Senegal: Expanding access to environmental finance - Reversing the decline in forest ecosystem services

The Joint Programme's aim is to reverse the decline in Senegal's forest ecosystems and to encourage the sustainable use of forest ecosystem services in order to improve livelihoods for vulnerable groups in those areas. This approach is being complemented by national and local research on population mobility and ecosystem and climate changes in Senegal. 

The programme's main goals are:

i) Improving information on the total economic value of critical forest ecosystem services and gaining a better understanding of the political, economic and social strategies required for their management;

ii) Using information on the value of ecosystem services to guide the present revision of the tax system in Senegal, with a special emphasis on developing eco-taxes and rebates to provide financial incentives to encourage the sustainable use of forest ecosystem services and prevent urban and rural migration;

iii) Improving the ownership and participation of local communities, non governmental actors and the private sector in the revision of the forestry fiscal regime.