The loss of biodiversity and ecosystems is increasingly recognized as a pressing issue, as scientific research highlights the worsening situation and the potential for species to rapidly become extinct.
According to the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES, 2019), up to one million plant and animal species are currently threatened with extinction.
Biodiversity loss presents a critical challenge, particularly for the majority of the African population that relies on natural resources for their livelihoods. The degradation of natural capital could lead to weakened livelihoods, food insecurity, and ultimately, economic and financial risks.
In response to this threat, the BIODEV2030 initiative has been established to accelerate the integration of biodiversity into key economic sectors. This initiative aims to address ecosystem loss and promote sustainable and resilient economies.
BIODEV2030 is funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), coordinated by Expertise France, and implemented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-France in 8 countries each.
The pilot countries are Kenya, Burkina Faso, Benin, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Fiji, (under the mandate of IUCN) and Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Guyana, Madagascar, Tunisia, Uganda, and Vietnam (under WWF). The initiative has a focus on leveraging ambitious commitments to scientific assessments and clear accountability mechanisms to effect an impactful change.
The biodiversity loss rates underscore the urgency towards building ambitious common goals that can halt the decline in ecosystems by 2030 and further affect the envisioned restoration of biodiversity by 2050.
According to a new metric the STAR, “Species Threat Abatement and Restoration” (STAR) provides useful insights for assessing the potential of both threat reduction and restoration of natural habitats to stop biodiversity decline in Kenya.
The study did an in-depth examination of the status and trends of biodiversity and assessed the severity of direct threats on mammal, amphibian, bird, and fish vertebrate classes and on coral reef ecosystems. Revealing that despite an increased coverage of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) and Protected Areas (PAs) there’s still a consistent decline in the species numbers.
Some of the main threats perceived to have a greater impact on biodiversity in Kenya included; Hunting and collecting Terrestrial Animals, Housing and Urban Areas, and Annual and perennial Non-timber crops, as well as Roads and railroads.
Based on the study findings, Annual and perennial Non-timber Crops and Hunting and collecting Terrestrial Animals had the greatest impact on terrestrial biodiversity, while climate-related Habitat Shifting and alteration had the greatest impact on aquatic, particularly marine biodiversity, followed by Oil & Gas Drilling and Fishing & Harvesting Aquatic Resources.
The economic sectors driving these threats were identified as agriculture, forestry, energy, and fisheries.
