Africa Biodiversity Summit Plans Leveraging Wildlife for Prosperity

A recent evaluation of global wildlife tourism highlights the United States, Brazil, and Colombia as top countries for biodiversity and conservation efforts, with the U.S. leading due to its extensive protected areas and numerous endangered species. Biodiversity conservation strategies vary widely, encompassing national parks, community-based efforts, and international cooperation, with scholars advocating for pluralistic and multi-level institutional approaches to effectively address conservation challenges. In Africa, ecosystems are operating with less than two-thirds of their historical energy, largely due to declines in key megafauna like elephants, lions, and rhinos, which threatens both ecological function and human livelihoods. This loss of large-bodied species, which act as ecological engineers, could irreversibly alter African landscapes and ecosystems. To combat these issues, the African Union is convening the inaugural Africa Biodiversity Summit aimed at fostering political leadership and resource mobilization for biodiversity conservation, aligning with global environmental goals. The importance of such initiatives is underscored by the global decline in forest cover and wilderness areas, emphasizing the need for robust conservation measures across countries.