystem service values are included in mitigation and compensation plans.

APA

Chevallier, R. (2014). Emerging Insights into Governance and Sustainable Management of Africa’s Natural Ecosystems. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-95.pdf

Chicago

Chevallier, Romy. Emerging Insights into Governance and Sustainable Management of Africa’s Natural Ecosystems. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-95.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chevallier |first1=Romy |title=Emerging Insights into Governance and Sustainable Management of Africa’s Natural Ecosystems |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=May 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-95.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chevallier2014emerging, author = {Chevallier, Romy}, title = {{Emerging Insights into Governance and Sustainable Management of Africa’s Natural Ecosystems}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Policy-Briefing-95.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }