Environmentalists discuss nature-based solutions

By: Hertha Ekandjo

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network (BES-Net), are hosting BES-Net Regional Trialogue for East and Southern Africa in Windhoek.

This event brings together biodiversity policymakers, scientists and practitioners, including representatives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities from Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, to address the urgent challenges of invasive alien species (IAS) and the sustainable use of wildlife (SU).

They are two of the critical factors highlighted in the assessments produced by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) to catalyse biodiversity conservation, food security, and livelihoods in the region.

The trialogue is an innovative multi-stakeholder event fostering dialogue and partnerships among policymakers, scientists, and practitioners to address complex biodiversity challenges.

Participants will explore how IAS and SU intersect with food security, health, and livelihoods while identifying and celebrating successful initiatives addressing these issues.

MEFT`s executive director, Theophilus Nghitila, said Namibia, just like the rest of the world, knows that it is cost-effective to prevent the spread of alien invasive species and tackle the biodiversity crisis once they have become established.

Meanwhile, UNDP Namibia’s Resident Representative, Alka Bhatia, explained that at the UNDP they believe that biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management are at the heart of sustainable development.

According to her, their commitment extends beyond policies and projects; it is about ensuring that people, particularly those whose livelihoods depend directly on natural resources, are empowered to be custodians of their environment.