The second edition of the ‘State of Biodiversity in Africa’ provides a mid-term review of progress on implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets on the continent. In an assessment that uses global indicators disaggregated to the regional level, among other inputs, the report finds that biodiversity loss in African countries continues. The report also identifies a growing number of responses taken by African countries, especially with regard to achieving targets for establishing terrestrial and marine protected areas. The report finds that: overall, biodiversity in African continues to decline driven by a combination of human-induced factors; freshwater ecosystems are especially threatened; there is continued deforestation and forest degradation; and the impacts of climate change exacerbate pressures on ecosystems and biodiversity.