3 June 2015
AfDB/WWF Report Examines What Africa’s Economic Success Means for its “Ecological Future”
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As part of events marking the 50th anniversary of the African Development Bank (AfDB), AfDB and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched the African Ecological Futures Report 2015, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, on 26 May 2015.

The report opens with the observation that with many countries sustaining high economic growth over the past 15 years, “the narrative is rightly beginning to question the extent to which Africa's growth is sustainably transforming livelihoods while lifting millions from abject poverty.”

african_ecological_futures27 May 2015: As part of events marking the 50th anniversary of the African Development Bank (AfDB), AfDB and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched the ‘African Ecological Futures Report 2015,’ in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on 26 May 2015. The report opens with the observation that with many countries sustaining high economic growth over the past 15 years, “the narrative is rightly beginning to question the extent to which Africa’s growth is sustainably transforming livelihoods while lifting millions from abject poverty.”

The report emphasizes that development trajectories and choices by African countries, “both individually and collectively” will have direct impacts on people and nature. After highlighting “at least seven ecological frontiers” that will emerge from the “confluence” of several key drivers and African ecosystems over the next 50 years, the report discusses four “plausible scenarios” corresponding to “distinct trajectories for Africa and African nations based on the level of centralization or decentralization of decision making and governance, as well as the global orientation or African orientation towards production and trade.”

Based on the identified scenarios, the report analyzes some of the key risks to Africa’s ecosystems including: agricultural land development in sensitive areas; location of large infrastructure within sensitive ecosystems; extractive operations with inadequate management at the point of closure; overuse and misuse of ecosystem services; and human settlements and urbanization. The report concludes by outlining some response strategies, a set of guiding principles, and a call to action to “decision makers and influencers” within African institutions and governments “who have the ability to shape ecological futures by considering the outcomes of their decisions today.”

The call to action highlights the need for these actors to, inter alia: establish the capacity to support informed decision making with adequate tools; analyze “best available information” to develop a comprehensive understanding of implications; promote collective action and innovative partnerships by a range of stakeholders, especially around ecological frontiers or hot spots; and support countries to develop indicators (such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) indicators) that integrate ecological robustness into development goals and programmes.

Speaking during the launch ceremony, which was attended by the Presidents of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Liberia and Niger, WWF Director-General Marco Lambertini stressed that “Africa must opt for sustainable development, no longer on the basis of the classic approach, but by innovating and making bold choices.” Accepting the ‘WWF Leader for a Living Planet award,’ AfDB President Donald Kaberuka said that in addition to recognizing the contribution of all AfDB staff, “I would like to give half this prize to Ali Bongo Ondimba [President of Gabon] for the help he has given us in our fight.”

The African Ecological Futures Report 2015 is the second major report published by the AfDB/WWF collaborative project, which was launched in 2011. It follows the publication of the Africa Ecological Footprint Report in 2012. [AfDB News Release] [Publication: African Ecological Futures 2015]

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