April 2021

Biodiversity newsletter

IIED's biodiversity newsletter is sent out every two months to keep you updated on our and partners' work on the links between biodiversity, conservation and local people's livelihoods.

In this edition we discuss learning from the Paris Agreement, watersheds in South Africa and Uganda, community rangers protecting wildlife, and more.

Boats on a river opposite some houses in Kunming, China.

Learning from Paris: what would ‘Kunming-compliant’ look like for development cooperation agencies?

In recent years, public and private organisations have stepped up intentions to become ‘Paris-compliant’ or ‘Paris-aligned’ – that is to ensure their activities are in line with, and support, the goals on the Paris climate agreement.

What would a similar approach to the emerging post-2020 global biodiversity framework look like – if agreement is reached in Kunming? Would being ‘Kunming-compliant’ change the way development cooperation agencies currently do business on biodiversity? Dilys Roe discusses in a recent blog.

Spotlight: Connecting climate change and nature

Rocks and grass around a restored spring in Mabheleni village, South Africa.

Blog by Xiaoting Hou Jones and Eve Allen

Working with nature to manage water resources in a changing climate

Experiences from South Africa and Uganda highlight how incorporating a watershed approach into the design and implementation of ecosystem-based adaptation activities can help us preserve one of our most treasured resources in a changing climate.

Read the blog.

A Quechua woman from the Potato Park in Peru.

Blog by Krystyna Swiderska

Here's why Indigenous economics is the key to saving nature

In a new blog, Krystyna Swiderska discusses how mainstream Western economics is destroying the environment - and the Indigenous knowledge that has conserved nature for millennia.

Read the blog now.

Forest cut back to make space for farmland.

Blog by Paul Steele

The Dasgupta Review needed to engage today's finance ministers: here’s how

IIED chief economist Paul Steele sets out ways to spur urgent and immediate investment in biodiversity conservation – complementing recommendations from Dasgupta’s landmark review.

Read the blog.

Nature-based solutions: from local to global.

Annual review 2020 video

Sharing nature-based solutions for climate and biodiversity

In 2020, we worked with partners around the world to improve evidence and stimulate dialogues on how people are working with nature to tackle three interlinked pressing global challenges: the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and poverty.

Watch the video.

Our partners' perspectives

Kerinci Seblat National Pak Tiger Patrol Conservation Unit personnel at Ipuh river in Indonesia.

Guest blog by Olivia Wilson-Holt

Can community rangers help tackle illegal wildlife trade?

Around the world, Indigenous Peoples and local communities are tackling wildlife crime including through working for, or establishing their own, community ranger or patrol programmes. But how effective are community-based rangers at reducing illegal wildlife trade?

Read the blog.

Illustration of houses, trees, people and nature.

Multimedia StoryMap

Ecosystem-based adaptation in watersheds. Driving changes at scale: lessons and experiences from Uganda and South Africa

This multimedia story examines ecosystem-based approaches that are helping communities adapt to climate change impacts at watershed scales in Uganda and South Africa.

Read the StoryMap.

People in a forest in Tanzania doing training on tree inventory.

Guest blog by David Kaimowitz

Charting a “path to recovery and wellbeing” on 2021’s International Day of Forests

For the recent International Day of Forests, guest blogger David Kaimowitz explained why global ambition to restore the world’s forests will only be achieved if the huge potential of forest and farm producers is realised.

Read the recent blog.

Publications and jobs

Toolkit, 104 pages

Évaluation sociale pour les aires protégées (SAPA) Guide méthodologique à l’intention des facilitateurs SAPA

Ce guide fournit des conseils détaillés sur l’utilisation de la méthodologie d’Évaluation sociale pour les aires protégées (SAPA). SAPA est une méthodologie relativement simple et à bas coût pour évaluer les impacts positifs et négatifs d’une aire protégée (AP) et des activités associées de conservation et de développement sur le bien-être des communautés qui vivent à l’intérieur et autour de l’AP (avantages et coûts locaux).

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We're hiring

Research consultant - agricultural expansion and food / forest trade-offs in sub-Saharan Africa

This role is based in our natural resources research group and relates to the Sentinel project. We are looking for a consultant to conduct qualitative research on drivers of smallholder-led agricultural expansion in sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Ghana, Ethiopia and Zambia.

Find out more and apply by 20 April.