By Dickson Mbeya

At the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 16) in Cali, Colombia, the global community witnessed the unveiling of the first Global Ecosystem Atlas.

The atlas is an essential tool designed to support the protection, restoration and sustainable management of ecosystems critical to addressing global environmental crises.

Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD), who are local implementing partners for the Spatial Biodiversity Assessment Prioritisation and Planning (SBAPP) regional project, made sure Malawi was among the few countries in Africa and the world to have contributed to the first version of the atlas. 

Countries can use the atlas to monitor key indicators such as the status of ecosystems, and the extent of natural areas and protected regions, ensuring compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity. 

The development of the atlas is spearheaded by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO).

“Ecosystems are our planet's life support, yet understanding them has been hindered not only by a lack of data but by the complexity of the stakeholder landscape, with many believing agreement on a common tool was impossible. At GEO, we embraced this challenge, moving forward step by step, engaging the right stakeholders, and building the critical mass needed to make it happen,” said Yana Gevorgyan, Director of the GEO Secretariat. 

“The launch of the Global Ecosystems Atlas proof-of-concept is a testament to perseverance and collaboration, showing that when we come together with intention and purpose, we can overcome obstacles and work towards a transformative change.” 

The atlas will help governments to effectively implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 

“The escalating triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation require immediate and effective action. To ensure that the right action is taken, in the right location requires better data on the extent and condition of ecosystems. Monitoring ecosystems will be instrumental in implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” said Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

“The Global Ecosystems Atlas is the first intergovernmental effort to develop a collation of the best ecosystem data from countries and it will serve as a critical tool by providing high-quality, reliable data on ecosystems around the world.” 

“Through the SBAPP, the ecosystem types of the country were mapped and cross-referenced with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Global Ecosystem Typology and then ingested into the Global Ecosystem Atlas by the GEO team,” said Dr Tiwonge Gawa, SBAPP programme manager in Malawi and lecturer at MUST. 

“By aligning these maps with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Global Ecosystem Typology, the Atlas offers consistent and reliable information for all types of ecosystems, including land, freshwater and marine areas.” 

The proof-of-concept is available here: https://globalecosystemsatlas.org/