Biodiversity Informatics:Meeting Sustainable Development Challenges in Africa

Dr Tanya AbrahamseCEO SANBI

With assistance from Ms Fatima Parker Allie & Ms Carmel Mbizvo : SANBI

CONTENTS

• TDWG• SANBI – the case for biodiversity• SDGs and Targets• The Africa Rising story• Challenges and pathways through

Biodiversity informatics and TDWG

• A group of passionate scientists – global community of practice

• 31 years of getting the foundations and unit standards right.

• Now “the place to be” • Used by all in the ‘alphabet soup’ of institutions• Creating the ability to understand biodiversity• Allowing comparisons, analysis, and is universal• Supporters eg. JRS allow the under-resourced to be

here

South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)• Public entity, created by an Act, in 12 places in SA• www.sanbi.org• Gardens, Research, Information, Planning, Tools to manage better,

HCD• Spans research network – agenda setting – policy - action• Biodiversity Information Management (GBIF Africa Rising, BHL and

BGIS)• Biodiversity Planning Forum (12 years to get all reading off same song

sheet!)• Positioned to be the provider of information for the SEAs of the

strategic infrastructure programme of SA• Monitoring the state of Biodiversity (NBA 2012)• Link with SA’s National Development Plan• The case for biodiversity

WHAT WE IN

FLUENCE

human wellbeingimproved service delivery

job creationharnessing biodiversity value

investment in ecological infrastructureecosystem-based adaptation to climate change

streamlined environmental decision-making

FOUNDATIONS OF BIODIVERSITY:collections| taxonomy | inventory | maps |

classification of ecosystems and species

BUILDING BIODIVERSITY KNOWLEDGE:assessments | status | trends | monitoring |

modelling

SCIENCE INTO POLICY / ACTION:information | planning | policy advice | models | tools

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Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) September 2015

• Momentous occasion and time• Built on the MDGs and the many multilateral

agreements• 17 Goals – audacious, ambitious, visionary• Aspirations of the world – negotiated, panel beaten

and finally agreed• The aspirations of all of us for a future we want

• (and where funding is going to in the future!!!)

SDG’s & Biodiversity’s potential contribution

Goal 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security & improved nutrition & promote sustainable

agriculture Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives & promote well-being for all at all ages Goal 4 Ensure inclusive & equitable quality education & promote lifelong learning

opportunities for all Goal 5 Achieve gender equality & empower all women & girls Goal 6 Ensure availability & sustainable management of water & sanitation for all Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable & modern energy for all Goal 8 Promote sustained, inclusive & sustainable economic growth, full & productive

employment & decent work for all Goal 9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive & sustainable industrialization &

foster innovation

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SDG’s & Biodiversity’s potential contribution cont.

Goal 10 Reduce inequality within & among countries Goal 11 Make cities & human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient & sustainable

Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption & production patterns

Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change & its impacts*

Goal 14 Conserve & sustainably use the oceans, seas & marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 15 Protect, restore & promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, & halt & reverse land degradation & halt biodiversity loss

Goal 16 Promote peaceful & inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all & build effective, accountable & inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation & revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

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Biodiversity’s contribution to SDGs TARGETSGoal 2 End hunger, achieve food security & improved nutrition & promote sustainable

agriculture

2.4 by 2030 ensure sustainable food production systems & implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity & production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding & other disasters, & that progressively improve land & soil quality

2.5 by 2020 maintain genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants, farmed & domesticated animals & their related wild species, including through soundly managed & diversified seed & plant banks at national, regional & international levels, & ensure access to & fair & equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources & associated traditional knowledge as internationally agreed

Goal 4 Ensure inclusive & equitable quality education & promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

4.4 by 2030, increase by x% the number of youth & adults who have relevant skills, including technical & vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs & entrepreneurship

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Goal 4 Continues…

4.5 by 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education & ensure equal access to all levels of education & vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, & children in vulnerable situations

4.7 by 2030 ensure all learners acquire knowledge & skills needed to promote sustainable development, including among others through education for sustainable development & sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace & non-violence, global citizenship, & appreciation of cultural diversity & of cultures contribution to sustainable development

Goal 6 Ensure availability & sustainable management of water & sanitation for all

6.6 by 2020 protect & restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers & lakes

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Biodiversity’s contribution to SDGs TARGETS

Biodiversity’s contribution to SDGs TARGETS

Goal 8 Promote sustained, inclusive & sustainable economic growth, full & productive employment & decent work for all

