Mauritania - Overview

Status and trends of biodiversity, including benefits from biodiversity and ecosystem services

Mauritania is a West African country located in the Sahel-Saharan region, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara. In the last 25 years, the country has experienced three long periods of drought. The agricultural sector (agriculture and livestock) contributes approximately 18% to the country’s GDP, with livestock (cattle, camels, sheeps, goats) representing 80% of this figure... More »

Main pressures on and drivers of change to biodiversity (direct and indirect)

The main threats to terrestrial ecosystems have been identified as: overgrazing, overexploitation of forest products and non-timber forest products; habitat fragmentation; poaching; climate change; bush fires; urbanization; salinization; erosion; alien invasive species; mining and oil exploitation. The main threats to coastal ecosystems have been identified as: overfishing, urbanization, poaching and climate change... More »

Implementation of the NBSAP

Mauritania completed its first NBSAP in 1999. The primary goal of Mauritania’s new National Biodiversity Strategy (2011-2020) is to maintain the functions of ecosystems over the long term, including their capacity to adapt and evolve in relation to environmental changes, particularly climate change and desertification processes... More »

Actions taken to achieve the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Examples of actions taken that contribute to the achievement of the global targets are highlighted below, although it is indicated in the fifth national report submitted in June 2014 that the effectiveness (outcomes) of these actions to date has been weak.

The preservation and valuation of natural resources and the promotion of renewable energy sources are current national priorities... More »

Support mechanisms for national implementation (legislation, funding, capacity-building, coordination, mainstreaming, etc.)

Other current national priorities include matters such as: sectoral reform focused on human, material and financial resources; inter-sectoral matters; restructuring/institution-building (a structure for raising awareness of biodiversity has been established).

The National Action Plan for the Environment (PANE) and the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (SNDD) together define environmental policy for the country... More »

Mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing implementation

A mechanism for monitoring and reviewing implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy (2011-2020) does not exist. These issues are however addressed to a certain extent under subprogramme 1 of the National Action Plan for the Environment (PANE II) (2012-2016).