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Core Implementing Country - Ghana

The GPS Ghana program focuses on sustainable landscape management and protection of ecosystem services. It is informing the investment project Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project (GLRSSMP), which supports a landscape approach to improve management and economic productivity of forested ecosystems in the targeted landscapes. The overall objective this program is to strengthen integrated natural resource management and increase benefits to communities in targeted savannah and cocoa forest landscapes. The project takes a holistic approach that integrates social, economic, physical, and biological assets. Ghana is also looking to go beyond GDP in measuring economic performance by assessing the interactions of economic activity with the environment and use the information to support better economic decisions.

Overview of Ghana CIC program

Development of natural capital accounts, data, and tools  

Preparation of the land and ecosystem extent and ecosystem services accounts has advanced, led by technical staff from EPA, GSS, and NDPC. The work was supported by UNSD up to the end of the fiscal year. The land accounts were delayed due to difficulties in consolidating land cover maps for different years, but preliminary results have been presented, including ecosystem extent accounts. A local firm is leading modeling of water-related regulating services with the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT).

Looking beyond GDP, adjusted macroeconomic indicators have been developed, including Adjusted Net Savings and Adjusted Net National Income based on the global CWON methodology, using nationally available data. The Ministry of Finance led the work together with the GSS and the Bank of Ghana. This work was completed in June 2023 and a policy brief with key results was produced and presented at the Ghana Natural Capital Forum also in June 2023. 

Informing investments and/or policies

GLRSSMP and the GPS-supported NCA activity share the same steering committee, ensuring good coordination. The NCA activities will also inform district land use planning, plan landscape restoration interventions, and help to identify suitable areas for Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) targeting. The analysis of mercury pollution, included as part of the modelling in support of the ecosystem services accounts, will provide additional data for the small-scale mining formalization dialogue pursued under the project. Discussions on how the project will support the Ghana¡¯s NBSAP update and biodiversity strategy are ongoing. 

Capacity building and institutionalization

Capacity building and development of the land, ecosystem extent, and ecosystem services accounts have continued. Two sets of training workshops were held and outcomes shared in a feature story on the GPS webpage. A total of 13 participants (including three women) from various agencies benefited from the training.7 Technical staff also attended ARIES training organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) in Rwanda in July 2022. Teams from the governments of Ghana and Ethiopia participated in a one-week knowledge exchange with Statistics Netherlands in January 2023 (featured in the GPS ) on policy-led implementation of NCA using the System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA). The GPS-funded NCA program is in regular contact with the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC, funded by the Darwin Initiative) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which also supports Ghana on NCA, e.g., through inviting team leads from the organizations to meetings in all missions and enable the programs to exploit synergies.

Ghana¡¯s Natural Capital Accounting program trains local journalists and Civil Society Organizations 

Ghana¡¯ s Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) program is currently developing and finalizing its land and ecosystem extent, as well as ecosystem services accounts, and discussing the application of these accounts in policy and investment decisions. The accounts are expected to be published by early 2025.

As part of the capacity building engagements under the program over 50 journalists and civil society organization (CSOs) representatives were trained at a one-day capacity-building workshop on NCA in Accra on 6^th of August, 2024. The overall objective of the engagement was to equip the media and civil society with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand, interpret, and effectively communicate as well as advocate for NCA.

In her welcome remarks, Dr Ofosu-Baadu, Chief Statistician at the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and National Co-Coordinator, Ghana NCA Program, said the challenges posed by global climate crisis, biodiversity loss and other environmental excesses made the adoption of NCA crucial. ¡°When NCA is mainstreamed into the country's economic accounting system, it would help to accurately measure the assets and liabilities of the nation¡¯s natural resources for sustainable development¡±, she said. She therefore appealed to stakeholders, particularly the media and CSOs to work with state institutions in championing the NCA process, to help influence decision-makers and mainstream it into development policies.

In separate statements, the Director of Development Coordination at the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Winfred F. A Nelson; the Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Abu Abdul Hanan, and the Director of Economic Statistics at the GSS, Edward Asuo Afram, representing the three NCA coordinating institutions, highlighted the need for the media and civil society organizations (CSOs) to work closely with the state institutions to preserve the country's natural resources for future generations.

Mr. Hanan said ¡°we consider the media and CSOs to be our strategic partners in this NCA journey and the broader environmental protection mandate. The media, for instance, have a crucial role in setting the agenda and communicating the importance of Natural Capital Accounting to all relevant stakeholders.¡± Mr Afram believes that forests, wildlife, biodiversity and minerals are critical resources that needed to be adequately measured and accounted for whilst Dr. Nelson called for an urgent need for sustainable development, stating that evidence-based advocacy is essential to influence decision-makers.

