Reimagining National Parks for People and Nature – Leveraging Durable Financing Mechanisms for Mega Living Landscapes (MLL) to achieve Target 3 in South Africa (GBFF)

South Africa, one of the 17 megadiverse countries, is committed to the 30 x 30 conservation goal, requiring significant land and marine area protection. The creation of Mega Living Landscapes (MLLs) is central to this strategy, contributing an additional 12.3% (about 14 million hectares) towards land conservation targets. MLLs will consist of diverse conservation and production landscapes with various legal statuses and management regimes, including protected areas, conservation-compatible land uses, and buffer zones.

The project aims to achieve ecological sustainability and unlock social and economic benefits by promoting pro-nature rural economies. MLLs address key barriers to protected area expansion by unlocking communal and private land for conservation, fostering economic development for local communities, and enhancing connectivity to manage climate change impacts.

While the GEF-8 project focuses on establishing and building institutional capacity for three MLLs, it does not address durable financing. This GBFF project aims to fill that gap, ensuring effective delivery of Target 3 goals. It will focus on financing strategies for the Addo, Barberton, and Grasslands MLLs, with potential replication in other identified MLLs.