The project is founded in the problem analysis and overall Theory of Change provided by UNEP’s Landscapes, Wildlife & People Framework Project.
Impact
The Impact that the ACL project aims to make a significant contribution towards is “Future security and wellbeing of people, elephants and other wildlife in key African coexistence landscapes is secured”. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to vast tracts of wildlife habitat and large numbers and populations of important species. However, vast areas have already been lost while others are under significant threat from over-exploitation and rapid land-use transformation. If unchecked, land use change and other pressures will result in the further loss of critical landscapes, species and ecological services, and will erode Africa’s natural capital and undermine its social capital in the face of high climate uncertainty. By focusing on critical coexistence landscapes, where there is still a chance for significant range areas to be maintained or restored, and where the synergies between wildlife and human needs can be enhanced for the benefit of both, the project aims to provide ‘proof of concept’ that alternative approaches to the traditional development trajectory are possible.
Intermediate State
The Intermediate State that the ACL project plans to contribute towards in order to achieve the desired Impact is: “International, national and landscape level policy and planning processes increasingly favour land-use and economic development that is compatible with wildlife needs and landscape conservation”. The project works at the national, continental and international level to inform and influence policy and investment to more effectively support the coexistence of people and wildlife, particularly in areas that have been identified as having high coexistence potential.
Immediate Outcome
The Immediate Outcome that the ACP project plans to achieve is “National-level policymakers responsible for the pilot landscapes endorse the use of systemic approaches to understand the conservation and development challenges impacting coexistence landscapes, and are working to incorporate these in national policy and planning frameworks”. The project supports in building the capacity of governments and subnational entities from selected landscapes to use data and analyses from multiple disciplines to develop integrated landscape-level plans and policies. The project alsos supports capacity building of NGOs, private sector, and inter-governmental bodies, through the provision of data and analyses that help to raise awareness and understanding in support of strengthened coexistence approaches.
Outputs
The project’s key Outputs are focused on:
Output 1: Information on current and emerging drivers of land-use transformation processes in target landscapes are analysed, and conceptual and simulation models are developed in close collaboration with relevant stakeholder groups
Output 2: Cross-sectoral and transboundary dialogues for selected landscapes are convened to collaboratively develop policy agendas with multi-sector stakeholders
Output 3: International, regional and national information, policy, decision-making and investment mechanisms for selected landscapes are informed concerning key coexistence landscape drivers, modelling tools and policy agendas
