Sustainable mountain development in East Africa in a changing climate

Governance of mountain ecosystem conservation and development

Hummingbird in Virunga National Park, DRC

Geladas in Simien National Park, Ethiopia

Governance plays a central role in achieving effective, sustainable mountain ecosystem development. The term ‘governance’ refers to the action or manner of governing a state, organization, etc. and is exercised through institutions: laws, property rights systems and forms of social organization (UNEP, 2012). Governance involves not only formal means of control and authority most commonly associated with governments, through the enforcement of established policies and laws, but also a variety of informal approaches through influence or setting standards and principles for a course of action. Experience from both historical and current practices point to the fact that effective natural resource governance must recognize and integrate the

principle of ‘environmental or natural resource justice’, which refers to the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, nationality, culture, gender, education or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. Remedies for environmental deterioration recognize the intrinsic value of, nature and viewing humans as part of, owners of the natural resources thereof (Mayhew, 2009). This highlights the need for focusing, not only on the relationship between states and civil society, but also on all other stakeholders, including the private sector and individuals, regardless of their status. This requires consideration of both traditional and formal systems of natural resource governance. The former comprises mainly of unwritten traditional

systems and customs that wield influence and control, such as rules, behavioural standards, rituals and taboos, aimed at ensuring stewardship of various environmental resources (NEMA, 2008). It is of paramount importance to recognize that the conservation and development of East African mountain ecosystems requires effective natural resource governance and that the sustainable use of resources is a prerequisite for the conservation of mountain ecosystems and the socioeconomic development of mountain communities. Both traditional and formal systems of governance have to be considered to overcome the problems and challenges of conservation, development and the impacts of climate change in mountain regions.

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