Wild animals, plants, and other living organisms make Earth habitable, and their existence holds intrinsic value. Sub-Saharan Africa is the most important region for biodiversity conservation because more wildlife populations and landscapes remain intact there than anywhere else. In this Policy Research Talk, Gabriel Englander will present insights on current and emerging trends in African conservation policies:

• The impacts of transferring management of protected areas from governments to private non-governmental organizations on wildlife and tourism.
• The potential economic and ecological benefits from regional cooperation in negotiating international fishing rights within African waters.
• The African countries that successfully deter industrial vessels from their coastal fishing grounds, and the benefits for these countries’ small-scale artisanal fishers, fish populations, and micronutrient supply.

Drawing on causal inference analyses of new biodiversity panel datasets, Englander will challenge pessimism regarding African conservation effectiveness while also identifying opportunities for improvements.