Namibia needs N$3 billion for biodiversity action plan

WINDHOEK, 25 SEP – Namibia needs about N.$ three billion to fully achieve the Second National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan of 2013 to 2022.
Speaking at the Resource Mobilisation for Biodiversity Conservation Project stakeholder dialogue here Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Bernadette Jagger said the current expenditure is slightly more than N$1 billion per year.
She emphasised that the value of ecosystem services in Namibia exceeds N$13 billion per year.
Jagger noted that Namibia’s key ecosystem services include livestock, ground and surface water, fish, soil formation and composition, chemical condition of fresh and saltwater, global and regional climate regulation, tourism and recreation, and spiritual interactions.
She added that many of these services are facing pressure from habitat change, pollution, invasive species, climate change, illegal use, and exploitation.
“The strategy aims to identify and implement a range of innovation financing instruments that can increase revenue and funding towards biodiversity conservation and broader environmental protection,” she said.
Jagger further noted that through a consultative process of the strategic plan, the identified biodiversity financing instruments include, raising park entrance fees, identification and introduction of environmental levies for reinvestment into environment protection, eco-labelling, funds raised from lotteries and gambling, and leveraging public and donor funding.
The deputy minister said if the implementation of some identified financial instruments transpires, Namibia will be able to maintain and enhance the health of its environment as well as ecosystem. – NAMPA