LocationsIntroducing the Biodiversity Conservation Digital Readiness Assessment
Are Countries Digitally Ready for Biodiversity Action?
February 4, 2026
UNDP Papua New Guinea
Authors: Reina Otsuka, Dominique Mieguim Ngninpogni, Sophie Maxwell, Patricia Choque Fernandez
Digital transformation is reshaping every sector, and biodiversity conservation is no exception. Today, digital tools already underpin many aspects of ‘modern’ conservation. Countries rely on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) platforms and satellite imagery to map ecosystems and animal’s movement; ranger teams use smartphones, GPS units, and applications such as Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) or Earth Ranger to guide daily operations; and researchers manage vast biodiversity databases. Communities also play a growing role via mobile reporting and citizen science platforms. Yet despite this rapid evolution, several important questions remain:
Are countries digitally ready to implement their biodiversity commitments? Do national policies and governance frameworks support this transition? And are digital systems inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of protected areas, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities?
Why does Digital Readiness Matter for Biodiversity?
These questions are not rhetorical, because although many targets of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) assume digitalization, clear gaps remain. The presence of technology does not automatically translate into impactful digital transformation.
For digital technology to deliver real impact, countries need strong enabling and foundational conditions, including coherent policies and regulations, reliable connectivity (especially in remote areas), interoperable data standards, adequate technical infrastructure, a skilled workforce able to operate and maintain digital tools, and sustainable financing to ensure long-term continuity. These conditions allow digital public infrastructure (DPI) - the shared systems and platforms that underpin government digital services - to function effectively. When in place, DPI enables institutions to share information, coordinate monitoring efforts, and report progress toward biodiversity goals.
To respond to this challenge, UNDP and the Connected Conservation Foundation (CCF) (an NGO enabling landscape-scale conservation technology solutions) co-developed a methodology for Biodiversity Conservation Digital Readiness Assessment (BC-DRA). Building on UNDP’s existing Digital Readiness Assessment (DRA) framework, the BC-DRA adapts the tool for biodiversity conservation. It aligns closely with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and examines digital maturity at the national level (including policies, institutions, and biodiversity information systems), to the operational contexts of protected areas, territories administered by Indigenous Peoples, and other conservation landscapes.
The methodology was first applied in Bolivia, where the two-tiered design proved essential for understanding both national digital systems and real-world field conditions. Insights from the pilot played a vital role in refining and strengthening the methodology for global use.
Market in La Paz, Bolivia.
Photo: Unsplash/Lesly Derksen
Case: Digital Readiness for Biodiversity Conservation in Bolivia
Bolivia’s pilot provided the first opportunity to test the methodology in a real-world setting. The country’s mix of national systems includes protected areas and Indigenous-managed territories, which created an ideal environment for exploring how policies, digital systems, and capacities translate into daily conservation practice.
The BC-DRA combines desk reviews, survey-based questionnaires, and targeted consultations to gather evidence from national institutions, protected areas, and (where relevant) territories administered by Indigenous Peoples, as well as other conservation landscapes. Using this information, the methodology evaluates digital capabilities across the six pillars of the UNDP Digital Transformation Framework: People, Governance & Regulation, Technical Infrastructure, Data & Interoperability, Economy, and Innovation. Each component is assessed through a ten-level maturity scale, and the results are aggregated into graded readiness scores that highlight both implementation gaps and opportunities for strengthening digital systems.
This structured approach enables the BC-DRA to assess digital readiness at two levels: the national level, which includes central information systems, policies, governance arrangements, data standards, institutional capacity, and funding mechanisms; and the landscape level, which examines field connectivity, the use of geospatial and monitoring tools, data workflows, equipment, alignment with national policy, and staff capacity. A key early lesson came from adapting survey questionnaires to the local language and context. A small multi-stakeholder committee suggested this adaptation, making the tool more intuitive and revealing the need to add a few complementary questions.
Some questions were best addressed collectively. Workshop-based group sessions allowed participants from different institutions to compare experiences, debate responses, and reach consensus, improving both the accuracy of the assessment and the sense of shared ownership. The maturity-scale approach proved particularly valuable, helping participants quickly understand where Bolivia’s digital biodiversity ecosystem stands and visualize realistic next steps. These insights will inform the country’s forthcoming digital roadmap for biodiversity conservation, aligned with the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP).
“Understanding the country’s current situation regarding digital advancement in relation to biodiversity is essential, as progress in digital information management and interoperable information networks is a critical need” said Mr. Omar Osco, Director of the National Directorate of Biodiversity and Protected Areas (DGBAP). “Some State institutions have made progress in the use of information technologies, such as the Santa Cruz Departmental Government through its Harpya program; the National Customs Authority’s Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCE), which integrates biodiversity, environmental authorities, and exporters; as well as the Forest and Land Authority (ABT). Understanding the current situation through the results of the Readiness assessment will make it possible to define a clear roadmap for action, identify gaps where greater efforts and investments are required, and enable the orderly and strategic management of resources.”
The Bolivia pilot refined the BC-DRA itself, making the methodology more intuitive, context-sensitive, and adaptable for use in different country contexts.
La Paz, Bolivia.
Photo: Unsplash
Accelerating the Global Biodiversity Goals with Digital Transformation
Digital readiness is now essential for countries seeking to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM GBF). Across the Framework, effective implementation increasingly depends on digital systems that support spatial planning and monitoring at scale. At the same time, digital traceability, permitting, and reporting platforms are needed to ensure transparency in the use and trade of wild species. These implementation efforts rely on strong enabling conditions, including digital public infrastructure, accessible data, institutional capacity, and knowledge-sharing systems, without which countries face significant challenges in translating global biodiversity commitments into effective action.
The BC-DRA also helps countries understand the digital capabilities required to implement the KM-GBF targets. It reveals where targeted investments in data, infrastructure, governance, and/or skills could accelerate progress. By making the digital dimension of the KM-GBF explicit, the methodology supports governments in moving from high-level commitments to practical and actionable pathways for implementation.
UNDP Uganda worked with partners to initiate a project to deploy drones for mapping refugee settlements in Uganda . This initiative aimed to enhance disaster risk reduction, improve land-use planning, and strengthen the resilience of both refugees and host communities.
Photo: UNDP Uganda
