The World Parks Congress 2003

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The World Parks Congress 2003
Presentation to Portfolio and Select Committees
3 March 2003
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What WPC 2003 means for South Africa

• Protected areas will prosper only to the extent
  that they are responsive to the social, economic,
  political and cultural needs of society Jeff
  McNeely, IUCN.
• The WPC theme Benefits Beyond Boundaries and
  the various Workshop Streams are closely relevant
  to South Africa we have much to learn and much
  to contribute.
• WPC 2003 will address key questions against the
  backdrop of South Africas protected areas,
  offering us a unique opportunity to make
  meaningful inputs.
• Pre and post congress tours offer delegates the
  chance to visit the best of South Africas
  protected areas.

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South Africas Aims for WPC 2003

• To promote South Africa as a country.
• To promote our biodiversity resources and
  protected area system.
• To present our management practices, policies and
  new legislative framework as a cutting-edge
  approach to the challenges of the future.

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The 7 Workshop Streams

• Linkages between protected areas and their
  surroundings, including the ecological, social,
  political and economic contexts.
• Mainstreaming Building broader support for
  protected areas.
• Governance New ways of working together
• Capacity building.
• Management effectiveness.
• Building a secure financial future.
• Building comprehensive protected area systems.

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Cross Cutting Themes

• Communities and equity
• Marine
• World Heritage

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Preparations to Develop Workshop Inputs

• International Stream Leaders have been appointed
  by the IUCN to develop each workshop stream and
  cross cutting theme.
• The National Steering Committee (NSC) has
  appointed South African Stream Coordinators to
  liaise with the Stream Leaders and local experts
  to develop South Africas inputs.
• The Stream Coordinators have presented concept
  outlines to the NSC.
• The NSC aims to produce a synthesis volume of
  South African experience, and a series of
  workshops will be held to work towards this.

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Deliverables Planned for WPC 2003

• The Durban Accord, a brief joint policy statement
  for Protected Areas in the 21st Century.
• A user-manual for the Durban Accord.
• State of the Parks Report
• New UN world list of Protected Areas.
• Signed off publicly announced strategic
  partnerships
• Guidelines for Protected Areas and the Convention
  on Biodiversity.
• Plans for a future heads of governments Parks
  Summit.
• Certification System for Protected Areas.

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The Nomination Process

• Participation at WPC 2003 will be by invitation
  South Africa has maximum 225 places out of 2500.
• The NSC has received 275 nominations.
• A task team has selected 225 of the nominations
  for consideration by the NSC and the Minister
  DEAT.
• The final list is subject to approval by the
  Executive of the International Steering Committee
• Those on the final list will receive invitations
  in early March.

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Details on the list of nominees

• To date 185 nominees
• 10 places are kept for communities,
• 10 for youth representatives,
• 10 for delegates to the St Lucia Pre-Congress
  Workshop on community-park partnerships
• 10 for sponsors and dignitaries (total 225).
• Participant profile
• Of 185 nominees 35 are black, the remainder
  white.
• 16 under the age of 30 (IUCN recommendation
  15).
• 24 are individuals in the private sector,
• 41 are from NGOs. The percentage in the private
  sector is higher than the IUCN target of at least
  10.
• Of the 185 nominees just over 30 are female.

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WPC Budget and Fundraising

• Budget (in-country) totals R26 million.
• Grants received
• R1,5m DEAT
• R0.350m USNPS
• Expected Income
• R1,8 m (Still to come) from delegate fees,
• R1,75 m from field trip fees.
• Some R20 million, remains to be raised through
  sponsorships.
• R3,0 m DEAT MTEF

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Further support pledged

• Durban Africa (Durban Metropolitan Tourism
  Association) has generously given a commitment to
  fund the closing function of the World Parks
  Congress.
• The Mayor Durban discussions in progress for
  hosting of opening ceremony function.

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Further Information

• Further information on the World Parks Congress
  can be obtained from the web site
• wcpa.iucn.org/wpc