Sacred Groves and the Supernatural: The Role of Indigenous Beliefs in Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa
Journal of Climate Policy
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Abstract: This study examines the pivotal role of sacred groves and indigenous belief systems in biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation across sub-Saharan Africa. The research employs a systematic qualitative literature review with case studies from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Benin, Cameroon, and South Africa. Findings demonstrate that sacred groves harbour greater species richness than state-managed reserves, sheltering endangered primates, medicinal plants, and keystone species through community governance mechanisms rooted in spiritual authority. Traditional taboos and rituals effectively maintain watershed protection, soil stabilisation, microclimate regulation, and carbon sequestration. However, agricultural encroachment, urbanisation, infrastructure development, religious conversion, and erosion of traditional practices among youth are degrading these landscapes. The study advances understanding of sacred groves as multifunctional systems at the intersection of cultural sovereignty and ecological sustainability, proposing formal legal recognition, hybrid governance models, intergenerational knowledge-transfer programmes, and integration into carbon credit and climate finance systems.