Resources for Implementing the WWF Project & Programme Standards Step 1.4 Define Situation Analysis

What is a Situation Analysis?

Before you even begin to think about what you should do to protect biodiversity at your site, you need to have a clear understanding of what is happening there. A situation analysis is a process that will help you and your project team create together a common understanding of your project’s context – including the biological environment and the social, economic, political, and institutional systems that affect the biodiversity targets you want to conserve. This practice is one that is sometimes overlooked in conservation projects, yet it is one of the most important steps to consider. By understanding the biological and human context, you will have a better chance of developing appropriate goals and objectives and designing activities that will help you achieve them. The challenge here is to make your logic explicit without spending too much time trying to develop a perfect model of reality.

A situation analysis involves an analysis of the key factors affecting your targets including direct threats, indirect threats, opportunities, and enabling conditions. Each factor can typically be linked to one or more stakeholders - those individuals, groups, or institutions that have an interest in or will be affected by your project’s activities.

The situation analysis often involves linking local, national, and global levels. This means understanding the conditions at the local level and then the economic and institutional changes made at national and international levels by government and the private sector that affect those local conditions. At a local scale, it explores such issues as livelihood needs and concerns of local people and institutions. At a national or international level, we analyze the relationship of local issues with such major drivers as national debt, trade policies, government or private investments, and poverty reduction strategies.