The workshop also had some technical presentations on the overview of NCA program in Ghana, on the policy relevance of NCA in sustainable development, and on NCA for media and advocacy. The apex of the training was a panel discussion on Leveraging Natural Capital Accounting for Sustainable Development in Ghana: Challenges, Opportunities, and Effective Communication Strategies. This in-depth discussion focused on the current state of NCA in Ghana, the challenges and opportunities in implementing NCA for sustainable development in Ghana, practical strategies for communicating NCA concepts and findings to various stakeholders and potential collaborations between government, media, and CSOs in promoting and implementing NCA.

Core Implementing Country - Nepal

In Nepal, GPS is supporting the promotion of green, resilient, and inclusive development (GRID) through knowledge- and data-driven mechanisms. This work aims to enhance understanding of the role that forests play for the GRID of Nepal and to provide the data and analytical infrastructure to link forest resources and forest management to livelihoods, poverty, and forest dependent rural households. The analytics show that community forests are an important source of income and livelihoods for households across all consumption quintiles, especially to fulfil their energy needs. The data and analytics also indicate that households across all income quintiles have afforested their agricultural land, thus contributing to increases in forest cover in Nepal. The new data and analytics also demonstrate differences in equity in access to forest resources by economic status and gender of household heads. 

?Overview of Nepal CIC program

Development of Natural Capital Accounts, Data, and Tools 

A module on forest dependency implemented under the third wave of the Nepal Living Standards Survey by the National Statistics Office of Nepal was completed. Statistical and economic analysis of the data is ongoing.

The municipality-level biophysical forest data are being compiled, with significant progress made towards completion. Two workshops were held to consult with two provincial-level governments towards finalization of data and statistics in municipalities.

An analytical report on shifts in the biophysical characteristics of forests in Nepal (representative at the municipality level) and the nature of household dependency on forests (representative at the national level), is being prepared, with recommendations for continued data collection and policy use of evidence. 

Informing investments and/or policies 

GPS work in Nepal is set to inform three lending projects worth about US$170 million: Emission Reductions Program in the Terai Arc Landscape Project (ERPA); Forests for Prosperity (FPP); and the Nepal Green, Resilient and Inclusive (GRID) Development Policy Credit (DPC).

? ERPA aims to make payments for measured emission reductions and distribute them according to a benefits-sharing plan in the Terai Arc Landscape. The biophysical data generated by the Forest Research and Training Centre (FRTC) under the GPs funded project are supporting Nepal¡¯s government and the World Bank to track interim progress on ERPA¡¯s aims.

? The FPP aims to improve sustainable forest management, increase benefits from forests, and contribute to net greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions in selected municipalities in Madhesh and Lumbini provinces. These provinces and municipalities are using the biophysical data generated by FRTC under the GPS-funded project to design sub-national forest management plans that are the first step, as specified by government of Nepal, towards improving forest management over the planning period under federalism.

? The GRID DPC supports the forest sector¡¯s transition to sustainability, productivity, and climate resilience through the approval of the Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Regulation and the guidelines for implementation of the SFM to transfer governmentmanaged forests to community-based forest user groups, ensuring inclusive flow of benefits including for women, and engaging in international carbon markets. The biophysical and socioeconomic data produced by the GPS-funded project are supporting the dialogue on GRID at the national level, which includes identifying priorities for future coordination between the World Bank and Nepal.

The biophysical data generated by FRTC are also being used to produce the statistics needed by the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission Act for vertical forest revenue equalization. Finally, the socioeconomic data generated by the NSO are being used to shape national discourse on future forest policy in Nepal, led by MoFE.

Capacity Building and Institutionalization

FRTC, as the constitutionally mandated agency for producing forest condition statistics in Nepal, is leading the development of municipality-level biophysical data. Likewise, the NSO is implementing the forest module under the auspices of the Nepal Living Standards Survey (NLSS). These statistics are embedded in their mandated activities; the responsibilities of FRTC and NSO and will be periodically updated. Women have participated in collecting data under the NLSS and GPS will continue efforts to enhance inclusion of women in training and capacity-building activities. 

