Ethiopia

Ethiopia, with its rich ecological diversity spanning forests, wetlands and deserts, undertook its national ecosystem assessment under the leadership of the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute (EBI) with support from UNEP‑WCMC and leveraging IPBES methodologies. The composite assessment report and Summary for Policymakers were validated in April 2022, providing the most comprehensive overview of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the country. Alongside these outputs, Ethiopia developed a communication strategy and an operational guide for its National Biodiversity Platform, paving the way for the uptake of the assessment findings. Building on this foundation, Ethiopia was selected to receive catalytic support from the BES Solution Fund between 2023 and 2024 to strengthen the integration of assessment recommendations into national policy and practice.

With BES Solution Fund support, Ethiopia refined and operationalized its National Biodiversity Platform, which now brings together more than 130 member institutions, ensuring balanced representation across Government, academia, civil society, communities and the private sector. A resource mobilization strategy was developed to secure the platform’s sustainability, while findings were translated into actionable policy briefs on aquatic ecosystems and community biodiversity knowledge. These efforts enhanced evidence-based dialogue and decision-making at multiple levels, embedding biodiversity considerations into national governance structures.

The Fund also supported Ethiopia’s deeper engagement with IPBES processes, raising awareness among experts, policymakers and communities on global thematic assessments such as pollinators, land degradation, invasive species and transformative change. Outreach materials reached over 11,000 schoolchildren, agricultural agents and farmers, fostering conservation awareness at the grassroots level. Experts from Ethiopia were actively involved in IPBES review processes, while national ecosystem assessment recommendations were integrated into the updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2021–2030, aligned with the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and Vision 2050. Collectively, these achievements highlight how catalytic BES Solution Fund support has bridged science, policy and practice, ensuring that Ethiopia’s biodiversity strategies are firmly grounded in evidence and inclusive engagement.

Start of BES Solution Fund implementation period: 1 July 2023

End of BES Solution Fund implementation period: 31 December 2024

Implementing agencies: Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute; UNDP Ethiopia

Government partner: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of Ethiopia