Namibia achieved a significant reduction in fire-damaged land, decreasing from 1.5 million hectares in 2022 to 335,082 hectares in 2023, according to the UN 2023 Namibia Results Report.
The report reveals that this achievement underscores effective forest protection and agroforestry, which also prevented over 1.3 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions.
“The efforts led to a reduction in land devastated by fire from 1.5 million hectares in 2022 to 335,082 hectares in 2023, with over 1.3 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions avoided through forest protection and agroforestry practices,” the report highlights.
According to the report, the UN supported the preservation of 28,000 hectares of forest resources and 71,048 hectares of state forests, contributing significantly to environmental conservation and biodiversity preservation.
“Collaborative efforts improved 3,000 hectares in community forests and established 10,000 hectares as regional forest reserves, alongside sustainable management practices over 15,000 hectares,” the report states.
Highlighting government commitment, Namibia gazetted 33,048 hectares of state forests for protection, expanding the network of protected areas, according to the UN findings.
“To bolster efforts in achieving land degradation neutrality (LDN), the UN provided capacity strengthening to government and community conservancies in sustainable wildlife resource utilization and management. This training and knowledge aims to support communities in enhancing rural food and nutrition security and livelihoods,” the report highlights.
Regarding capacity building, the UN supported strengthened government and community conservancies in wildlife resource management and wildfire management skills for 112 community members.
“With the gained skills, these communities have improved their safety by enhancing prevention, detection, and response measures to wildfires, thereby reducing property damage and the potential for loss of life,” the UN noted.
In alignment with global climate action, the report highlights that “Namibia updated its Nationally Determined Contributions with targets aiming to reduce 11.9 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions by 2030”.
