Faced with endless increasing challenges in the sector, ECOWAS designed several instruments and mechanisms including the ECOWAS Environmental Policy adopted in 2008 and the Convergence Plan for use and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in West Africa adopted in 2013.

Challenges include high rate of forest degradation, depletion of biodiversity, desertification, continuous pollution, as well as increasing impacts of climate change. Triggering factors include extensive farming and shifting cultivation, illegal forestry development and illicit trafficking in timber and wood by-products and wild species, firewood supply for domestic energy and overexploitation of non-wood forest products.

Several adaptation and mitigation measures and initiatives are on track. They are led in a collaborative and partnership way in the Member States and at regional level with contributions from various technical and financial partners. Examples include the West Africa Biodiversity and Climate Change Project (WA-BiCC) funded by USAID, the Project for comprehensive transformation of forests for populations and climate, funded by Sweden and implemented by FAO with a focus on West Africa, the support Programme for the preservation of biodiversity and fragile ecosystems, regional governance and climate change in West Africa (PAPBIO) and the support Programme for the preservation of forest ecosystems in West Africa (PAPFor), both funded by the European Union.

With support from partners like USAID, European Union, Swedish Cooperation, UNEP or NEPAD, ECOWAS strongly encourages collaborative work and synergies among stakeholders.