RCMRD and the European Union have launched the Biodiversity Outlook for Eastern and Southern Africa, covering 24 countries. The initiative aims to improve access to credible biodiversity data, strengthen conservation planning and support evidence-based policymaking as countries work towards the 2030 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets.
By Habitat Media Reporter
Nairobi, Kenya. The Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD), in collaboration with the European Union, has launched a regional biodiversity report aimed at improving access to biodiversity knowledge and supporting evidence-based conservation and policy action across Eastern and Southern Africa.
The Biodiversity Outlook for Eastern and Southern Africa (BOESA) was launched on September 22, 2026, during a regional workshop on integrated landscape and seascape modelling for climate-resilient development in East Africa, being held in Nairobi from September 22 to 24.
The publication brings together biodiversity data, regional perspectives and practical experiences to provide a broader understanding of the region’s biodiversity and the measures needed to protect it.
Covering 24 countries across Eastern and Southern Africa, BOESA seeks to make biodiversity information more accessible, credible and relevant to local contexts, supporting conservation planning and decision-making by governments, researchers, practitioners and communities.
“We have seen many programmes over the years conduct incredibly valuable research, but we often lack the next step of translating it into policy and, therefore, into action,” said Sanne Willems, Regional Partnerships representative at the European Union Delegation to Kenya.
“Collecting data is not enough. This programme is translating that data into very accessible information for young people as well as decision-makers, while also building the capacities of different countries to take action based on the information collected,” she said.
The launch comes as countries intensify efforts to meet the 2030 targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), the global agreement guiding efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.
It also comes ahead of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), scheduled to take place in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 19 to 30, 2026.
COP17 will undertake the first global review of collective progress in implementing the KMGBF, increasing the importance of regional knowledge and data in assessing progress, identifying gaps and informing future conservation action.
“BOESA reflects the importance of bringing together data, knowledge and regional experiences to support informed decisions for biodiversity conservation,” said Dr Emmanuel Nkurunziza, Director General of RCMRD.
“By making this information more accessible, we aim to support policymakers, conservation practitioners, researchers, development partners and communities in advancing nature-positive action across the region,” he said.
Developed under the RCoE-ESA initiative, the publication is part of RCMRD’s broader efforts to use geospatial information, Earth observation and knowledge-sharing to address environmental challenges and support sustainable development. With countries facing growing pressure to meet the 2030 biodiversity targets, RCMRD said BOESA would provide a platform for shared learning, greater regional visibility and stronger collaboration towards a nature-positive future.