8.4 improve progressively through 2030 global resource efficiency in consumption & production, & endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation in accordance with the 10-year framework of programmes on sustainable consumption & production with developed countries taking the lead

8.5 by 2030 achieve full & productive employment & decent work for all women & men, including for young people & persons with disabilities, & equal pay for work of equal value

Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change & its impacts*

13.1 strengthen resilience & adaptive capacity to climate related hazards & natural disasters in all countries

13.2 integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, & planning

13.3 improve education, awareness raising & human & institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, & early warning

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Biodiversity’s contribution to SDGs TARGETS

Goal 13 Continue….13.a implement the commitment undertaken by developed country Parties to the

UNFCCC to a goal of mobilizing jointly USD100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions & transparency on implementation & fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon asap

13.b Promote mechanisms for raising capacities for effective climate change related planning & management, in LDCs, including focusing on women, youth, local & marginalized communities

Goal 14 Conserve & sustainably use oceans, seas & marine resources for sust.devt 14.1 by 2025, prevent & significantly reduce marine pollution, particularly from land-

based activities, including marine debris & nutrient pollution 14.2 by 2020, sustainably manage & protect marine & coastal ecosystems to avoid

significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, & take action for restoration, to achieve healthy & productive oceans

14.5 by 2020, conserve at least 10% of coastal & marine areas, consistent with national & international law & based on best available scientific information

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Biodiversity’s contribution to SDGs TARGETS

Goal 15

Protect, restore & promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, & halt & reverse land degradation & halt biodiversity loss

15.1 by 2020 ensure conservation, restoration & sustainable use of terrestrial & inland freshwater ecosystems & their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains & drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

15.3 by 2020, combat desertification, & restore degraded land & soil, including land affected by desertification, drought & floods, & strive to achieve a land-degradation neutral world

15.4 by 2030 ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, to enhance their capacity to provide benefits which are essential for sustainable development

15.5 take urgent & significant action to reduce degradation of natural habitat, halt the loss of biodiversity, & by 2020 protect & prevent the extinction of threatened species

15.6 ensure fair & equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, & promote appropriate access to genetic resources

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Biodiversity’s contribution to SDGs TARGETS

Goal 15 Continues…15.7 take urgent action to end poaching & trafficking of protected species of flora &

fauna, & address both demand & supply of illegal wildlife products 15.8 by 2020 introduce measures to prevent the introduction & significantly reduce

the impact of invasive alien species on land & water ecosystems, & control or eradicate the priority species

15.9 by 2020, integrate ecosystems & biodiversity values into national & local planning, development processes & poverty reduction strategies, & accounts

15.a mobilize & significantly increase from all sources financial resources to conserve & sustainably use biodiversity & ecosystems

15.c enhance global support to efforts to combat poaching & trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation & revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

17.9 enhance international support for implementing effective & targeted capacity building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South

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A Mega-Diverse Continent – a natural asset for development but also at risk

Africa Rising

2000 2013

What the world has been saying about Africa over the last 15 years

Potential development flashpoints & important biodiversity areas

Map captures some potential flashpoints where thereis spatial overlap of multiple sectors and cross-sectoral drivers of growth

How does Africa Growth meet SDGs?

• Unfettered growth and wealth creation• with Power and Information asymmetries• Inequality excarcerbated• Unsustainable use of Natural Resources !!!

The Golden Thread : Knowledge & Information

Sustainable development

Increased Human Capital Innovation Economic Growth

Capacity Enhancement to grow Biodiversity Informatics in Africa

Possible Paths to get there• Empowering knowledge and understanding for all – democratising

science• Information that is relevant, accessible and compelling, using new ways,

new tools, convergence, piggy backing.• ‘ A World that Counts’, Big Data - possible with Internet 2.0 and

extraordinary mobile connectivity! • Data and information (evidence based), analysed and converted into tools

for decision making (Mining & Biodiversity Guidelines for example)• Human capacity development (key for critical mass – never enough)• Institutional collaboration and strengthening (even rationalisation!!),

power asymmetries, who teaches who!, who gets the money, Future Earth

• Participation of citizens – info providers, info and tool users, decision makers, ultimate guardians of biodiversity and natural assets

• Communication – tell the story, make the links to the lived experience of people, cut the ‘doom and gloom’, solutions not obstacles to development and growth.

Thank you for listening!

Empowering citizens and democratising science and knowledge for the ‘Future we want’

Dr. Tanya Abrahamse TDWG Conference 2015 29 September

Thank You