The recently released Nature Conservation Index (NCI) places South Africa 25th out of 180 countries, recognising strides in biodiversity conservation while highlighting significant areas needing improvement.
The NCI, developed by BioDB, evaluates countries based on 25 critical indicators across land management, species protection, governance, and future conservation trends.
Despite its mid-level global position, South Africa faces challenges, notably in marine conservation and governance stability, which impact the country’s ability to effectively enforce environmental policies. South Africa has 42 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as of 2024, only 5% of our territory.
Speaking to IOL, Assaf Levy, CEO and founder of BioDB, explained the purpose of the NCI as a tool to fill “an important gap in how conservation efforts are measured and reported.” Levy underscored the need for accessible data to guide policy improvements.
“We hope decision-makers will use this information to direct conservation efforts into the areas where countries are lagging behind.” For South Africa, he noted, “marine conservation” remains a priority challenge, given widespread gaps in sustainable fishery practices and adequate marine protected areas.
The NCI indicates that one of South Africa’s strongest conservation areas is the preservation of protected land. South Africa’s terrestrial conservation efforts rank well, and these areas include habitats supporting a variety of threatened species.
Despite these gains, the NCI warns of shortcomings in political stability and governance, with corruption control remaining low - a factor which hinders the successful implementation of environmental policies.
“Effective conservation depends heavily on stable governance,” stated Levy, noting that without political stability and anti-corruption measures, it is difficult to ensure policies are properly enacted.
The Index also uses a “Future Trends” pillar to assess how countries are preparing for environmental challenges ahead, drawing on Yale’s Environmental Performance Index. This pillar reveals that future-oriented policies, especially those targeting climate change, remain crucial to South Africa’s conservation outlook.
Levy explained, “Environmental conditions are changing rapidly, and safeguarding our biodiversity will require us to be prepared for what the future might hold, rather than just trying to maintain a snapshot of the present.”
Countries like Luxembourg and Zimbabwe, which rank among the top ten in the Index, have achieved notable success through consistent protected area targets and a focus on climate mitigation policies.
According to Levy, “What both countries have in common is reaching or almost reaching the protected area targets,” with a goal of 30% land area preservation, a benchmark that many nations, including South Africa, continue to strive towards.
IOL
South Africa ranks 25th in global conservation efforts but faces pressing challenges in marine protection and policy enforcement. Picture: IanZA/pixabay