Development of natural capital accounts, data, tools, and analyses
Several grant activities in Ghana were finalized in FY25 including the compilation of water-related ecosystem services, and the associated report was drafted, reviewed, and published on the Ghana EPA website. The ecosystem accounting data (i.e., ecosystem extent, water-related ecosystem services, and hydrological modeling) completed under the GPS-sponsored NCA Program has informed the first phase of a feasibility study on payment for ecosystem services. This first phase of the PES study has been completed and involved the development of an inventory of commercial water suppliers and users in areas identified as potential suppliers of water-related ecosystem services by the NCA program’s ecosystem accounting efforts. The second phase, which assesses the costs and benefits of implementing a PES scheme in Ghana's largest basins - Pra & Volta is ongoing.
Informing investments and/or policies
The newly compiled water-related ecosystem services accounts provide updated and essential information on the current status and contributions of Ghana’s natural ecosystems. This data is now being leveraged by the Ministry of Environment to revise the national targets for the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). As a lead agency for Natural Capital Accounting (NCA), the Ministry greatly benefited from capacity-building activities delivered under the Ghana NCA Program.
GPS supported the production of natural capital accounts, which informed revisions to the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), including the establishment of new targets aligned with the GBF. District-level land and ecosystem extent accounts sponsored by the GPS informed the development of guidelines for ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), and Regional Coordinating Councils, to enable the mainstreaming of natural capital issues into their respective Medium Term Development Plans and budgets at the sub-national level.
Capacity building and institutionalization
A comprehensive set of capacity building activities was implemented to mainstream Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) and strengthen ecosystem services management in FY25. These included a dedicated workshop focused on the drafting of guidelines for NCA mainstreaming, facilitating multi-stakeholder input to institutionalize NCA in planning and policy processes.
Technical training in ecosystem services accounting built foundational expertise in integrating biophysical and economic data for informed decision-making.
The National Landscape and Natural Capital Forum convened about 160 participants with about 40 percent female to share best practices, discuss policy advances, and highlight the role of data and analytics in supporting sustainable landscape management and biodiversity conservation.
Two hundred forty-six participants took part in these activities, including representatives of diverse agencies including Environmental Protection Authority, Ghana Statistical Service, National Development Planning Commission, Ministry of Environment, National Development Planning Commission, Environmental Protection Authority, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Finance, Forest Research Institute of Ghana and others.
Communication
In FY25, a briefing and training workshop for media professionals and civil society organizations was held to enhance communication and understanding of Natural Capital Accounting (NCA). This event brought together over 60 participants and provided them with foundational knowledge and practical tools to accurately convey NCA concepts and their implications for sustainable development.
