This report was prepared for the REDAA (Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia)program to examine environmental degradation in West Africa, focusing on deforestation, soil degradation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. It identifies research‑to‑action priorities (RTAPs) where evidence, tools, and governance systems can be strengthened to reverse degradation and restore ecosystems.
Key Findings:
- Deforestation is the most critical issue, driving other forms of degradation.
- Hotspots: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia.
- Drivers: cocoa farming (Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire), rubber/oil palm (Liberia, Sierra Leone), logging, mining, slash‑and‑burn agriculture.
- Soil degradation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss are interconnected challenges, exacerbated by deforestation and unsustainable land use.
- Economic costs: Coastal degradation in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo cost $3.8 billion annually (≈5.3% of GDP).
Evidence:
- The report highlights that effective initiatives exist (e.g., WABiCC programme, Ghana’s CREMAs) and shows gaps including: limited grassroots financing, weak integration of traditional knowledge, poor community participation, and insufficient forest data.
The report further shows that REDAA should prioritize user‑friendly data strategies, innovative financing, and bridging the traditional knowledge policy gap.
Governance and RTAPs
Weak enforcement of forest laws and inadequate local governance capacity are shown to be key governance challenges and some Research to Action Priorities(RTAPs) named include:
- Integrated data management systems for forest governance.
- Policy reforms to strengthen enforcement.
- Benefit‑sharing mechanisms to support forest‑dependent communities.
The report emphasizes that RTAPs will be most effective if implemented synergistically—combining evidence, governance reforms, and tools to drive ecosystem restoration.
