Centre on African Public Spaces’ Post

🌊 Pacific islands in Melanesia are experiencing rapid sea-level rise. With large populations living on or near the coast, hundreds of communities will likely need to relocate inland in the next 20-30 years. #ACIAR is funding the University of the Sunshine Coast to lead research in Fiji and Vanuatu to work with communities and governments to help inform sustainable decisions about where to relocate coastal villages. Learn more https://bit.ly/4f4n5MF #WaterSecurity #ClimateChange #ClimateAction

#Happy New Year! #First Publication I congratulate our wonderful research team, Abdul Rashid Adam, Jacob Tagnan, Michael Osei Asibey, Stephen Appiah Takyi, Ph.D., and Amponsah Owusu on our first publication of the year! Our quest for a sustainable urban system, where all ecosystems can freely thrive, is more pressing than ever, particularly in these times of changing local and global climate. Necessitating collective scholarly and practical actions, our current study, from a geospatial perspective, delves into understanding the state of green space ecosystems in Ghana's Guinea Savannah. We sought to determine whether the current state of these ecosystems supports or hinders our pursuit of global sustainable development. Summarily, our findings, weighed against the intended targets spelled out by the United Nations, revealed that the state of green space ecosystems in Ghana's Guinea Savannah is not aligned with our quest for global sustainable development. Therefore, collective strategic actions are urgently needed to address these challenges both locally and globally. A full read of the work can be accessed here: https://lnkd.in/evbKcGwD We extend our gratitude to the Editorial Team and Reviewers of the Journal of Land Use Policy for accepting our work for publication.

🆕 New CSF Article Published in Land Journal 💚   *Exploring Public Support for Bolivia’s Protected Areas: A Contingent Valuation Approach*   Our study analyzes the willingness to pay of Bolivians for an annual passport to visit Bolivia's National Protected Areas (NPAs). While it was found that the population has little knowledge about NPAs, this analysis concluded that there is significant interest from the population in acquiring the passport and the possibility of promoting it as a donation to NPAs, expanding the group of potential users. The average willingness to pay was estimated at USD 35.   The results also reveal that if visibility and awareness of NPAs can be increased, there is the potential to boost sustainable tourism development, generating benefits for both nature conservation and local communities. Another very important aspect is the mistrust that exists regarding the management of the funds collected.   Transparency in the management of funds should be prioritized in the design and promotion strategies of the passport, in order to make its implementation and sustainability over time viable. An implementation strategy for the "Passport to Bolivia's Protected Areas" is currently being designed.   Get the article and find out all the information 👇   https://lnkd.in/eU9rYj4u This project has been funded by the Swedish Embassy and the European Union.  Photo: Laguna Chalalán at Madidi National Park. Irina Cabrerizo.

🎉 Our incredible Bath Spa University Professor Sian Sullivan's book is out now! Co-edited with Ute Dieckmann and Selma Lendelvo, this comes hot off the heels of a wonderful long-running partnership and various high-profile research grants for Sian and her collaborators! #BathSpaProud It's completely #OpenAccess – the whole book or individual chapters can be read online or downloaded here : https://lnkd.in/gwd9JqXb Etosha Pan to the Skeleton Coast examines the conservation histories and concerns of one of southern Africa’s most iconic conservation regions: the variously connected ‘Etosha-Kunene’ areas of north-central and north-west Namibia. This cross-disciplinary volume brings together contributions from a Namibian and international group of scholars and conservation practitioners, working on topics ranging from colonial histories to water management, perceptions of ‘wildlife’ and the politics of belonging. Together, these essays confront a critical question: how can the conservation of biodiversity-rich landscapes be reconciled with historical injustices of social exclusion and marginalisation?

Yesterday in Arusha at the National Development Vision 2050 conference, we discussed key issues concerning the development of our country. This Vision aims to bring about economic transformation, advancements in science and technology, environmental conservation, and many other aspects in our nation, Tanzania. Your participation is crucial for the success of this Vision. The process of collecting feedback is still ongoing, and you can share your thoughts by visiting https://lnkd.in/dMN_J2Xz                                          "Tanzania tuitakayo ni yetu sote."

"Technology isn't the sole answer to climate resilience in Africa. We must also address risks in current and new structures." In the pursuit of climate resilience, technology alone won't suffice. We need to focus on mitigating risks in both existing and new structures to build a resilient future for Africa. Insights from Hellen Njoki Wanjohi-Opil, Climate Resilience and Urban Governance Lead at World Resources Institute during the session on Building Technology for Social Habitat and Climate Resilient Housing at the Habitat for Humanity Kenya National Housing Symposium + Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) Annual Convention 2024 #socialhabitatfortheregion #HabitatforHumanity #NationalHousingSymposium

New paper led by Anne Cadoret using tools from the FIDELIO project: Social Acceptance and Marine Protected Areas: Lessons from Port-Cros National Park Our study highlights the critical role of social acceptance in the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Focusing on Port-Cros National Park in France, one of Europe's oldest marine parks, the paper examines how local communities’ support impacts conservation efforts. With 569 survey responses, the research identifies key factors influencing acceptance: perceived social impacts, trust in management, sociodemographic factors, and opportunities for public participation. Paper is available here: https://lnkd.in/ejn7G9CY #Conservation #MarineProtectedAreas #SocialImpact #CommunityEngagement #consocsci

Join us on May 15th as we examine how colonial power dynamics continue to exploit Africa's natural resources, specifically focusing on conservation and water. Kenyan academics Dr Mordecai Ogada and Tete' Mausse will provide two provocations. Together, they will outline how specific colonial ideas and structures continue to function, how they are reinforced by Western institutions, including universities, and what needs to change going forward. https://lnkd.in/eBZsjQDm

🎉 March and April have been nothing short of extraordinary! It was during this period that our Community of practice reached important milestones: after the recent launch of our thematic projects, the Mission partners and thematic projects’ partners came together, sparking connections and exchanges  during the thematic projects’ kickoff meetings. 🤝To every single one of you who has joined us on the path for a greener Mediterranean, we extend our heartiest welcome!  Your involvement is not just participation; together we're making significant strides towards our collective goals. 🔗 Your dedication, expertise, and passion are the cornerstones of our mission. With every step we take together, we're building a legacy of conservation, understanding, and respect for our natural heritage. This is not just any mission, this is the Interreg Euro-Med Natural Heritage Mission. 👉 Stay tuned for updates, insights, and stories of progress #governance #biodiversity #InterregEuroMED #NaturalHeritage #SustainableDevelopment #GreeningMediterranean Interreg Euro-MED Programme

#AfricaDay 2024 (25 May) has come and gone. But it was a great time to have our paper on Ethiopian wetlands published in the African Journal of Aquatic Science. Wetlands have played seminal roles in the development and dynamics of African civilisations. In contemporary times, wetlands and associated biodiversity face escalating threats, which in turn, accrue to communities of people dependent on wetland-derived natural resources. Our paper hopefully helps to elevate the status of wetland research in Africa, and the many contributions of African and allied scientists who apply their minds to wetland conservation. The paper features the work of Ethiopian PhD Candidate and lead author, Abraham Tuji's research at Stellenbosch University. The focal topic: applying a social-ecological systems conceptual framework to Boyo Wetland, Ethiopia. The paper may be found here: https://lnkd.in/dWxBTZpg We respectfully acknowledge the contribution of the late Prof. Jacobs to the original conceptualisation and supervision of this research.