An ECA Presentation at the

1. Follow up on Implementation of Outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development:Highlights from the Fourth Issue of the Sustainable Development Report on Africa An ECA Presentation at the Seventh Session of the Committee on Food Security and Sustainable Development (CFSSD-7)and the Africa Regional Preparatory Conference for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 20 October 2011

2. Scope of the report • Provide an integrated assessment of progress and achievements towards sustainable development in the region based on indicators that: • Capture most pressing issues in Africa • Cover economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development • Analyse and showcase the contribution of forests, biodiversity, biotechnology, tourism and mountains to sustainable growth and development • Submitted to CFSSD7 to provide synopsis and elicit comments for finalisation of the 4th issue of the Sustainable Development Report on Africa

3. Review of trends and progress towards sustainable development • Based on integrated indicator set covering: • Governance for sustainable development • Poverty • Demographic change • Economic transformation • Gender and social equity • Education, training and culture • Health and Nutrition • Food security and agriculture • The natural resource base • Energy • Climate Change • Natural and man made disasters • Global Partnership for development

4. Poverty • Overarching priority for Africa is poverty eradication • Significant progress has been made, but the economic crisis has led to a worsening of the situation in 2008 (% of population living below USD 1.25/day 52.8% in 2008) • Important to follow changes – structural or temporary impact of the crisis

5. Economic transformation • Africa has experienced high growth rate of GDP but this masks: • Significant differences across countries • Unsustainability of the economy

6. Gender and Social Equity • Agriculture still accounts for more than half of employment of women, and the percentage of women employees in the sector is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. • Youth unemployment rate in 2010 fell both in Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa – but remains very high • The fact that 23.6% of economically active young people in Northern Africa were unemployed in 2010 is alarming. • Specific measures needed to develop the right skills, also taking into account the transition to green economy.

7. Energy • Access to energy as a precondition for development • Yet access remains limited, in particular in SSA, with significant urban-rural divide • More efforts needed to bridge the gap

8. Climate Change • Africa remains the least contributor of greenhouse gas emissions per capita • Yet emissions are on average growing • And Africa is already affected by climate change • Climate change can offer opportunities to Africa • Through a reformed Clean Development Mechanism • Through technology transfer

9. Thematic review

10. Forests in Africa • Africa’s forests fundamental for poverty reduction • For instance, in central Africa hunting provides between 30-80% of overall protein intake, with a value of bush meat trade ranging from USD42-205m/y • While deforestation and degradation continue, significant progress has been made in Africa • Significant increase in forest areas under Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) – e.g. about 1% has received Forest Stewardship Council certification • Significant international support – e.g. REDD+

11. Biodiversity • Biodiversity plays a vital role for livelihoods. • Six out of the 25 world biodiversity hotspots are in Africa • ¼ of the world’s mammal species and more than 1/5 of the bird species occur in Africa • Yet, biodiversity continues to be lost, mostly through: • Habitat loss, climate change, invasive alien species, unsustainable use • Efforts to protect biodiversity are being stepped up: • 53 Countries have National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans • More than 85% of African countries parties to the Biological Diverstiy Convention have developed new legislation • Protected areas continue to increase – by 2010, protected areas have increase to 15.7% for terrestrial and 4.9% for marine

12. Biotechnology • Biotechnology, in particular for agriculture, can play a crucial role for food security • Focusing on plant production, livestock, and food technologies • The priority for biotechnology in Africa remains in the agricultural sector • However, biotechnology has so far failed to take root in Africa due to a number of constraints: • Lack of infrastructures • Lack of a conducive environment (legislative and market) • Inadequate funding • Limited public and private investment

13. Tourism • Fastest growing sectors in Africa (growing by 7% over last ten years) • Important source of income, but is also an opportunity for: • Promoting local culture • Improve local infrastructure for local population as well as for tourists • Tourism in Africa heavily dependent on natural resources: • Lake Naivasha in Kenya supports more than 300 bird species and is a major tourist destination • The Okavango Delta in Southern Africa is estimated to generate more than USD 145m (2.6% of Botswana’s GNP) • Sustainable tourism must be an integral component of community development through: • Effective management of cultural heritage • Establishment of codes of conduct • Integrating community based resource management

14. Mountains ecosystems • Mountains perform a wide range of ecosystem functions, e.g. • Many rivers generate from mountains • Hydroelectric power generation opportunities • Important centres of biological diversity and cultural heritage • A number of initiatives for sustainable mountains management have been launched in the region, e.g. : • Biodiversity conservation • Climate change • Watershed management and desertification (e.g. Morocco Outat Watershed Project) • Payment for environmental services • Indigenous people • Tourism

15. Conclusions • Conflicts, insufficient investment, limited market access and supply side constraints, declining levels of ODA, HIV/AIDS, have hampered Africa’ s efforts towards sustainable development • Economic growth has happened at the expense of the natural resource base, while not bringing about the desired social improvements • This notwithstanding, significant progress has been made. To capitalise on this: • Need to focus on new strategies for development planning and implementation • Sustainable development strategies must harness the three pillars of sustainable development in an integrated manner, with a focus on the overarching need for good governance

16. Conclusions ctd • Forests • SFM should be integrated in development plans, taking into account community needs • Large scale commercial logging operations should abide to SFM principles, while at the same time engaging more SME • Regular resource assessments are needed • Biodiversity • Biodiversity considerations should be mainstreamed in national and sectoral plans  ensure sustainable use • Direct pressures on biodiversity must be addressed (e.g. population, habitat loss,…) • The Strategic Plan adopted by COP10 in Nagoya offers an excellent opportunity to strengthen the sustainable management of biodiversity

17. Conclusions ctd • Biotechnology • Promote Africa-focused biotechnology research on virus free planting material, bio-processing and value addition, genetic engineering • Enhance human resources, infrastructure and financial capabilities • Tourism • Promote Sustainable Tourism Development, drawing on the continent’s natural assets and culture, to benefit also remote locations Mountains • Integrated strategies to manage mountains are required, integrating socio-economic, legislative, institutional and technical issues

18. Thank You asgobbi@uneca.org