"Conflict resolution for the future of biodiversity conservation" with Dr Alexandra Zimmermann

Dr Alexandra Zimmermann, WildCRU, discusses the challenges of managing conflict between different groups in order to protect wildlife and natural resources The conservation of biodiversity and natural resources is unavoidably about managing conflicts between groups of people.To be able to withstand the additional pressures and impacts from climate change and the pandemic, conservation efforts need to become adept at preventing and mitigating conflicts over protected areas, wildlife, and access to natural resources. Tensions frequently arise over access to land, resources and benefits from protected areas, the management of wildlife, sustainable use, livelihoods, development, and social justice. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s 2050 Vision of ‘Living in Harmony with Nature’ envisages a world in which such environmental conflicts are much reduced. However, to reach this aspirational goal, managing and preventing conflicts over biodiversity is essential if global ambitions of nature recovery and sustainable coexistence are to become reality. Join Dr Alexandra Zimmermann & Professor David Macdonald, from WildCRU, as they discuss the drivers, levels and characteristics of conflicts over biodiversity and explore what can be learned and adapted from the fields of conflict analysis, negotiation and resolution to improve our collective capacity to manage biodiversity conflicts effectively. This talk is a joint event with the Oxford Martin Programme on Natural Governance.