Integrating Nature-Based Solutions in National Policy: Opportunities in West Africa

The rainforest belt of West Africa is among the most biodiverse regions of the world and supports the livelihoods of millions of people, whether through fertile land for commercial agriculture or smaller-scale and more subsistence-oriented forms of production. However, rainforests in this region have experienced decades of encroachment and degradation. Climate change has prolonged droughts and heat waves contribute to soil nutrient depletion and hardening, reducing its capacity to support crops. The effects of climate change are often gendered, with women and girls facing particularly negative impacts on livelihoods, health, and other aspects of their lives.

To enable households and communities to adapt to climate change, especially in rural areas where incomes are low, and to slow down deforestation and conserve biodiversity, nature-based solutions (NbS) approaches can be very effective.

This technical note, developed by World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and Centre d’Etude et de Coopération Internationale (CECI) in the framework of the Nature-based Climate Adaptation Project in the Guinean Forests of West Africa project, explores the opportunities and constraints to integrating NbS within policy frameworks in West Africa, specifically Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Guinea.