African NCA Community of Practice Webinar: Linking natural capital accounting to policy in Africa

The webinar is part of a series under the Africa Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice organized in cooperation between UNSD and the World Bank Global Program on Sustainability, the Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the United Nations Environment Programme, the Green Growth Knowledge Platform, the Conservation International and the Capitals Coalition. 

Date and time: 28 May 2020 at 14:00 Johannesburg, 15:00 Nairobi, 8:00 New York

Chair: Ruxandra Floriou, Acting Practice Manager, World Bank Group

Speakers: 

• Harsen Nyambe, Head of Environment, Climate Change, and Land Management, African Union Commission
• Ruud Jansen, Executive Secretary, Gaborone Declaration for Sustainability in Africa Secretariat
• Kiruben Naicker, Head of Science Policy and IPBES Focal Point, Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries, Government of South Africa

Description: 

Africa’s natural resources – including forests, water, fish stocks, biodiversity, minerals, and land – play a crucial role in the continent’s economies. According to The Changing Wealth of Nations 2018, natural capital accounts for between 30-50 percent of the total wealth of countries across Africa. And yet, in several of these countries, natural capital is being depleted leading to an overall decrease in wealth and a failure to improve standards of living among the poor. Measuring and valuing the contribution of natural capital and ecosystem services to a country's development puts countries in a better position to seize growth opportunities and understand the repercussions/trade-offs of policy and investment choices.

Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) – underpinned by the System of Environmental-Economic Accounts (SEEA) – provides detailed statistics for better management of natural resources that contribute to economic development. In Africa, NCA has increased in prominence as a tool for evidence-based policy making and its use is gaining momentum as more countries implement NCA as part of their move towards sustainability and to meet international commitments.  

This virtual panel discussion will:

1. Provide an update on the latest policy linkages between NCA and regional policy initiatives in Africa in the context of upcoming regional and global environmental milestones;
2. Reflect on important next steps that the NCA community in Africa can take to increase policy uptake and mainstream natural capital into decision-making; and 
3. Conclude with key actions that the NCA Community of Practice in Africa can take, or work towards to support the regional and continental environmental policy agenda

Recording of the webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug2hIkFpcOQ