Transportation Infrastructure Investments and Consequences for Wildlife: A Review of Sub-Saharan Africa

Investment in transportation infrastructure (primarily roads and railways) is a primary driver of threats and impacts to wildlife habitat and connectivity across sub-Saharan Africa. With this background in mind, this paper presents two analyses: 1) a comprehensive accounting of the global and regional multilateral development banks (MDBs) active in sub-Saharan Africa, their absolute investments in, and relative emphasis on, transportation infrastructure on the continent; and 2) a systematic review of the environmental and social safeguards and standards policies of MDBs that relate to wildlife, habitat, connectivity, and biodiversity conservation.