Botswana

Botswana is made up of a striking range of ecosystems, from forests and woodlands to wetlands, grasslands, agricultural lands, deserts and hills, each connected to the others and contributing to the country’s water and food supply and livelihoods. These systems face increasing pressure from climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss and rising demands on natural resources, along with the spread of invasive species across rangelands and water bodies. Taken together, these threats risk weakening the integrity, productivity and resilience of ecosystems that are vital to the country’s sustainable development.

Meeting these challenges calls for a clear, shared picture of the country’s nature and how it is changing.

• To this end, Botswana undertook its first national ecosystem assessment (NEA), launched in March 2026, to provide a holistic understanding of ecosystem dynamics and to strengthen multiple-evidence-informed decision-making. The NEA is expected to guide evidence-based policies and strategies for biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience while also enhancing community awareness and participation in managing local biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• To accelerate the uptake of priority actions identified through the NEA, Botswana is receiving catalytic support through BES-Net II’s BES Solution Fund. This support will advance key actions, including:
  • disseminating NEA findings,
  • strengthening the National Biodiversity Platform,
  • integrating NEA results into the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and sectoral plans,
  • implementing community-level restoration initiatives,
  • addressing priority knowledge gaps highlighted in the NEA, and
  • enhancing Botswana’s contribution to IPBES processes.

Start of BES Solution Fund implementation period: July 2026

Implementing Agency: UNDP Botswana

Government Partner: Department of Environmental Protection in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism