Luanda - Participants in the International Conference on Biodiversity and Protected Areas (CIBAC), held in Luanda on Friday, recommended the creation of a national database on biodiversity to ensure that conservation strategies are based on better scientific information.
The conference, whose opening ceremony was presided over by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, took place from Thursday to Friday, promoted by the Angolan Executive.
The work was chaired by the Minister of the Environment, Ana Paula de Carvalho, and the participants wanted to ensure the implementation of cohesion measures and the effective use of instruments to combat environmental crimes.
They defended the adaptation of environmental legislation in accordance with the challenges identified.
Participants also recommended updating the Land Code to allow its management by the community, within the framework of the carbon market process, as well as promoting the production and legislation of carbon credits, which could serve as a mechanism of financial sustainability for protected areas.
They called for the strengthening of measures to combat illegal trade in wildlife species and the promotion of ecotourism revenues to benefit the budgets of protected areas.
Participants also called for stronger management of the Quiçama National Park and the creation of an innovation fund to finance agricultural projects and businesses.
Strengthened management of the Quiçama National Park and the creation of an innovation fund focused on financing agricultural projects and businesses were also requested by participants.
Topics such as "Integration and empowerment of local communities", "Contribution of local communities in the conservation of fauna and flora", "Impact of community projects in protected areas", "Community management in forest reserves" and "Role of NGOs in the development and empowerment of communities" were addressed at the conference.
The debates included topics such as "Knowledge Dialogues and Community Management of Natural Resources in Protected Areas: Amazon case study", "Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity: Applications to Biodiversity", "Lessons from Brazil in Biodiversity Conservation: Applications and Perspectives for Angola", "Regulation of Ecotourism Activities inside and outside Protected Areas", among others.
The experts discussed, among others, "Legal framework for national biodiversity conservation", "Carbon credit legislation", "Challenges of biodiversity conservation inside and outside protected areas", "Elephant monitoring in Angola", "The importance of science education in protected areas" and "Research and monitoring of large carnivores in northern Namibia". SJ/OHA/DAN/AMP
