On the topic of environment, climate and resilience – how do you strengthen biodiversity?

In September, SMC organized a workshop on environment, climate, and resilience together with the national network Kenya4Resilience and LM International, with participants from eight member organisations and their partners in Africa. An important theme was how we can strengthen biodiversity within the intervention activities.

The threat to biological diversity at the global level is extensive and the crisis increases every year according to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). Populations of birds, fish, and mammals have declined by an average of 69% since 1970. Land conversion on land is something that is already affecting large parts of the world, something that our partners are already struggling with at the local level.

The importance of adjustment and change

We see that there is a strong connection between resilience and biodiversity. A society protecting biodiversity is also more resilient to shocks and crises. Work that increases biological diversity, decreases erosion and where the destruction of land is reduced, the food supply, access to clean water, and people’s health and quality of life are secured. Increased biodiversity also has a positive effect on climate change.

To create change in this area, all actors must pull in the same direction. During the workshop, we were able to see several examples, from i.e. WWF, Vi Skogen, and Kenyan organisations, of how a minor adjustment in the intervention activities can have a direct impact on biodiversity. We learned more about how partners can participate in national processes to influence decision-makers, both at the national and global levels. Perhaps the most important result from the workshop was how partners in Uganda, Zambia, Burkina Faso and other countries now come together to create a broader network to strengthen work with the environment, climate, and resilience.