Mainstreaming Biodiversity

Mainstreaming Forum

SANBI hosts a Mainstreaming Forum, each Forum focuses on an aspect of the biodiversity sector's mainstreaming work. By mainstreaming we mean the incorporation of biodiversity priorities in the policies, decisions and actions of sectors or organisations whose core business is not biodiversity conservation. The forum was initiated in 2005, with a focus on mainstreaming biodiversity in municipalities. In 2006 the focus of the forum was on initiatives, programmes and products aimed at mainstreaming biodiversity in environmental assessment.

The aim of the Forum is to provide provincial environmental departments, provincial conservation agencies, NGOs, consultants and research institutes with the opportunity to share information and lessons learnt.

Mainstreaming biodiversity in municipalities

This forum brought together people involved in projects aimed at mainstreaming biodiversity in municipalities. Many of the bioregional programmes and provincial conservation agencies are already engaging with local government around integration of biodiversity priorities in land use planning and decision-making. Projects in the Eastern Cape , Gauteng , KZN, Mpumalanga , Northern Cape and Western Cape were represented . The Forum provided an opportunity to share information and lessons learnt, to explore the challenges experienced, and to identify next steps for taking forward our collective efforts to mainstream biodiversity in local government.

Proceedings of the Forum (.pdf file 268KB)

Mainstreaming biodiversity in environmental assessment

Environmental assessment presents a key opportunity for integrating biodiversity priorities into project planning and decision-making, ideally at an early stage in the process. The NEMA EIA regulations, implemented on 1 July 2006, provide new opportunities and mechanisms for mainstreaming biodiversity in environmental assessment.

The aims of the Forum were:

•   To share information about current provincial and other initiatives to mainstream biodiversity in environmental assessment
•   To identify challenges and priority actions for mainstreaming biodiversity in environmental assessment
•   To agree on specific projects and actions that should be taken forward to mainstream biodiversity in environmental assessment, at national and provincial level.

For further information please contact : Dr Tammy Smith smith@sanbi.org