Supporting the Policy Enabling Environment for Development
USAID SPEED

Red List and KBAs

SPEED+ will work with the Government to develop a red list of threatened species in Mozambique and to identify key biodiversity areas (KBAs).

Develop a Red List of threatened species in Mozambique

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity. It provides information about range, population size, habitat and ecology, use and/or trade, threats, and conservation actions that will help inform necessary conservation decisions.  Less than 20% of Mozambique’s endemic and near-endemic plant species have had their conservation status assessed under the global IUCN Red List System. It is a powerful tool to inform and catalyze action for biodiversity conservation and policy change, critical to protecting the earth’s natural resources.  The General Regulation of the Conservation Law includes a first approach to defining protected species, but additional technical expertise and documentation are required. SPEED+ will support the National Red List working group to define a Red List of Threatened Species for terrestrial and aquatic fauna and flora in Mozambique. SPEED+ will support the working group with a specialist who has coordinated similar work in another African country. The specialist will help the group to analyze the lists, check the descriptions, ensure all the requisite data are recorded about species and their populations and locations, and give feedback on the criteria. The finalized Red List of species will complement the General Regulation of the Conservation Law, and should result in a Ministerial Diploma or equivalent legal document with the full protected species list.

Identify and map Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) are “sites that contribute to the global persistence of biodiversity”, including vital habitats for threatened plant and animal species in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems.  KBA identification in Mozambique will be based on the Red List of Threatened Species described above.  The KBA identification will be done according to IUCN’s Global Standards, under which sites may be identified as KBAs if they are critical for the conservation of threatened biodiversity, geographically restricted biodiversity, ecological integrity, specific biological processes, or irreplaceable habitat.  The KBA identification process will be a highly inclusive, consultative and bottom-up exercise including consultation with stakeholders at the national level (both non-governmental and governmental organizations).  SPEED+ will ensure that the three relevant institutions from MITADER, namely the National Directorate for Environment (DINAB), the National Directorate for Spatial / Land Use Planning (DINOTER) and the National Administration of Protected Areas (ANAC), as well as the private sector, are engaged throughout the process.  SPEED+ technical assistance will result in a Ministry report with the list and maps of KBAs, and guiding principles and recommendations for private sector activity in and around those areas. The report and maps of the KBAs will be made available using an existing online platform.

KBAs Identified in Mozambique - USAID SPEED+

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