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| May 1996 | ||
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| May 1996 | ||
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NOTE FROM RAFAEL ASENJO EXECUTIVE CO-ORDINATOR, UNDP-GEF I am very pleased to introduce the inaugural issue of the UNDP GEF 'News and Views'. This monthly newsletter is designed to keep our staff in the Country Offices and at Headquarters abreast of important news and information concerning the GEF. Each month the 'News and Views' will include a Special Focus section that highlights an area of particular interest to the GEF. For this first issue we have chosen to focus on biodiversity in the context of the GEF Operational Strategy. In the News Section this month you will find a review of the recent GEF Council meeting. The official 'Joint Summary of the Chairs' has also been sent to your attention via e-mail. A list of GEF publica- tions, and a calendar of upcoming events, rounds out our first 'News and Views.' Future issues will include a Question and Answer Section, so please send your GEF-related questions to Mahenau Agha, the UNDP-GEF Information Officer and Editor of this publication. Our goal is to make the 'News and Views' a useful tool for clarifying GEF issues, and for expanding UNDP's participation in the GEF as one of the three implementing agencies. We welcome your comments, suggestions, and participation in this endeavor.
SPECIAL FOCUS - BIODIVERSITY 
In a major change from the Pilot Phase, guidelines for the restructured GEF requires all projects to include formulations of global benefits and incremental costs. The concept of incremental costs considers that additional actions for global environmental sustainability, beyond what is required for national development, poses an additional, or incremental cost on developing countries. The budget of a GEF project is determined by first arriving at a baseline, and then estimating the incremental cost to be funded by the GEF. The global benefits, (important species protected), realized from GEF resources must be maximized. The recently approved GEF strategy takes an ecosystems-based approach to biodiversity conservation. Activities such as capacity building, targeted research, and investment are not seen as ends in themselves, but rather as components of a comprehensive programme for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity within a precisely defined geographical area. GEF programmes fall into three interrelated categories: * Operational Programmes * Enabling Activities * Short-term Response Measures Operational Programmes concentrate the bulk of GEF assistance. They are categorized into ten focal areas, with four dedicated to biodiversity encompassing the range of ecosystems: 1. Biodiversity: Arid and Semi-Arid Ecosystems 2. Biodiversity: Coastal, Marine, Freshwater and Wetland Ecosystems 3. Biodiversity: Forest Ecosystems 4. Biodiversity: Mountain Ecosystems 5. Climate Change: Remove Barriers to Energy Conservation and Efficiency 6. Climate Change: Promote Adoption of Renewable Energy 7. Climate Change: Reduce Costs of Low Greenhouse Gas Emitting Technology 8. Int'l Waters: Water Body-based Program 9. Int'l Waters: Integrated Land and Water Multiple Focal Area 10. Int'l Waters: Contaminant-based Programme (In the ozone depleting substances category, all activities fall into the enabling and short-term response measures programs). Projects falling into the Enabling Activities category prepare country biodiversity strategies, action plans, and reports which fulfill their obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Full costs of Enabling Activities are covered by the GEF. Short-term Response Measures are unique opportunities not in the Operational Programmes listed above. They have a very cost-effective and dramatic impact in the short-term. They are those considered 'too good to be missed.' Incremental costs apply to these measures. ISSUES IN THE GEF STRATEGY The approved GEF strategy is ecosystems-based, as opposed to activities-based. That is, activities such as capacity building and research are not seen as ends in themselves but only as part of more comprehensive sets of measures aimed at the conservation and sustainable protection of geographically precisely identifiable biological diversity. Although GEF will support biodiversity protection ranging from the within-species, to the species and ecosystem levels, it always supports management of an ecosystem as a whole. In general, global biodiversity benefits are associated with the uniqueness of a particular location. There are several studies showing where globally significant biodiversity is found for within-species diversity (eg.: the distribution of Vavilov's Centers), for species (eg.: as seen in various Red species lists), and for ecosystems (eg.: the World Bank supported studies for Latin America and the Caribbean, and coastal and marine ecosystems). At any of the levels, biological diversity eligible for GEF support must be of global and national importance. Under the Operational Strategy, the GEF will only have three types of interventions. 