Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, on Thursday delivered a keynote address at an occasion where South African National Parks (SANParks) unveiled Vision 2040.
The strategy is a bold and ambitious initiative that intends to align conservation more decisively to redress and advancement of shared economic growth in ways that can tangibly changes lives.
This model of conservation will promote social justice and inclusivity by guaranteeing that all communities, particularly the disadvantaged and marginalised, have fair and equitable access to opportunities and resources.
Vision 2040 is an inspiring and visionary strategy that re-imagines the future of conservation and the institutional fitness of SANParks. This long-term plan envisions a nation where nature and people thrive together, creating a harmonious and sustainable future for all.
Vision 2040 aims to ensure that every South African has a stake in conservation, with tangible benefits that improve livelihoods and create opportunities.
In seeking to realise this future, there will be a need to examine if SANParks in its current organisational form and as the country’s leading conservation agency, will be able to enable Vision 2040.
Singh congratulated the board and management of SANParks as he supported the intended approach of implementing Vision 2040 through the rollout of Mega Living Landscapes.
These are essentially massive, interconnected areas that are set to break the myth that conservation is solely the playground of scientists and environmentalists. Ordinary South Africans are invited to find their place within Vision 2040. In Mega Living Landscapes protected areas will no longer be isolated islands but interconnected to their surrounding communities.
This approach will foster co-existence, inclusivity, and sustainable development, ensuring that most South African participate in conservation efforts.
This means we are heading to a future in which authorities and entities which owns national parks, farmland, provincial and municipal land, communal land and business owned land could explore improved means of co-existence and benefit sharing as part of South Africa’s conservation estate.
In other words, they can explore the declaration of the lands under one entity which would become a Mega Living Landscapes. The result being a Mega Living Landscapes that becomes an anchor for local development, providing jobs, supporting local entrepreneurs, and fostering educational opportunities.
The journey to Vision 2040 began in 2022 when SANParks embarked on an unprecedented consultation process throughout the country. These included engagements with communities neighbouring national parks, visitors to national parks, traditional leaders, employees, conservationists, traditional healers, women, scientists and youth organisations. These inputs shaped a shared vision for the future of conservation in South Africa as encapsulated in Vision 2040.
Vision 2040 is also part of South Africa’s response to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s goal of conserving 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, coastal, popularly referred to as the 30 x 30. In South Africa, this means expanding conservation lands by an additional 14 million hectares as we create a vast network of interconnected, ecologically vibrant areas.
Singh challenged SANParks to reconvene annually to report back on the Vision 2040 commitments made. In response to this call SANParks will embed Vision 2040 in its plans and integrate it as part of its performance reporting.