Nairobi – Relying on donor funding to finance biodiversity conservation is not the right approach. Biodiversity is not a charitable cause. These are actually part of sovereign natural assets, and so we need to look at ways in which countries can link their economies to biodiversity conservation. – Luther Bois Anukur, IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa

As the global community celebrates the 2026 World Wildlife Day today (3 March), this year's focus is on Medicinal and aromatic plants: conservation of health, heritage and livelihoodsS. However, beneath these celebrations, a difficult question emerges: who will bear the costs of conservation when traditional donor financing becomes uncertain and climate change is faced?

As geopolitical shifts are forcing traditional funders to tighten their budgets, conservation across Africa has reached a critical juncture.

In an exclusive interview with Luther Bois Anukur, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, we explore how governments must move forward now by creating space for community-led biodiversity conservation initiatives to grow into sustainable enterprises. We discuss why protecting biodiversity is as important as maintaining roads or electricity grids and why it should be considered a priority in national budgets.

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IPS: With conservation donors tightening their budgets, how serious is this funding shift for Africa, and what risks does it pose to biodiversity conservation?

Friendly: Overall, funding for biodiversity conservation has declined, particularly with the closure of USAID, which was a major funder of biodiversity work in Africa. This came as a shock and certainly slowed down the work of biodiversity conservation in Africa as some organizations closed down, and some projects stopped altogether.

However, having said that, there is a huge opportunity for Africa to rethink biodiversity financing models. Indeed, relying on donor funding to finance biodiversity conservation is not the right approach. Biodiversity is not a charitable cause. These are actually part of sovereign natural assets, and so we need to look at ways in which countries can link their economies to biodiversity conservation.

For example, you will find that in Africa the basis of our economy is fresh water, agriculture, tourism and energy and all these are the backbone of biodiversity conservation.

IPS: African communities often live alongside wildlife and bear the costs of conservation. How can this possibly be transformed into community-based initiatives that can grow into sustainable enterprises?

Friendly: First and foremost, people in Africa have been living with wildlife for many years. However, the cost of living with wildlife has been very high, as you will see crop losses, loss of livestock, and even loss of life. Yet, we have not seen communities benefiting proportionately.

For this to change, our conservation efforts certainly need to be reconsidered and redesigned so that communities are right at the centre. We need to see the benefits accrue to communities in an equitable manner that is commensurate with the services and sacrifices they provide by living with wildlife.

We need to stop looking at communities not as beneficiaries but as leaders of conservation efforts. And when we do this, we will go a long way in conserving wildlife.

IPS: Why finance ministries in Africa should consider conservation as a core national investment rather than an environmental afterthought

Friendly: In many cases, finance ministers look at the risks, they look at the assets, and they look at the returns. This is what they generally understand. But quite clearly, nature is Africa's greatest asset. And so investing in our environment basically means that we are supporting our water systems, our agriculture, our fisheries and our ecosystems. What this basically means is that we are strengthening our economies.

The opposite is true. If we do not support this, we will face disasters. We are going to be more impacted by climate change and we are going to be importing food. When you balance the ledgers, it makes sense to invest in conservation, as this will ultimately impact national economies. Therefore investment in natural assets will greatly help our countries' GDP and the livelihood of our people.

IPS: Can you share examples of models that governments should use to conserve biodiversity as well as support community-led conservation initiatives?

Friendly: Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya, among other countries, have good examples that have been able to demonstrate that community-led conservation can lead not only to ecological improvements but also economic benefits.

But the main thing with these models is that you have to secure land rights, ensure that there is accountable governance, and that revenues flow directly to communities. There is also a need to partner with multi-stakeholders, especially the ethical private sector.

IPS: Tools such as the IUCN Red List and Green List provide data on species and protected areas. How can governments better use these frameworks to move from reactive conservation decisions toward long-term, evidence-based policies?

Friendly: IUCN has a lot of tools; We have the Red List of species, which basically looks at the risk of extinction, but we also have the Green List, which looks at how effectively we manage our ecosystems. Governments have used these tools extensively as reference documents.

However, we would like to see these tools used to generate evidence for planning. This is because when you plan well, you are able to avoid risks. For example, you need these tools to plan roads, infrastructure, agriculture, and mining.

IPS: Many African governments face pressure to expand infrastructure, agriculture and extractive industries. What strategies can realistically balance economic growth with ecosystem conservation, especially for communities living closest to nature?