1) Assistance in the preparation of Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans and reports to the CBD (the so called Enabling Activities); 2) Assistance for projects designed to protect globally important biodiversity in the following four types of ecosystems: mountain, forests, arid and semi-arid, and coastal and marine; and 3) Assistance falling outside the above but that is 'too good to be missed'. Most activities to be financed by GEF will fall into four Operational programs that directly address the protection of biological diversity and integrate in each one of these ecosystems activities such as investments, capacity building and targeted research. The GEF has asked UNDP to lead an effort that will generate a more geographically restricted version of the Operational Program for Mesoamerica. There could be more of these geographically restricted programmes in the future, and UNDP should attempt to contribute to the design of all or most of them. According to the GEF Strategy, all Country Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity will have an opportunity to obtain assistance for Enabling Activities. UNDP should be a major player in assisting countries meet their obligations under the Convention. Short-Term Measures 'too good to be missed' will be opportunistic and will not involve very substantial resources. Operational Programs will continue to constitute the bulk of the GEF financing. PROGRAMMING IMPLICATIONS The GEF Strategy has important implications for UNDP's GEF programme, especially in relation to UNDP's efforts on poverty alleviation. It also has implications for the geographical spread of UNDP-GEF assistance, and for the thematic areas where UNDP can effectively assist countries. UNDP should emphasize projects and programs where the protection of biodiversity is done via sustainable uses that clearly benefit the local people. UNDP mandates for SHD and poverty alleviation are thereby integrated with the mandate of the GEF. Such initiatives encompass capacity building and technical assistance programs; projects supporting conservation areas; animal and plant agro-biodiversity; and the sustainable uses of biodiversity in productive landscapes, (agricultural, forestry, coastal and marine, fisheries, etc). Although the mandate of UNDP covers more than 150 countries, and all ecosystem types, under the new GEF criteria regarding global biodiversity benefits and incremental costs not all countries are likely to obtain GEF assistance. GEF rules indicate that UNDP can access GEF funds only by concentrating efforts in areas which possess both biodiversity of global importance, and significant sustainable development initiatives that are either being planned or are under implementation. In areas where the above-mentioned criteria are met, UNDP could play the role of broker by linking IPFs and national sustainable development efforts with GEF and other multilateral and bilateral development resources. By assisting in the conceptualization and implementation of local sustainable development projects that integrate the protection of globally significant biodiversity, UNDP can simultaneously pursue SHD and GEF goals. UNDP's projects in GEF I will rarely be of a free-standing nature. Rather they should be part of comprehensive package which UNDP helped to conceptualize and broker with other financing partners. Linking major development/environment efforts in the countries poses a challenge to UNDP's Country Offices. To help the Country Offices confront this challenge, UNDP-GEF will consider special training efforts in countries where environment/development has a high priority within the Country Program. GEF PUBLICATIONS 
GEF publications and related documentation is listed below for your information.
Most of these documents have been sent to your attention by pouch or via e-mail.
If you would like additional copies, the documents can be requested from Mahenau Agha, the UNDP-GEF Information Officer.
If you have access to the internet, you may also retrieve the documents from two different sources.
From the Econet, official GEF policy documents can be retrieved from the conference 'gef.report.'
From the World Wide Web, offical GEF policy documents can be retrieved from the following site: UNDP-GEF project information can be obtained from the World Wide Web site at the following address: GEF DOCUMENTS Operational Strategy GEF Project Cycle - (English, French, Spanish) Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured GEF (English, French, Spanish) Rules of Procedure/GEF Council - (English, French, Spanish) Annual Report - 1995 Project Development and Preparation Facility (PDF) Questions and Answers - (English, French, Spanish) Quarterly Operational Report Working Paper Series - 1-10 UNDP-GEF EDITED PROJECT DOCUMENTS Argentina - Patagonian Coastal Zone Management Plan Belize - Sustainable Development and Management of Biologically Diverse Coastal Resources Brazil - Biomass Integrated Gasification/Gas Turbine Project China - Development of Coal-bed Methane Resources China - Issues and Options in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Control Cuba - Protecting Biodiversity and Establishing Sustainable Development in the Sabana-Camaguey Ecosystem Dominican Republic - Conservation and Management in the Coastal Zone of the Dominican Republic Ethiopia - A Dynamic Farmer-Based Approach to the Conservation of African Plant Genetic Resources Gabon - Conservation of Biodiversity through Effective Management of Wildlife Trade Global - Alternatives to Slash-and-Burn Global - Research Programme on Methane Emissions from Rice Fields Global - Small Grants Programme Global - Support for Regional Oceans Training Programmes India - Development of High-Rate Biomethanation Processes as Means of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions India - Optimizing Development of Small Hydel Re- sources in the Hilly Regions Indonesia & Malaysia - Conservation Strategies for Rhinos in Southeast Asia Jordan - Conservation of the Dana and Azraq Protected Areas Mauritania - Decentralized Wind Electric Power for Social and Economic Development (Alizes-electrique) Nepal - Biodiversity Conservation in Nepal Papua New Guinea - National Conservation and Re- source Management Programme Peru - Technical Assistance to the Centre for Energy Conservation Regional - Building Capacity in the Maghreb to Respond to the Challenges and Opportunities Created by National Response to the FCCC Regional - Environmental Management in the Danube River Basin Regional - Institutional Support for the Protection of East African Biodiversity Regional - Regional Strategies for the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the Amazon: Regional - Pollution Control and Other Measures to Protect Biodiversity in Lake Tanganyika Regional - Water