Learn more about GPS's work in Nepal: 

• Enabling evidence-based sustainable forest management for Green, Resilient, Inclusive Development in Nepal

Core Implementing Country - °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð  

GPS CIC support in °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð aims to strengthen the government¡¯s capacity to measure and value natural capital to support informed decision-making towards green growth, including in environmental fiscal reform and the circular economy.

The program includes five work packages: strengthening capacities for NCA data and use; piloting ecosystem accounts at the project and national level; circular economy (CE) policy analysis; and strengthening the Turkish Environmental Label System. The fifth work package, a deep dive on regulatory and fiscal policy reform options for plastics, is funded by PROBLUE. During fiscal year 2023, all work packages entered the inception stage. The main effort has been on analysis to support circular economy policies, and thus this work package is reported below.  

Overview of the °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð CIC program

Development of natural capital accounts, data, and tools

The analysis of macroeconomic impacts of circular economy (CE) policies is in an advanced stage. The work is based on a CGE using the ENVISAGE model with the GTAP-CE database that is adapted to represent both primary and secondary materials sectors. A completed analysis provided recommendations on the complementarity of policies, fiscal reforms, demand-side measures, and measures mitigating welfare and labor market impacts. Significant progress has been made in the assessment of the implications of CE regulatory changes in the European Union (EU) related to °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ðy-EU commercial flows. An industry prioritization for the CE analysis was completed with the objective to identify Turkish industries at the highest risk of being affected by the EU¡¯s new CE policies. Finally, a network analysis was undertaken to assess the sectors and industries most critical for enabling the adoption of CE strategies. A draft report was delivered, with recommendations on the assessment of sector and network linkages, potentials and gaps, and identification of measures to support the emergence of circular business models (enablers and connectivity). 

Informing investments and/or policies 

The circular economy work is highly relevant given °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð¡¯s ongoing commitment to CE and zero waste policies, the rapidly evolving regulatory landscape in the EU, and complementarity with the analytical work carried out in the context of °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð¡¯s upcoming CE Action Plan. The package includes analyses on the macroeconomic impacts of CE policies in °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð and of the exposure of °Õ¨¹°ù°ì¾±²â±ð¡¯s industry to evolving CE policies in major trade partners, such as the EU. It aims to suggest a prioritization of the industrial sectors that can accelerate the CE transition.

Capacity building and institutionalization 

Specifically on CE analysis, two sectors recommended for detailed global value chains (GVC) analysis in Phase 2 of the project (textiles and apparel, and automotive) are being engaged in consultation with the Ministry of Trade. Additional meetings were held with public and private stakeholders in each of the two selected sectors, including textile manufacturers, apparel manufacturers, automotive assemblers, automotive parts suppliers, and industry associations. 

Where Beauty Meets the Beast-Enhancing Women Participation in Livestock Production In Turkiye

The Global Program on Sustainability helped to investigate the interests of women in rural Turkiye and the opportunities they foresee for themselves in better landscape management. The Social Inclusion work focused mainly on women¡¯s role in the use of natural resources, farming, livestock rearing and forestry, their assessment of the status of the natural resource base in their villages, and their outlook on the future of their livelihoods in Turkiye. The discussions focused on villages in Bolaman and ?ekerek Basins, since women are heavily involved in farming, livestock management, and hazelnut production ¨C main uses of natural resources in these two basins. 

Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were conducted with 257 people in total in 16 exemplary villages in Bolaman and Cekerek basins (7 in Ordu Province and 9 in Yozgat Province). There was a 50% participation rate of women in the FGDs.

The 50% participation rate itself is an indicator that decisions on women¡¯s livelihoods are made jointly by men and women and that voices of women can be strengthened in the context of natural resource management, and women are willing to take on decision making if provided the relevant platforms to do so. The findings of FGDs, show that women are highly interested in increasing the number of livestock and undertake livestock management for commercial production of dairy and meat products amongst others contrary to perception that livestock management is male dominated venture. The key areas where they need support are establishing women cooperatives for better marketing, processing facilities and trainings. However, high feed prices, low product prices and lack of labor are the limiting factors. 

In order to adapt to climate change and increase productivity in crop production, women are willing to be supported in different types of crop production compatible with the changing climate and regional characteristics, with high value (greenhouses, medicinal aromatic plants, mushroom species with high market value, special niche products such as aronia, truffles, chestnut honey, other herbal and medicinal plants to market) besides increasing and strengthening agricultural mechanization, and marketing opportunities. 

Targeted Technical Assistance - Bangladesh

The TTA ¡®Just-In-Time¡¯ support from GPS in Bangladesh leverages analytics to identify policy reforms and investment opportunities for advancing green growth. A methodological framework for NCA for mangroves and wetlands in the Southwest region was developed, and a set of green growth indicators was proposed as part of the Framework for Green Growth advisory document. A rapid assessment of green fiscal transfers informed the introduction of a block grant system, which is a type of green fiscal transfer (e.g., new tax benefits and green funds) to incentivize clean and green economic activities. In addition, the assessment informed the credit ($500 million) development policy lending on Prior Action8 (PA #2) on green fiscal transfers under the First Green and Climate Resilient Development Credit (GCRD Credit-1) project. It also contributed to engagements with stakeholders to improve environmental statistics, for example a gap analysis of fisheries statistics and led to recommendations for institutional strengthening based on the needs of the government of Bangladesh. It will also contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project (SCMFP).

In total, the activities aim to inform policy discussions on fiscal transfers and support three World Bank projects totaling approximately US$1 billion.9 The TTA will also contribute to the implementation of the $250 million Bangladesh Environmental Sustainability and Transformation (BEST) Project. The BEST project aims to improve environmental regulations and enforcement to curb pollution, which disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including women, children, and the poor.

Significant progress was made in completing the planned activities under the ¡®Just-In-Time¡¯ grant in FY23. A methodological framework for NCA of mangroves and wetlands in the Southwest region was developed and serves as a basis for collaboration with the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics to enhance NCA and environmental statistics. Furthermore, a GPS-funded report on green fiscal transfers contributed to the implementation of the GCRD Credit-1 lending project, especially in relation to the prior action on green fiscal transfers. The GCRD Credit-1 project aims to support the government¡¯s transition to green and climate-resilient development by improving public planning, financing, and implementation of green and climate-resilient interventions, as well as by promoting sector reforms for more sustainable and efficient production and services. 

The findings from the report also influenced the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development, and Co-operatives to introduce a block grant system, known as a green fiscal transfer, for urban local government Institutions. This system incentivizes locally led actions for green and climate-resilient development, ensuring the allocation and prioritization of resources for such activities. Moreover, the GPS-funded activity encouraged the integration of natural capital-related information into statistical data collection systems and national accounts.

Regarding ongoing work, green growth indicators are being developed as part of the advisory document ¡°Framework for Implementing Green Growth in Bangladesh.¡± Additionally, the compilation of fisheries data is underway and is expected to be completed in fiscal year 2024.

The GPS-supported work is conducted in close coordination with relevant stakeholders from various ministries and departments, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning, Department of Forest (BFD), Department of Environment (DOE) and others.10 A study tour to South Korea with the Statistics Secretary and four other senior government officials was organized in July 2023. This tour provided valuable insights for the preparation of the environmental statistics component of the pipeline Statistics Modernization investment project.

The significant achievements of the limited TTA activity in Bangladesh also led to the development of a larger grant that will consolidate and deepen the work for mainstreaming natural capital through the Bangladesh CIC program planned to start in FY24.

Targeted Technical Assistance - Lao PDR

In Lao PDR, GPS aims to generate and convene knowledge supporting the national green growth policy platform and the implementation of policies, plans, and investments for better management of pollution, waste, and renewable natural resources. Specifically, the GPS grant seeks to scale up NCA to strengthen information, planning and investments in sustainability.

Several activities were completed in fiscal year 2023, including the production of ecosystem accounts and the completion of the Lao PDR natural capital report, which contributed to the ongoing policy dialogue on sustainable forest and landscape management and the Lao PDR Country Partnership Framework (CPF). The Lao PDR natural capital report shows water and forest resources as the two highest-valued natural resource sectors in the country and suggests scaling up the valuation of natural assets in national statistics (natural capital accounting).

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as forest vegetables, fruits, fish/frogs, rattan shoots, and cardamom are an integral part of the diet and livelihood of most Lao households. A guideline will be rolled out nationally to implement the Lao Landscapes and Livelihoods project. The NTFP analysis is also supporting the Department of Forestry (DOF) in preparing ministerial guidelines on boundary demarcation and zonation of protected areas, which includes roles, responsibilities, and access rights to the resources for local people living inside and around the protected areas. Furthermore, information from the GPS grant was used for the Lao PDR CPF for FY23-26, which emphasizes that sustainable management of Laos¡¯ natural capital remains critical to ensure that it continues to deliver benefits for the population, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable. 

Work under the GPS grant supports the implementation of two World Bank investment projects (Lao Landscapes and Livelihoods project and REDD+ Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement) worth about US$90 million. Overall, the TTA provided an analytical basis for dialogue with the national government on the values, challenges, and priority opportunities for biodiversity conservation to support the country¡¯s transition to greener, more resilient economic growth through jobs, livelihoods, tourism, and environmental services.

Several government counterparts are actively participating and benefiting from the GPSfunded engagement, including the Lao Statistics Bureau, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Capacity-building activities such as webinars and forums have been organized to showcase results of the technical assistance and to raise awareness of the need to protect and manage forests sustainably. 

Targeted Technical Assistance - Mexico 

The GPS grant in Mexico is financing analytical work on the valuation of ecosystem services (VES) in three prioritized watersheds. The VES study covers physical and monetary valuation of the prioritized ecosystem services of habitat connectivity (a proxy for habitat quality) and carbon storage/sequestration in the three targeted watersheds. It aims to have the following additional ecosystem services developed for each watershed, depending on their characteristics: regulation of floods (Ameca-Mascota [Jalisco]); surface water supply (seasonal and annual water yield) (del Carmen ([Chihuahua]); and pollination, recreation, and regulation of floods (Jamapa [Veracruz]). Significant progress was made in FY23, with the completion of several activities. Four policy notes,11 one published academic article,12 and five working papers13 were produced. The policy notes were drafted together with Instituto Nacional de Ecolog¨ªa y Cambio Clim¨¢tico (INECC) authorities to inform the policy dialogue on nature-based tourism and agroforestry. They are published on the INECC website. Additionally, GPS activity influenced the design of sectoral policies (Integrated Watershed Action Plans for La Antigua) as well as an updated methodological guide. It also contributed to the development of a legally binding ¡°Participatory Local Ecological Planning Program¡± for the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, located in the Ameca-Mascota watershed. 

GPS data and analytics have also provided key data and analysis for the design of a new investment for Mexico: The Connecting Watershed Health with Sustainable Livestock and Agroforestry Production (CONECTA) project. CONECTA aims to enhance integrated landscape management (ILM) and promote climate-smart productive practices in 15 watersheds across various ecoregions and agroecosystems. It will strengthen the capacities of key stakeholders in ILM, foster the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem service criteria into policies and incentive programs, and promote the establishment of sustainable and inclusive value chains, among others. The GPS activity supports technical and economic underpinnings of CONECTA¡¯s ILM efforts. 

Learn more about GPS's work in Mexico:

Targeted Technical Assistance - Rwanda

In Rwanda, the GPS program is actively supporting the government¡¯s initiatives to advance its green growth and climate-resilient development agenda. One of the key areas of support is the integration of NCA into Rwanda¡¯s climate and environmental policy framework. A postpandemic nature-based tourism and conservation recovery plan for Rwanda was developed and the evidence was used in two major strategic studies: the Rwanda Economic Update #20 and the Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR). 

In fiscal year 2023, an assessment of potential scenarios involving changes in habitat quality, carbon, and soil retention services was performed. Results from the assessment were used in the Country Economic Memorandum (CEM) and to inform the Bank¡¯s dialogue with the Rwanda Green Fund regarding the establishment of a Landscape Restoration and Economic Activity Investment Platform. The assessment will also be the basis for further work on the PES scheme for landscape restoration in the Volcanos Community Resilience Project.

Close collaboration has been maintained with key government authorities throughout the grant implementation, including the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the Ministry of Environment, and affiliated agencies.14 As part of an ongoing collaboration, the TTA i. 

The work in Rwanda is ongoing, with promising results that will also contribute to the Volcanoes Community Resilience Project (VCRP), an investment project estimated at around US$50 million for FY24. VCRP aims to strengthen watershed management, enhance resilience, and improve livelihoods of people in the Volcano and Vunga corridor by implementing landscape restoration, catchment management, and flood risk reduction interventions for vulnerable communities. GPS analytical work will support interventions aimed at improving livelihoods, reducing poverty, and improving inclusion, reducing vulnerability to surface runoff and erosion, and enhancing efforts to restore and protect biodiversity in the region. 
 

Targeted Technical Assistance - Uganda

Uganda is one of very few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa that has published a full set of ecosystem accounts. With the GPS grant, Uganda finalized the physical and monetary ecosystem services accounts started under WAVES Plus, covering 12 ecosystem services. A scenario analysis on investment in forests, including costs and benefits of the scenarios, was finalized and published. Several trainings have been organized for the core producing team of the accounts at the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), National Forestry Authority (NFA) and National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). The team has coordinated closely with a related program by UNEP-WCMC, funded by the UK Darwin Initiative.

