Poverty-Biodiversity Mapping applications
Discussion paper for the session Decision-support systems - Their value in addressing health-poverty-conservation links at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, November 17-25 2004, Bangkok, Thailand.
This report was been written by Mathilde Snel, a consultant contracted by UNEP/GRID-Arendal. It includes some extracts from a recent summary on poverty mapping application in the health sector, written by Anna Ballance. Maps and graphics were prepared by Hugo Ahlenius. The report was reviewed by Hugo Ahlenius, Marianne Fernagut, and Otto Simonett.
Background
UNEP/GRID-Arendal was invited to deliver a discussion paper on possible applications of the use of mapping poverty for the IUCN and its members. The paper also features a new set of maps overlaying and integrating poverty and biodiversity on various spatial scales.
Abstract
A useful approach to explore linkages between development (people) and conservation (nature) is through the use of poverty-conservation mapping. Although poverty-environment mapping in biodiversity applications has been limited, there are numerous potential applications that are of use to IUCN and its members. Such applications range from substantiating the key role of biological resources in food security to improving geographic targeting of pro-poor ecosystem management. While poverty-environment mapping offers a suite of tools for improving the analysis between biodiversity and development issues, it must not be seen as a panacea for understanding or solving poverty-conservation problems. Mapping applications need to be used together, not in lieu of, other approaches including multi-level socio-economic assessments, traditional and community-based knowledge, community mapping, and statistical analyses.
