Context:
Global trade and economic growth over the last half century have driven huge improvements in health and living standards but also undermined the stability of the Earth’s natural systems and exacerbated global inequality. The 2020 Living Planet Index shows that global populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have suffered an average 68% decline in less than half a century (from 1970 to 2016). The main cause of this dramatic decline is habitat loss and degradation, including deforestation, driven by how we as humanity produce food. Nature powers industry and enterprise but we are using up ‘natural capital’ and degrading natural systems faster than nature can replenish and restore them, exceeding Earth’s overall bio capacity by 58% according to Ecological Foot printing.
According to the World Economic Forum Global Risks Report 2020, the top five most pressing challenges facing Africa and the world over the next decade are, for the first time, all related to the environment, and include biodiversity loss and climate change. Failure to tackle nature’s decline will increase nature-related risks, further disrupt supply chains, threaten global food security, and cost the global economy at least $479 billion a year – amounting to $10 trillion by 2050. Our economies are embedded within nature but economics do not recognize that human health, wealth and security depend on safeguarding environmental health, according to the forthcoming Dasgupta Review on the Economics of Biodiversity. The 2030 Agenda is rooted in the idea that human development and well-being cannot be achieved without simultaneously safeguarding and investing in nature and managing disaster risk in a systemic manner – otherwise development gains will be short-lived and unevenly distributed.
The recent outbreak of COVID-19 and recently, its variances represent the latest in an unfortunately growing list of disasters confronting humanity. The COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and the world is not only a challenge for global health systems, but also a test of our human spirit. Its social and economic impacts have been creating a global crisis unparalleled in the history of the United Nations—and one which requires a whole-of-society response to match its sheer scale and complexity.
To face those global challenges, we must redefine our relationship to nature through the New Deal for Nature and People with the vision to halt and reverse the catastrophic loss of biodiversity and put nature in the path of recovery for present and future generation. This is essential in this last decade of the implementation of the sustainable development goals.
In view thereof, in 2020, while the pandemic was beating, African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development has set the New deal for nature and People Coalition made up of over 500 youth organisations and networks operating across Africa working across the continent with the ultimate goal to reach the nature positive vision. Under the leadership of African network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development the New Deal for Nature and People Coalition, African youths and civil society organizations have drafted and started the implementation of two regional position papers on COVID19 and pandemics and towards a strong post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework for a green growth resumption in Africa and in the world. Among key recommendations formulated by youths and civil society, we can highlight:
- the necessity of the involvement and engagement of Governments in a New Deal for Nature and People as a globally binding agreement to halve our footprint on nature; stop the loss of natural habitats and to top the extinction of living species;
- the mainstreaming of young people-championed elements from a gender perspective in the Post-2020 Framework focusing on intergenerational equity, human rights and the rights of nature, transformative education and the promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament;
- the importance of strengthened multilateralism: Develop a whole -of-society coordinated approach and accelerate implementation of the “New Way of Working” mobilizing all the stakeholders and taking into account all the layers and sectors in the implementation of innovative measures at different levels;
- the imperative of more synergies and alignment between the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework with other biodiversity-related multilateral agreements, processes and instruments (UNCCD, UNFCC; Ramsar; Future BBNJ, CITES etc.) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development so as to enable the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework systematically cross-maps its goals and targets and seeks to reinforce synergies in implementation and enabling conditions;
- The urgency to greening the financial sector (economics of biodiversity) – integrating environmental issues to support the post 2020 implementation framework and enabling conditions for resilience and transformative change;
- High level leadership and a whole-of-government approach mobilizing all the layers of the society including private sector and civil society towards a Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework based on transparency, accountability monitoring and reporting.
Through the New Deal for Nature and People Coalition, African youth and civil society have been working for the implementation of those regional position papers and towards the Nature positive vision for peacebuilding and green growth. In order to showcase African youth and civil society initiatives to address the global challenges, African Network of Young Leaders for Peace and Sustainable Development launches the booklet of best practices.
Booklet of best practices
The Booklet of best practices is an advocacy and experience sharing document showcasing the activism and innovative replicable initiatives implemented by youths and civil society in their actions, transiting from unwitting perpetrators of environmental degradation to custodians of natural capital. The booklet of best practices aims to inspire individuals, communities and institutions and to valorize those little hands that strive together as part of a group, or an organization to generate impacts in order to reach the nature positive vision in this super decade towards the achievement of sustainable development goals for nature and for us. Such a changeover will potentially result in sustainability benefits to ensure the future of Next generations.
How to participate?
Participation in the Call is FREE. All entries must be in English or French and must be original works produced by the participant.
Youths and civil society organizations and networks willing to showcase one or several initiative (s) they have implemented for nature, water, climate and environmental conflict resolution are invited send us at anyl4psd.bestpractices@gmail.com :
- A word document of presentation
- Your name(s) and surname(s)
- Your organization/group/movement
- Your position within your organization
- Country/ies of operation
- Your short biography including the goal of your organization/group/movement
- Your email
- WhatsApp Number (If available)
- Instagram Number (If available)
- Facebook (If available)
- Your Twitter Account (If available)
- YouTube (If available)
- Website (If available)
- For each best practice or initiative, you want to showcase, provide in a word format a detailed text containing the answer to these points and questions:
- Title of your initiative
- Presentation of the context and the problem to solve (please insert figures where possible)
- The objective of your initiative/project
- Period/date of the implementation of your initiative/project
- Target of your initiative/project
- Outcomes so far
- Challenges encountered and approaches of mitigation used
- Lessons learnt from the initiative/project
- Next steps and recommendations
- Pictures related to the initiative/project
- Supporting documents: Terms of reference or concept note of the initiative (If available)
NB: The process is a selective process. The booklet of best practices will showcase best practices among those collected. The booklet after production will be released in various platforms regionally and internationally. Youth and civil society organisations are consequently invited to provide relevant information and materials. The representatives of selected best practices will be invited as speakers in our upcoming regional and global webinars.
Should you have any question, kindly each out to us at anyl4psd.bestpractices@gmail.com
Deadline for submission: April 30, 2021
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