Global assessment of the social impact of protected areas initiated

The advantages of biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, clean air, ecotourism and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage for posterity are widely acknowledged. However potentially adverse social consequences of the creation protected areas are less well known. Protected Areas frequently require the eviction and exclusion of local groups, but do not always compensate for, or properly assess, the costs involved. Since Protected Areas cover more than 10 % of the earth’s land surface and since more are mooted adequately to protect a representative sample of the world’s ecosystems, assessing the impacts of current costs and establishing a framework for evaluating future costs is an essential task.

The 80 participants, the 8 panelist and the chair Michael Cernea (World Bank) agreed that the proposed global research programme on the social impacts of protected areas in different parts of the world is a necessity to deal with this ignorance, to inform policy makers and governments, and to make conservation policy more effective and just. This is in line with the recommendations of the World Park Congress and mandated the Convention on the Biological Diversity. 

“How and where can I get involved in the study” M.C. Diaw; Director; CIFOR Central Africa

The key conclusions were:

·              The advantages of biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, clean air, ecotourism and the preservation of natural and cultural heritage for posterity are widely acknowledged. However potentially adverse social consequences of the creation of protected areas are less well known

·              Protected Areas frequently require the eviction and exclusion of local groups, but do not always compensate for, or properly assess, the costs involved. Since Protected Areas cover more than 10 % of the earth’s land surface assessing the impacts of current costs and establishing a framework for evaluating future costs is an essential task.

·              An assessment of the economic and socio-cultural impacts arising from the establishment and maintenance of protected areas is the prerequisite for the adjustment of policies requested by CBD and the WPC to ensure that such costs and impacts – including the cost of livelihood opportunities forgone – are equitably compensated.

The key recommendations were:

·              IUCN and other conservation organizations should provide funds for the proposed study, since this is an important step in their struggle for accountability. They have promoted the creation of protected areas, it is now their responsibility to address the adverse impacts and increase policy standards.

·              IUCN and other conservation organizations should elaborate policies on indigenous people and local communities involuntary resettlement to implement the Durban Accord and to strive for a “just world that value and conserve nature” (IUCN Vision).

 “A participatory stody like this is very important for the future of conservationGrazia Borrini-Feyerabend Co-Chair TILCEPA-IUCN