This Month in Convivial Conservation

December updates

Dec 11, 2024

We’re excited to share our first newsletter issue with the latest updates on Convivial Conservation Centre (CCC) activities and developments in the wider world of convivial conservation.

What’s new on Convivial Conservation

Convivial Podcast 🎙️

The latest episode of Convivial Conservation Around the Globe is now available on our YouTube channel!

This month, our host, Eliana, delves into conversations with researchers Svetoslava Toncheva and Hanna Pettersson about human-wildlife coexistence. We discuss their chapters from The Convivial Conservation Book: From Principles to Practice. In her study, Svetoslava explored human-bear cohabitation in Bulgaria. Hanna discussed her research on human-wolf interactions in North-Western Spain, examining how these relationships align with the principles of convivial conservation and its manifesto.

Listen in to challenge your perspectives on conservation legislation and discover how to foster conviviality between humans and nature.

Episode 2

Let’s talk Convivial!

This section showcases successful examples of convivial conservation to demonstrate its transformative impact and features articles that inspire transformative change in conservation practices.

Good News from SANParks

South African National Parks (SANParks) recently embraced a shift from fortress conservation to a more inclusive, convivial approach. This move exemplifies how conservation can evolve to support stronger, more harmonious relationships between people and nature.

SANParks' Vision 2040 marks a shift from "fortress conservation" to an inclusive, community-focused approach that integrates conservation with social justice, economic advancement, and sustainable development. Developed through extensive public consultation, the vision emphasises creating interconnected "Mega Living Landscapes" linking thriving nature with local communities.

Read the complete article here

Trump’s Return: Is It Time for Conservation to Get Radical?

Bram Büscher and Robert Fletcher wrote a commentary about the recent re-election of Donald J Trump as the 47th president of the United States of America. In this commentary, they explain how this could represent a last wake-up call that the conservation sector needs to realise that radical change is required.

“For too long, the conservation movement has stuck with the same old strategies – expanding protected areas and working within a broken economic system that prioritises growth over the planet’s well-being. However these incremental approaches are no longer enough. Conservation has been too hesitant to challenge the root causes of biodiversity loss, like capitalist systems driving land use change and resource extraction”.

“Now, more than ever, we need to push for a radical shift in conservation. We’re calling for a systemic change that confronts the power structures driving environmental destruction. It's time for a more radical, convivial approach to conservation – one that aligns with movements for climate justice, land rights, and social change. This is our chance to make a real difference, and we urge the conservation sector to join us in this fight before it’s too late”.

Trump Part II Commentary

Conservation Basic Income, a ‘Cool Earth’ Pilot Project in the Amazon Rainforest.

Conservation Basic Income (CBI) is a proposed solution that provides regular, unconditional cash transfers to individuals living in key conservation areas. CBI is designed to address basic needs while empowering communities to act as stewards of their local ecosystems.

A groundbreaking conservation basic income pilot in the Amazon rainforest, led by Cool Earth, and in collaboration with Indigenous organisations ONAMIAP and OMIAASEC, provides unconditional cash transfers to indigenous communities living in the region. This initiative addresses urgent socio-economic needs while empowering communities to protect their rainforests.

Early results show improved nutrition, increased investment in sustainable farming, and reduced financial strain, enabling greater involvement in conservation efforts like reforestation.

Co-created with women-led Indigenous organisations and local communities, the pilot respects local autonomy, with funds managed collectively to support long-term resilience.

Cool Earth CBI Pilot Project

Coming up!

The Italian edition of the Conservation Revolution Book by Bram Büscher and Robert Fletcher is currently in progress.

The original book outlines the conceptual framework guiding the convivial conservation proposal, offering a transformative vision for conservation and its role in addressing socio-political and ecological challenges.

“This book could contribute to Italian debates on conservation and political ecology by bringing a more radical and systemic position, which is currently lacking. We think and hope that many on-the-ground experiences in Italy — within conservation areas and beyond, including farmer movements, commons, urban gardens, etc. — can gain insights and recognise themselves in convivial approaches”
— Marco Imovilli & Andrea Zinzani, Translators and Editorial Coordinators

The Italian edition will feature the translated text, along with a preface and afterword to frame the book within certain theoretical and political debates and provide an update on what has happened with convivial conservation in the four years since its original publication.

The book is set to be released in Italy in autumn-winter 2025. Stay tuned for more updates!

Join Us in Shaping a Sustainable Future

We are seeking visionary partners who share our commitment to convivial conservation and are eager to co-invest in pioneering approaches to halt biodiversity loss while fostering an equitable and socially just economic transition. Contact us to join Wageningen University, Oak Foundation, TBA21 and others, to fund, initiate and set up programmes through the Convivial Conservation Centre. Together, we can drive meaningful change.

Support us!

That is all for this month! We hope you enjoyed the reading. Keep tuned for the next CC Newsletter issue next month!

To stay connected for updates on news, events, and more, visit our website.

We are always looking for people and organisations to build solid relationships and collaborations with. Know someone who might align with our goals? Please feel free to reach out.

Want to know more? Check out these links