Ghana launches national initiative to strengthen Biodiversity Monitoring Systems

Ghana launched the National Monitoring Support Initiative (NMSI) Project in partnership with Conservation Alliance Ghana, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), and United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). The project, running from 2025 to 2030, aims to strengthen Ghana's capacity to monitor and report on biodiversity commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). Financial support for the NMSI is being provided by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

The initiative will strengthen National Systems by assessing Ghana's current biodiversity monitoring systems and institutional capacities, and identifying gaps in data, tools, and coordination. It will also be done by developing a National Biodiversity Monitoring Plan, building technical capacity across institutions and establishing a national biodiversity data platform linked to global systems. Madam Suweibatu Adam, the Chief Director of MEST, underscored the urgent need for accurate and reliable biodiversity data to safeguard Ghana's ecosystems amid growing environmental pressures. She said that biodiversity monitoring should not be viewed as an end in itself, but rather as an essential tool for accountability, transparency, and informed decision-making. Dr. Yaw Osei-Owusu, the Executive Director, Conservation Alliance, said Ghana was expected to establish significantly improved systems for tracking progress on national biodiversity targets by 2030.

Dr. Osei-Owusu stated that "Our immediate priorities are to deliver a national capacity assessment and a comprehensive monitoring plan before the end of the year, both of which will guide future actions." He expressed confidence that by the end of the implementation phase, the ministry would host a robust national biodiversity monitoring system capable of supporting the implementation of Ghana's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.