When we discuss biodiversity, it is only natural to start picturing the immense, magnificent, distinctive, and diverse flora and fauna of the African continent. Over such a vast area the challenges posed by climate change, a sharp increase in consumption both in Africa and beyond, and a boom in urbanisation and population size can seem insurmountable. The face of Africa is changing, as cities fill with skyscrapers, industry is expanding and cultures and cuisines from across the continent have gained new found popularity across the globe. Yet, whilst African nations are finding their feet on the international stage and continuing to contend with the damage done by decades of colonisation and oppression, followed by sporadic civil wars, violence, further civil unrest, and a high number of fragile economies it is easy to see how biodiversity took a backseat. In the pursuit of modernisation and development African governments and businesses, like so many others across the globe, have either been forced or were willing to trade in the health of the natural world for monetary gain. Today this is changing, as many nations see the importance of the natural world and have in numerous regions become leaders in conservation and innovation linked to protecting biodiversity. This mini report will provide an overview of how our presence is impacting on the natural world and present four regional case studies; Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and Madagascar to better illustrate biodiversity in a national context.

Cop15 2022 put biodiversity on the map for many in the financial and investment world and with it came a reminder of how crucial biodiversity and the natural world are to our ability to survive and thrive. US$41.7 trillion of economic value generation is either all or in part dependent upon nature, making the protection of our wild spaces and the various flora and fauna which reside within them of the upmost importance. However, the key to securing a balance between biodiversity and human development is not to look upon the value of the natural world in solely monetary terms. Instead, we must remind ourselves of how our survival as a species is deeply interconnected with those ecosystems on which we rely for food, fresh air, water, and raw materials.

As the global population tops eight billion we are facing challenges few of us would have envisioned even ten years ago. Food and water insecurity are already prevalent in "hunger hotspots" across the globe with famine threatening people from the Horn of Africa to Afghanistan. The impacts of war and violence are bleeding across national borders and migration is on the rise. The cost-of-living crisis is forcing families to choose between heating or eating and in some cases not being able to do either, instead being forced to rely on the charitable donations of others. Accessing basic resources is rapidly becoming a battle ground as affordability slips through the fingers of the general public, whilst political infighting leaves national economies in tatters. Meanwhile, climate change lingers over us exacerbating every crisis yet further leading to increased gender-based violence, displacement and malnutrition amongst children and adults alike. Yet, we continue our current path, patting ourselves on the back for making compromises at Cop27, or remembering to take the recycling out and all the while either forgetting about or failing to appreciate the bigger picture.

Change. There is nothing more intrinsic to the existence of humanity and the planet we live on as change. Yet, such a short word conveys not only that strange and unsettling mixture of emotions one feels when hearing it but is also used to translate into language the way time interacts with human society and the natural world. Today, we face change on an unprecedented scale, but this change is not one we can afford to be fearful of, nor can we afford ourselves the time to become accustomed to such rapid changes. Instead, we must be bold, we must take action and we must embrace changes in every facet of our lives, from the food on our plates, to the way that we travel, and to the items we pick off the shelves. In governance and policy, the changes will need to be yet more extensive with restructuring required at every level and in every sector to ensure that our planet has a future.