The first edition of the African Congress on Protected Areas (Apac) will be held from March 7 to 12, 2022 in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, organisers confirmed Monday.
This meeting will assemble to discuss the role of protected areas in conserving nature, safeguarding Africa’s wildlife, delivering vital life-supporting ecosystem services, promoting sustainable development and conserving the region’s cultural heritage and traditions, the
statement said.
Neeting on the theme, ‘Protected Areas: Delivering Benefits for Nature and People,’ the Congress will also address three focal areas: protected areas; people; and biodiversity.
APAC is organized with support from the Kenyan Government, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas and international and local partners.
Reports indicate that Africa, whichis home to a quarter of the planet’s biodiversity, has lost more than 50% of its ecosystems over the past 50 years.
Experts argue that this loss of biodiversity is caused by climate change, unsustainable consumption patterns, land use conversion, increased human population, and environmental degradation and destruction.
CU/APA