Repository

Conservation / Tools

IUCN, 10 June 2025

Finance for Protected Areas. This Guide contributes to the further development of conservation finance in light of global and local challenges for biodiversity and with the goal of supporting nature and ecosystem service flows essential for human well-being. This Guide has been produced as part of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas series of good practice guidance. Its purpose is to help PCA practitioners rethink, advocate for, and secure financial and operational sustainability for the delivery of the targets of the GBF. The Guide enables practitioners to: • Support a more informed understanding of PCAs as drivers for sustainable and equitable socio-economic development; • Learn about durable finance solutions, help select those suited for specific sites, landscapes and seascapes and improve effective use of available finances for the effective management of PCAs; • Use financial solutions in ways that support people and community empowerment leading to equitable distribution of benefits in an integrated approach; and • Raise awareness for the role finance can play in environmental and social exploitation and degradation as well as positive support for nature and people.

Climate Change / Tools

Paul Jensen and Rachael Carrie, 9 June 2025

In 2020 a rural livelihood rapid climate risk assessment for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region was undertaken. The assessment entailed the development of a vulnerability index representing social, natural, physical, financial, and human capital. Data used to represent the capitals were derived from ten indicators, ranging from measures of multidimensional poverty and gender dynamics, through to gross domestic product, annual soil losses and suitability of soils for crop production. To visualise and identify ‘hotspots’ of future climate risk, the vulnerability index was geographically mapped and combined with future climate projections equating to a world engaged in concerted climate action predicted to result in a mid and end of century mean temperature rise of 1.4°C and 1.8°C respectively (RCP4.5), and a world lacking deliberate climate action with a mid-century mean temperature increase of 2.0°C and end of century mean increase of 3.7°C (RCP8.5). A discussion of resulting climate risk hotspots, deemed to be areas where high vulnerability and climate hazards intersect, was complemented by a systematic literature review of research on agricultural climate risk, adaptation and vulnerability in the SADC region.

Governance / Treaty / MOA

Various, 9 June 2025

The communique about the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) of the Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia (ZIMOZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) which was held on 18th of July 2024 at State House in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Governance / Treaty / MOA

Various , 9 June 2025

This is the signed MOU between South Africa and Lesotho that established the Maloti Drakensberg TFCA in 2001.

Governance / Treaty / MOA

Various , 9 June 2025

This is the signed protocol between Eswatini, Mozambique and South Africa that establishes the Lubombo TFCA.

Conservation / Meeting Report

IFAW, 2 June 2025

This is a report of a workshop organised by IFAW at the TFCA International Conference and Summit in May 2025 in Harare. This meeting focused on elephant conservation and connectivity in Southern Africa. Experts discussed research findings on elephant populations, movements, and habitat connectivity, emphasizing the importance of large, protected areas and corridors for the persistence and viability of metapopulations. The discussion also covered community role in conservation efforts, policy recommendations for improving human-wildlife coexistence, and innovative approaches to landscape management and financing for large scale conservation initiatives.

Conservation / Meeting Report

Various , 2 June 2025

In a major milestone for regional conservation, Heads of State and Government from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened in Harare, Zimbabwe, for the Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) Summit on 23 May 2025. The summit, themed Transfrontier Conservation Areas – 25 Years of Cooperation for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development,” celebrated the quarter-century legacy of collaborative natural resource management across borders.

Climate Change / Meeting Report

Onkemetse Joseph, 2 June 2025

Theme: Transforming development to minimise risk creation: Integration of risk management into SADC TFCA’s development planning and programming. Organiser: GIZ through the Joint Action NaturAfrica / Climate Resilience and Natural Resource Management in the SADC Region (C-NRM) Programme and Global Initiative in Disaster Risk Management (GIDRM IV) Programme

Conservation / Meeting Report

Daniel Marnewick (IUCN ESARO) , 2 June 2025

Improving the understanding of ‘other effective area-based conservation areas’ (OECMs) by providing a technical overview, supported by African case studies, and applying these to TFCAs by interrogating national and TFCA specific needs, barriers, and opportunities to promote the recognition and strengthening of OECMs.

Community development / Meeting Report

Dr Thabang Teffo, 2 June 2025

Advancing the SADC Wildlife Economy Strategy through policy alignment, investment innovation, and community-led models to drive sustainable development in SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs).