In response to the ever-increasing challenges in the Sector, the ECOWAS Commission has put in place several instruments and mechanisms, including the ECOWAS Environmental Policy adopted in 2008 and the West African Convergence Plan for Sustainable Use and Management of Forest Ecosystems adopted in 2013.

The challenges to be addressed include the high rate of forest degradation, biodiversity depletion, desertification, continued pollution as well as the increasing impacts of climate change. Triggering factors include extensive and shifting agriculture, illegal logging and illicit trafficking of timber, timber products and wildlife, supply of fuelwood for domestic energy and overexploitation of non-timber forest products.

With the support of the region's technical and financial partners, several adaptation and mitigation measures and initiatives are being conducted in a collaborative manner at both national and regional level. This is the case, for instance, of the West African Biodiversity and Climate Change Project (WA-BiCC) funded by USAID, the Global Forest Transformation for People and Climate Project funded by Sweden and implemented by FAO with a focus on West Africa, the Support Program for the Preservation of Biodiversity and Fragile Ecosystems, Governance and Climate Change in West Africa (PAPBIO) and the Support Program for the Preservation of Forest Ecosystems in West Africa (PAPFor), both funded by the European Union.

To facilitate the Coordination of the various initiatives related to the management of forest and environmental reserves in the region, the ECOWAS and UEMOA Commissions strongly encourage collaborative work and synergies between players. This vision, targeting sustainability as well, also focuses on the partnerships to be consolidated among national, regional, and international institutions working on these issues.