On 16 October, 2012, Natural Justice’s Laureen Manuel attended
a press conference held by the Namibian Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism at the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP-11) to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) in Hyderabad, India. In addressing international media and other COP-11 delegates, the
Honourable Minister of Environment and Tourism, Ms Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, shared
the country’s experiences, challenges and successes in establishing and
implementing its Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Programme.
She said that the CBNRM programme is a powerful symbol of
the potential for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity to
alleviate poverty. Through the
devolution of rights over wildlife and forest resources, indigenous peoples and
local communities are now driving the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity through communal conservancies and community forests. During COP-11, Namibia will be receiving an
award for this community-based approach to conservation.