Pollution Control and Biodiversity Conservation in the Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem Sri Lanka - Development of Wildlife Conservation and Protected Area Management Sudan - Community-Based Rangeland Rehabilitation for Carbon Sequestration and Biodiversity Tanzania - Electricity, Fuel and Fertilizer from Municipal and Industrial Organic Waste in Tanzania: A Demonstration Biogas Plant for Africa Uruguay - Conservation of Biodiversity in the Eastern Wetlands Viet Nam - Conservation Training and Biodiversity Action Plan Yemen - Protection of Marine Ecosystems of the Red Sea Coast Zimbabwe - Photovoltaics for Household and Community Use SMALL GRANTS PROGRAMME Report of the Independent Evaluation of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP) Pilot Phase (English, French, Spanish) Countries Interested in Participating in the GEF/SGP and Possible Selection Criteria Project Briefs: Promoting fuel-efficient cookstoves among indigenous Aymara women in Bolivia OTHER RELATED DOCUMENTS BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY Convention on Biological Diversity - Text and Annexes (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) CLIMATE CHANGE United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - Text and Annexes - (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish) DESERTIFICATION United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa - Text with Annexes CALENDAR OF EVENTS GEFOP (GEF Operations Committee) Schedule for 1996: July 9August 8 September 17 October 24 November 19 December 10 (With the approval of the inter-sessional Work Programme, proposals cleared will be forwarded to the GEF Council on 20 June 1996. Submission of project proposals for the August GEFOP would be the last opportunity for submission for the October Work Programme) GEF Council - 8-10 October 1996 MEETINGS OF INTEREST Commission on Sustainable Development - New York - 18 April-3 May 1996 UNEP and World Bank project documents are also available. A list of their publications can be found at the back of the Quarterly Operational Report. GEF COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS The 7th GEF Council elected Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni Slade (Samoa) as the Co-Chair of the GEF Council. Although there are only two Council meetings per year, a pilot trial will allow one work programme to be transmitted by mail for approval between Council meetings. This process will enable two work programmes to be formulated by the next Council meeting in October 1996. Overall, one of the most important issues raised by Council members during the meeting was the importance of demonstrating co-financing for future GEF work programmes. $18.5 Million UNDP Work Programme Approved UNDP-GEF projects that received approval include: Biodiversity - Kazakstan , Regional (Southern Africa); Climate Change - Bhutan, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, China, Jordan, Sri Lanka. The GEF Project Development Workshop was also approved as a global project to be implemented by all three GEF partner agencies. UNDP led the cooperative inter-agency effort that created the Workshop, which is expected to be an important tool for encouraging the development of high-quality, country-driven GEF projects. Approval of the Workshop as a GEF project represents a significant milestone both for UNDP and for the GEF as a whole. Rafael Asenjo has sent a copy of the Workshop materials to every UNDP Resident Representative. An initial allocation of $30 million was approved for Enabling Activities to expedite efforts in support of the Conventions on Biological Diversity, and Climate Change. This allocation is not agency-specific, and further details will be forthcoming. There was also a request for an outreach process to inform recipient countries of the availability of resources for enabling activities. (Enabling activities are a basic building block of GEF assistance to countries, designed to assist countries in meeting their obligations under the conventions on biodiversity and climate change.) UNDP Administrative Budget Approved
A FY97 administrative budget of $6.285 million was approved for UNDP. The Council agreed to a mid-year review of the budget, which will be presented to the Council at the October meeting. It is important to note that the administrative budget is linked with outputs. The Council emphasized that it expects UNDP to produce project outputs of approximately $100 million for FY 97. In July 1997, a new administrative cost accounting and performance measurement system will be installed that uses time sheets to track costs. Monitoring & Evaluation A new monitoring and evaluation officer has been appointed at the GEF Secretariat. The Council reaffirmed the need to build monitoring & evaluation activities upon existing structures within the Implementing Agencies. The Council requested that a paper examining the issue be revised and recirculated to Council members no later than July. Additional GEF Project Development Facility (PDF) Resources Approved The Council approved an additional allocation to the GEF Secretariat of $5 million for the GEF Project Development Facility, (PDF). The Council stressed that the focus for application of PDF resources be on project development. The Council also urged the Implementing Agencies to facilitate access to PDF grants by a wider range of potential executing agencies. (PDF money is used by the Implementing Agencies for developing project concepts. There are three levels of PDF funds: Block A (up to US$ 25,000), Block B (up to US$ 350,000) and Block C (up to US$ 1 million). UNDP Documents Extensive NGO Involvement Among the many papers that UNDP submitted to the Council was a document outlining NGO involvement in its GEF project portfolio. Although it was not completely up-to-date, the analysis showed that 85% of all UNDP-GEF projects currently involve, or will involve NGOs. [ GEF Secretariat ~ Downloads ~ Comments ] |
