NEWS
Figure 2: Indicators of threat statues and protection level for ecosystems and
species
and economic benefits from biodiver-
sity to society. ute to the African Traditional Medicine
sector worth ~R18billion a year.
Protected areas now cover nearly 9%
of South Africa’s mainland area and
75% of terrestrial ecosystem types have
some form of representation. Minister Creecy commented that with
this wealth of biodiversity comes the
responsibility of ensuring it is both pro-
tected and used sustainably.
Socio-economic benefits
South Africa’s biodiversity wealth gives
people benefits like food, water, medi-
cine and materials; it supports agri-
cultural and fisheries production and
helps protect us from natural hazards
like floods and droughts; and it pro-
vides the basis of a vibrant tourism in-
dustry while offering natural spaces for
recreational and cultural activities.
South Africa’s economy is highly de-
pendent on its biodiversity – for exam-
ple: biodiversity-related employment is
estimated at 418 000 jobs; biodiversity
tourism generates a direct spend of R31
billion annually; and our approximately
2 000 medicinal plant species contrib-
She said, “Biodiversity is central to
South Africa’s national objectives of
addressing poverty, inequality and un-
employment, and supports increased
economic growth and improved ser-
vice delivery for all its citizens.
Every decision taken, whether by gov-
ernments or individuals, affects the fu-
ture of biodiversity’’.
The full set of NBA products, which
include a synthesis report, seven tech-
nical reports, datasets, maps, supple-
mentary materials and popular prod-
ucts, is accessible via http://nba.sanbi.
org.za/
Figure 3: The National Biodiversity Assessment was launched on 3 October 2019
in Pretoria
Grassroots
Vol 20
No 1
March 2020
40