Effective community engagement and partnerships - key to combatting illegal killing and wildlife trade in eastern and southern Africa?

Transcription

1 Effective community engagement and partnerships - key to combatting illegal killing and wildlife trade in eastern and southern Africa? IUCN ESARO Regional Conservation Forum 30 th September 2015 Dr. Dilys Roe IIED/IUCN CEESP/SSC SULi Dr. Holly Dublin IUCN ESARO/AfESG/SULi Leo Niskanen IUCN ESARO

2 SITUATION WITH THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE (IWT) Escalating poaching of iconic high-value species > US$ 400 million granted in response mainly on state-led law enforcement efforts Interventions with organised crime and trafficking aspects still being dealt with Great shortcomings in prosecution and judicial situation for IWT Extensive effort being devoted to demand reduction

3 15.00 ESTIMATED POACHING RATES FOR AFRICAN ELEPHANTS estimated percentage of total population illegally killed at MIKE sites

4 ESTIMATED POACHING RATES FOR AFRICAN RHINOS IN SOUTH AFRICA

5 SITUATION WITH THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE (IWT) Escalating poaching of iconic high-value species > US$ 400 million granted in response mainly on state-led law enforcement efforts Interventions with organised crime and trafficking aspects still being dealt with Great shortcomings in prosecution and judicial situation for IWT Extensive effort being devoted to demand reduction

6 CURRENT RESPONSES TO ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE Law enforcement along the entire value chain Reducing demand for for illegal products Supporting communities and livelihoods

7 Beyond Enforcement symposium (South Africa, Feb 2015) over 70 researchers, practitioners, community representatives.conclusions and recommendations

8 1. Current approaches to enforcement, focusing primarily on state policing, are insufficient (poaching is continuing). and can create threats to communities, governance and conservation.

9 state enforcement-led approaches can lead to human rights abuses and livelihood impacts undermining the legitimacy of conservation regulations and approaches based on trustbuilding displacement of poaching to other areas; increased prices and increased incentives to poach

10 2. We need to understand the broader land use dimensions of wildlife crime wildlife policies have led to wildlife having little or no socioeconomic value to the people who live with it. exacerbates habitat loss and the major threat of agricultural encroachment exacerbates humanwildlife conflict and removes incentives for people to refrain from poaching, to protect wildlife from illegal killing, or to sustainably manage it.

11 3. Communities can be powerful and positive agents of change know what is happening on the ground can be eyes and ears of enforcement are highly motivated where they have a strong sense of ownership/stewardship, and perceive poaching as stealing from them strong cooperative relationships with arresting authorities are crucial

12 African Elephant Summit (2013) Engage communities living with elephants as active partners in their conservation London Declaration (2014) Kasane Declaration (2015) Increase capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities and eradicate poverty Work with, and include local communities in, establishing monitoring and law enforcement networks in areas surrounding wildlife Promote the retention of benefits from wildlife resources by local people where they have traditional and/or legal rights over these resources. We will strengthen policy and legislative frameworks needed to achieve this, reinforce the voice of local people as key stakeholders and implement measures which balance the need to tackle the illegal wildlife trade with the needs of communities, including the sustainable use of wildlife. Brazzaville Declaration (2015) Recognize the rights and increase the participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in the planning, management and use of wildlife through sustainable use and alternative livelihoods and strengthen their ability to combat wildlife crime.

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14 MAIN STRUCTURE OF THE THEORY OF CHANGE ULTIMATE IMPACT: Decreased pressure on wildlife from illegal wildlife trade PRIMARY OUTCOMES: Reduced poaching from outside the community Reduced poaching from inside the community 4 MAIN STREAMS: Strengthening disincentives for illegal behaviour Increasing incentives for stewardship Decreasing the costs of living with wildlife (reducing incentive for illegal behaviour or supporting illegal acts of others) Supporting alternative non-wildlife based livelihoods/economic development (reducing incentive for illegal behaviour or supporting illegal acts of others)

15 O3903.html IIED.html IIED.html

16 IUCN E/ S AFRICA and IWT Focus on countries with most advanced CBNRM approaches but severe problems with IWT: Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya Many other species pangolins, lion bone trade, reptiles & birds, timber, medicinal plants, seahorses, etc.

17 IUCN E/ S AFRICA and IWT Activities Apply ToC to real life situations i.e. existing projects and CBNRM programmes or design of new interventions Conduct collaborative research with communities Compile lessons learned into guidance for engaging communities in combating IWT Disseminate guidance and apply to existing policies and strategies at national, regional, continental level

18 GROUP WORK ON THE THEORY OF CHANGE CAROUSEL 4 MAIN STREAMS: Strengthening disincentives for illegal behaviour Increasing incentives for stewardship Decreasing the costs of living with wildlife (reducing incentive for illegal behaviour or supporting illegal acts of others) Supporting alternative non-wildlife based livelihoods/economic development (reducing incentive for illegal behaviour or supporting illegal acts of others) RETURN TO PLENARY General discussion and feedback Possible Motions for WCC Workshop partners for proposed WCC event

19 CAROUSEL QUESTIONS 1. Does the logic of this stream make sense? 2. Any other suggestions to improve this stream? 3. Do you have (or know of any) projects/case studies that would be particularly conducive to testing this stream? 4. Interest in partnering to take this work forward?

20 PLENARY WRAP UP General discussion and feedback Possible Motions for WCC Workshop partners for WCC SULi event

21 WCC WORKSHOP PROPOSAL Communities and wildlife crime: The aim of this workshop would be broadly how interventions to address wildlife crime can and should engage communities living with wildlife, exploring inter alia what community governance characteristics and policy environment are required if community based approaches are going to be successful, and reviewing and discussing the Theory of Change developed by SULi and partners.

22 Thank you!