Mozambique - Sustaining the Future of Our Flora and Fauna

Mozambique is a country located on the Sub-Saharan side of the African continent with a surface of 801. 590 square kilometers. It is bordered by South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Tanzania, and separated by the Indian Ocean from Madagascar. The vast majority of the population depends on the services and goods coming from the ecosystems, particularly on the natural forests. Its biodiversity represents a vital pillar for the development of the country and the livelihood of the majority of the population in rural communities. Its land covers a wide range of vegetation, 40068 million in total Forests, such as Dense Forest which covers 22.5 million hectares (56.2%), Open FoForests 16.4 million hectares (40.9%), Mangroves covering 357 mil hectares (0.9%) and Open Forests in the humidity lands covering 802 mil hectares (2% out of the total of Forests) and 14712.2 million of other vegetation such as Brushwood with 1093.1 hectares, Bushes with 8051 hectares, and Forests with Itinerant Agriculture 5568.1 hectares. In the North of the Country can be found the Special Reserve of Niassa covering 42.707 km2 including the tampon zone, and is known for the richness of its ecosystems, and range of plants and animals, and is believed to hold the vast majority of wildlife in Mozambique. Some of the animal species that can be found are Loxodonta africana (EN), Hippopotamus amphibius (VU), Lycaon pictus (EN), Panthera leo (VU), Cycloderma frenatum (EN), Cordylus maculae LC (Endemic), Nothobranchius Niassa VU (Endemic). Howbeit, the itinerant agriculture of cutting and burning, alluvial mining of gold and rubies, traps to get hunt meat, and poisoning to get hunt meat as well, have been the biggest threats. The Gorongosa Nacional Park is located on the central side of the Country, with 23.087 km2 of surface including its tampon zone and the Complex of Marromeu in the east. There are a variety of plants as well as animals, the key species of animals are: Lycaon pictus EN, Hippopotamus amphibious VU, Phantera leo VU, Loxodonta africana EN, Gyps africanus CR, Trigonoceps occipitalis CR, Balearica regolorum EN, Bugeranus carunculatus VU, Afroedura gorongosa LC (Endemic), Cyloderma frenatum EN, Rhampholeon gorongosae EN (Endemic), Nothobranchius kadleci NT (Endemic), Acraea dondoensis (Endemic), Graphium junodi. Unsustainable hunting of wild fauna, itinerant agriculture of cutting and burning, forest exploration, prospecting, perforation, and mining of oil, natural gas, and other resources have been the main threat in this area. The violation of the Mining and Environmental Law present in Mozambique, contributes to the predatory deregulated extraction of the natural resources, as result, in the increasing environmental degradation levels, characterized by the local ecosystem alteration, for its exposure to dust, gases, noises, which affects the physical, biotic and anthropic environment. Climate change in Mozambique manifests mainly through drought, floods, and tropical cyclones (Idai, Kenneth, and Anna, most recently), whose impacts affect sectors such as agriculture, food security, water resources, forestry, human settlements, infrastructure, and coastal zones. Strategies adopted to fight Climate Change The Environment and Earth Ministry in conjunction with USAID, and Wildlife Conservation Society through the project Supporting the Policy Environment for Economic Development (SPEED+), have been working all over the country, identifying the Key Biodiversity Areas, to persevere the fragile ecosystems and their species considered as a red list. The international scientific criteria are used to aid: the strategic expansion of the conservation areas; inform policies on the safety of the environment to the private sector; give opportunities to the local communities; as well as bear in mind the goals 14 and 15 of the SDGs. The Council of Ministers in 2016, approved the strategy REDD+ which defined the goal to reduce CO2, by 28 million tons a year of which 18 million will be attained through CO2 absorption by planting trees, and 10 million will be reduced by avoiding deforestation of the native forests. The national goal is to reduce and maintain the deforestation rate under 0.58% by 2030.