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Biodiversity & Forest

Title: Africa Regional Centres of Excellence - ArcX: Biodiversity & Forest Component. 

Main Objective: The Biodiversity & Forest Component of the ArcX programme focuses on the sustainable management of biodiversity, forests, protected areas, and ecosystems across Africa. Its goal is to maintain ecosystem services essential for the well-being of local populations.

Specific Objectives:

  1. Establish Regional Centres of Excellence (RCoEs) as reference points for biodiversity data to inform policies;
  2. Develop indicators and information systems to monitor the EU-supported NaturAfrica initiative;
  3. Enhance cross-sectoral and cross-regional coordination among stakeholders to address challenges in Science, Technology, and Innovations (STI) for Africa’s green transition;
  4. Focus on metrics for decision-making, effective management of protected areas, development of forest information systems, and supporting national conservation efforts and global reporting (e.g., NBSAPs).

Starting Year: 2024
Implementation Duration: 48-54 months

Areas of Impact:

  1. Data Collection and Sharing: Harmonising and making biodiversity, forestry, and ecosystem data accessible through open-source systems;
  2. Scientific and Policy Support: Delivering scientific and policy analyses to improve regional decision-making;
  3. Capacity Building: Strengthening institutional and human capacities for better coordination among biodiversity stakeholders;
  4. Global Engagement: Collaborating with continental and global institutions like the CBD to sustain biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.

Target Groups: Continental bodies, research institutions, academia, civil society, private sector, local communities, and all African citizens.

ArcX Partners: See ArcX Partners card and the ArcX Partnership Map.

Component Coordinator: Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).

Leading Regional Centre of Excellence (RCoE): Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) (RCoE Western Africa), Observatoire des Forets d'Afrique Centrale (OFAC) (RCoE Central Africa), Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD) (RCoE Southern and Eastern Africa)

Scientific and Technical Support from EC - DG JRC: JRC Unit D6 (Nature Conservation and Observations).

Protected Areas Governance and Equity
Protected Areas Governance and Equity
Protected Area Dashboards
Protected Area Dashboards
Protected Area Management Effectiveness
Protected Area Management Effectiveness
Atlas of African Protected Areas
Atlas of African Protected Areas

Go to:

To make a selection from a map visit the Datasets Page
Available Resources
Displaying 31 - 45 of 97
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Global Distribution of Seagrasses (Points)
Seagrass is found on all continents except Antarctica, covering roughly 0.1% of the ocean floor. However, its global extent remains inadequately mapped, with estimates varying between 160,387 km² and ...
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Integrated Effectiveness Management Tool (IMET)
Achieving conservation goals by improving management effectiveness of protected areas: Burundi case-study
View Story
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State of the Wildlife Economy in Africa
In early March 2021, a group of researchers from the School of Wildlife Conservation (SOWC) at the African Leadership University, in collaboration with the BIOPAMA Team at the Joint Resea...
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Observing forests, preserving uniqueness
The international Day of Forests, celebrated each 21st of March, highlights the importance forest ecosystems. 
View Story
07
Oct

Biodiversity Kick-off meeting

  • Dakar (Senegal)
Biodiversity & Forest Transversal Component
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Tropical Moist Forests - Deforestation year map
Tropical moist forests have a huge environmental value. They play an important role in biodiversity conservation, terrestrial carbon cycle, hydrological regimes, indigenous population subsistence and ...
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Protected Areas Dynamics in Africa
Protected areas in Africa play a critical role in biodiversity conservation, supporting livelihoods, and mitigating climate change. This tool offers a comprehensive analysis of the dynami...
View Tool
22
Mar

LAUNCH OF REGIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (RCoE) FOR BIODIVERSITY, FORESTS AND SEASCAPE ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

The RCoEs are the European Union’s support for the use of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for the green transition and sustainable development in the main dimensions of the Green...
  • RCMRD, Nairobi, Kenya
Biodiversity & Forest
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CGLS - Burnt Area Index - Monthly
The Copernicus Global Land Service - Burnt Area products depict burn scars, surfaces which have been sufficiently affected by fire to display significant changes in the vegetation cover (destruction o...
Select for mapping Read more
13
May

SBSTTA 26

The 26th meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will take place in May 2024.
  • Nairobi, Kenya
Biodiversity & Forest
28
Oct

AARSE International Conference

The AARSE international conference is conducted biennially across Africa, alternately with the AfricaGIS conference, and is the premier forum in Africa for research on remote sensing tech...
  • Abidjan, Côte d'ivoire
Biodiversity & Forest Water Agroecology Transversal Component
21
Oct

The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will convene in October – November 2024.  The 11th Meeting of the Confere...
  • TBD, Colombia
Biodiversity & Forest
11
Nov

UN Climate Change Conference 2024 (UNFCCC COP29)

COP29, like its predecessors, will focus on advancing the goals of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, including efforts to limit global warming, adapt to the impacts of climate change, a...
  • Baku, Azerbaijan
Biodiversity & Forest Water Agroecology Transversal Component
06
May

19th session of UN Forum on Forests

The 19th session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF 19) will take place in May 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York, US. The thematic priorities for UNFF 18 and UNFF 19 are:
  • New York, USA
Biodiversity & Forest
01
Dec

Science Forum South Africa

Science Forum South Africa (SFSA) is the international conference organised annually by the South Africa Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) 
  • Cape Town, South Africa
Biodiversity & Forest Water Agroecology Transversal Component
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