The ecosystem accounts were used for preparing a scenario analysis to inform intervention choices under the World Bank Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development Project. The scenario analysis recommended that more focus should be placed on the restoration of natural forest ecosystems. This has helped frame proposed activities under additional financing to the project, which will focus on restoration through enrichment planting and removal of invasive species, thus also focusing on the biodiversity angle.

Several activities have focused on integrating NCA into macroeconomic policy analysis tools. An environmentally expanded input-output model, the Rapid Environmental-Economic Assessment tool (REEA), was developed (co-funded by WAVES Plus), including several trainings for the macroeconomic unit of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MOFPED). The work resulted in an analysis of impacts of natural capital in the current (2022/23) budget.

Forest and water accounts have been integrated into the macroeconomic model UGAMOD, and a simulation to estimate economic impacts of the flood shock on physical infrastructure was done. This work informed some of the inputs to the 2023-2024 Budget Framework Paper.

MOFPED also regularly updates the adjusted macroeconomic indicators on the government¡¯s own budget. Illustrating how GPS work is inspiring new activities, the macroeconomic unit is now getting requests to look at economic impacts of Uganda¡¯s Long-Term Strategy (LTS), NDC, and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) using the developed analytical tools and models. Recently, MOFPED used their Computable General Equilibrium model to carry out an analysis of Uganda¡¯s NDC strategy. The analysis demonstrated the economic advantages of investing in green economic development as envisaged by the NDC and also showed the importance of a whole-of-government approach.

Targeted Technical Assistance - Zambia

Building on the achievements of WAVES Plus, the goal of GPS work in Zambia is to integrate NCA into sector strategy documents and sustainable development plans. This work aims to enhance the understanding of the interactions between natural assets and economic activities at both the national and subnational levels. The main collaborators are the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats), Ministry of Finance and National Planning (MoFNP), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Zambia. Fiscal year 2023 saw the completion of a new wildlife and protected area account and an update of the land and water accounts. The government ministries responsible for producing the accounts have made them available on their websites.On the policy front, the introduction of a wildlife account for Zambia will provide valuable insights to inform strategies for nature-based tourism. All accounts demonstrate the economic value of wildlife and protected areas, and demonstrate the decline in wildlife abundance and loss of habitat. Government authorities intend to utilize these accounts to prioritize public investments in wildlife protection and national park management, including strengthening law enforcement. Additionally, the accounts will highlight areas where the private sector can contribute to wildlife conservation and the growth of nature-based tourism, ultimately supporting sustainable development.

The government has formally launched work towards mainstreaming NCA in all planning processes. For example, the forest, land, and water accounts developed under WAVES Plus were used to inform the development of strategies and programs of the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), most notably on water management, climate policies, deforestation and tourism. NCA is now one of the six programs of the 8NDP under Strategy 2: Enhance Natural Resources Management. The land account will directly influence the Strategic Development Area of Environmental Sustainability in the 8NDP. Specifically, the land account will provide crucial information for the strategy to enhance natural resource management, aiming to reduce deforestation rates by 30 percent per annum by 2026. Similarly, the water accounts will inform policy decisions related to effective water management in the country. The accounts were also used to develop many of the indicators for the Voluntary National Reporting (VNR) on SDGs, which was presented at the (HLPF) of the UN in New York in July 2023.

The Forest and Tourism Account¡¯s budget submission was incorporated in the 2021 National Budget. The creation of a budget line and integration of NCA in the budget cycle demonstrates the political will to mainstream natural capital into national plans. It will ensure the sustainability of the program into the future under government ownership.

The wildlife and protected areas account has played a significant role in shaping the design of the World Bank Green, Resilient, and Transformational Tourism Development Project, which has a budget of US$100 million. The project aims to strengthen the enabling environment and increase access to resilient infrastructure and economic opportunities in emerging tourism destinations across Zambia. Specifically, the GPS work informed design of the ¡°Enabling Environment for the Nature-Based Economy¡± component, which focuses on improving the inclusive growth and sustainability of the nature-based economy, primarily tourism, as well as other compatible nature-based sectors that operate within the same landscapes and contribute to economic, social, and environmental resilience in Zambia.

Learn more about GPS's work in Zambia: