ABSTRACT
Africa, rich in natural resources including tropical forests, wildlife, water resources, and fisheries, is also rich in mineral, oil, and gas resources. Conservation priority areas across the continent often coincide with areas of importance for mineral development; national and local governments will need to decide about trade-offs inherent in competing development pathways.
Case studies from Mozambique and Madagascar highlight the pressures, complexities, and responses in balancing extractive development and conservation. The Mozambique case study takes a broad view of a country on the verge of a mineral boom, and the steps it is taking to address conflicting land uses. The Madagascar case study highlights methods that estimate nature’s benefits, relying on basic natural science data within a social context of multiple beneficiaries and economic sectors, to inform decision-making and management choices, particularly as they relate to conflicts between development and conservation needs.
Despite recent fluctuations in commodity prices, there is a consensus that Africa is approaching an unprecedented mining boom. Therefore, governments and the mining industry alike must use cutting-edge tools, information, policy frameworks, effective institutions, and thoughtful planning to balance these development pathways.
