Capitals Coalition, IUCN and partners to discuss Natural Capitals and Capacity Needs for Businesses in Eastern & Southern Africa

 

By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU

Capitals Coalition and IUCN ESARO have organized for the fourth part of the webinar series on Valuing Natural Capital & Local Communities for Business in Eastern & Southern Africa, a statement from the organizers highlights.

This webinar series aims to build awareness of the relevance and potential of a capital’s approach for decision-making in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Eastern & Southern Africa.

The webinar series will build on the outcomes and insights delivered through the online African Forum on Green Economy – Investing in Natural Capital for a Resilient Africa, organised by the Capitals Coalition, IUCN and partners, in 2020. 

The fourth session in the series is taking place on the 14th July 2021 discussing Capitals and Capacity Needs.

This series will feature and discuss practical examples, opportunities and tools for SMEs in Eastern & Southern Africa to include the value of natural capital and local communities in decision-making.

The webinar will be joined by Eugene Itua from Natural Eco Capital in Nigeria, Katia Bonga from WBCSD and Peter Katanisa from the Natural Capital Community of Practice Africa.

This series is supported by USAID Kenya and East Africa through the Conserving Natural Capital and Enhancing Collaborative Management of Transboundary Resources (CONNECT) project.

In 2020, the African Forum on Green Economy: Investing in Natural Capital for a Resilient Africa was convened to accelerate the transformation of economic and financial decision making, such that conservation, restoration and sustainable use of nature be better rewarded.

Of all regions on the planet, Africa faces some of the most material natural capital risks and yet some of the most clear and compelling opportunities for green, sustainable growth.

To unlock this potential, different stakeholders across the continent need new approaches, new methods, and new metrics.

Businesses in fast growing, yet environmentally vulnerable sectors (e.g. agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure) will need better information to understand the possible risks and respond in a sustainable way.

Investors need to better understand their opportunity and risk profiles in emerging African markets.

Policymakers need to identify and enact smart legislation that provides natural, social and economic benefits for maximum sustainable growth.

With the added challenge of a global health pandemic, there is more urgency than ever to build economies that are resilient, just, and sustainable.

The African Forum on Green Economy set out to explore how Africa can use collaboration and natural capital thinking to deal with these challenges and amplify the progress towards a green economy.

Key messages from the Forum included the fact that

Africa’s vast natural capital is critical for its recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and for building a green and fair economies and livelihoods across the continent. 

Despite the increase in natural capital assessments across Africa, the data is not adequately informing policy, institution or business choices.

Ensuring natural capital approaches are integrated into financial systems, infrastructure choices and industrial policy, and requires the participation of all stakeholders – business, finance, civil society, and policy makers.