Climate-adapted, inclusive and sustainable use of natural resources

Context

Namibia’s population is heavily dependent on the use of natural resources, for example in the form of wildlife management, nature-based tourism, pastures and the use of traditional medicinal plants. Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) gives communal conservancies and community forests key rights, and it also defines obligations for the communities to use natural resources in a sustainable, equitable manner.

However, the environment and the local population are under growing pressure as a result of climate change, overexploitation of natural resources, human-wildlife conflicts, mining, and the expansion of energy infrastructure, including for oil, gas and renewables. Key institutions lack the capacities, experience and financial resources to develop and use innovative approaches and solutions for sustainable resource management.

Objective

Namibia’s Environment Ministry and key actors are able to better manage community-based natural resource management and make it more resilient.

Approach

The programme operates in the following areas:

• It advises local organisations on managing human-wildlife conflicts and adapting livelihoods in the communal conservancies and community forests to climate change.
• It works with the Environment Ministry to develop and update policies and guidelines to make the CBNRM programme fit for the future.
• At the same time, the programme trains the unit in the Environment Ministry responsible for dealing with applications for environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and strategic environmental assessments. This ensures that new mining and infrastructure projects, for example, comply with national laws and international standards.
• The programme advises public officials on mobilising national funding that contributes to climate action and environmental management, biodiversity conservation, and equitable use of natural resources.

Last update: March 2025