|
||
| July 1996 | ||
|
|
||
| July 1996 | ||
|
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP -PAKISTAN A three day training and programming workshop was conducted jointly by the 3 Implementing Agencies to update the Country
office, government ministries, NGOs and the private sector in regard to the criteria governing GEF project selection. There
was full press coverage including television for the meeting on the three days of the workshop, and the opening session was
chaired by Mr. Asif Zardari, Chair, Pakistan's Environment Council. Approximately 90 participants attended the session.
During the first part of the workshop, the participants were brought up to speed on the GEF focal areas, the GEF project
cycle, and financial aspects of project development. The second part of the workshop generated a productive discussion on
several priority projects in climate change, biodiversity, and international waters.
The discussions lead off with a project concept for creating a national policy that would promote the adoption of renewable energy resources. Developing the appropriate regulatory framework, analyzing the national supply and potential demand for renewable energy, and assessing the human and technical resources . Developing the appropriate regulatory framework, analyzing the national supply and potential demand for renewable energy, and assessing the human and technical resources necessary to introduce renewable energy systems were presented as the project's principal components. The second proposal would build capacity for the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the commercial lighting sector. It would train architects, builders, and commercial organizations in energy efficient lighting, and provide appropriate upgrade services to 500/600 commercial buildings in Islamabad. A third proposal suggested the development of decentralized energy generation from geothermal sources. The power generated is expected to facilitate market and transportation services for local agricultural processing industries. The possibility of linking this GEF project to UNDP poverty alleviation programmes makes it a strong contender for development. Wetlands and land use management in arid and semi arid areas were also identified as national priority themes that should lead to the development of more project concepts for future discussions. All of the project concepts presented were based on the national development plans and growth objectives of Pakistan. Their overlap with UNDP programme initiatives and GEF focal areas provides opportunities for attracting further financing from bilateral and multilateral sources. As an immediate follow-up and tangible output of the workshop, two PDF Block B's for renewable energy policy and manageable and sustainable use of wetland strategy have been prepared and are expected to be submitted to the August/September GEFOP. UNDP SPONSORS REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDS The first regional consultation on national environmental funds (NEFs) in Latin America and the Caribbean was held in Cartagena, Colombia, from 11 to 14 June. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) unit at UNDP joined in organizing and sponsoring the meeting. UNDP also chairs the Interagency Planning Group on Environmental Funds, which was largely responsible for planning the consultation. Environmental funds are an innovative financing mechanism used by a growing number of countries number of countries to cover the recurrent costs of parks and protected areas, conserve biodiversity and/or promote sustainable development. Many NEFs have 'mixed' boards representing both the government and local NGOs. Twenty-eight NEFs in Latin America and the Caribbean were invited to the Cartagena consultation, including established funds, like FONAMA in Bolivia which has been operating since 1990; NEFs in the process of establishment, and proposed new funds. Of these, five have received or expect to receive support from GEF. In-country cooperation between NEFs and other relevant programmes, including the GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP) was explored at several sessions. One concrete outcome of the meeting may be closer collaboration between GEF/SGP national coordinators and NEF managers in screening, selecting and co-funding community-based activities to conserve biodiversity. Data collected by UNDP/GEF staff indicate that 82 NEFs are currently either operating (44) or being planned (38). For further information, please contact Jane Jacqz, UNDP-GEF, 304 E. 45th Street, Room FF-1076, New York, NY 10017. Tel: (212) 906-6076, Fax: (212) 906-6690. (continued from June 96)
(taken from UNDP GEF Operational Manual) C Country Driven - A project is said to be country driven when, at a minimum, it forms part of a country's national environmental and developmental priorities. The term also refers to the involvement of local stakeholders (NGOs, community groups and other sectors of civil society) in the formulation of a project. To ensure that GEF projects are country driven, all project concepts under review for GEF funding must be endorsed and/or approved by the host government and all project concepts and proposals must fit into a national strategic framework and must be considered by government as a priority. In the case of regional and global projects, the commitment of countries to regional/global objectives, institutions and/or frameworks should be stressed. D Domestic Benefits - The benefits that accrue to a country from a GEF project aimed at achieving global environmental benefits. The term is relevant to the calculation of incremental costs. The GEF funds the difference in cost between achieving global environmental benefits and achieving domestic or national benefits. The country hosting the project bears the expenditure for the domestic benefits. E Eligibility Criteria - The conditions that a project must fulfill in order to qualify for GEF funding. GEF eligibility criteria range across a spectrum from the most generic (the project must provide global benefits; it must address one of the four focal areas) to criteria specific to the focal area itself. Biodiversity and climate change projects must also fulfill requirements established by the relevant conventions; these include the stipulation that the country hosting the project be a Party to the convention concerned. A country can receive GEF funds if it is eligible to borrow from the World Bank (IBRD and/or IDA) or receive technical assistance grants through UNDP's Indicative Planning Figure (IPF). Continued in the October 96 issue
This issue premiers the Country Office Corner, a section designed to help develop a better understanding of the issues faced by both Country Offices and headquarters GEF staff in the development and implementation of GEF projects. In this issue, the country office of Fiji has raised some questions on regionally executed projects. 1) A challenging issue that was raised is how information that exists on activities or status of projects could be transmitted from HQ of project to other countries and Country Offices concerned. Answer: this has been one of the challenges on maintaining an information flow between host countries, new networking capacities, including on the inernet, such as creating bulletin boards, information disclosure, etc. 2) What would be the most suitable mechanism to undertake enabling activities for small island developing states - regionally or on a country by country basis? Answer: the Suva office feels as if their hands are tied when it comes to assisting countries in their parish. GEF projects in the Pacific are regionally executed by the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme in Apia, Western Samoa. There are frequent requests for nationally executed projects and the office has to respond negatively to countries in their parish (Fiji, FSM, RMI, Palau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu) that they are unable to help as GEF is regionally executed. None of the countries are participants in the Small Grants Programme. On the issue of Enabling Activities, whilst there is nothing to prevent countries who are signatories to the Biodiversity Convention from applying, a regional approach is considered to be more viable as it is more cost-effective.
In addition to its contribution to the GEF, the French government decided to set up a similar Fund, with the same objectives, as a tool for bilateral co-operation: the Fonds Francais pour l'Environnement Mondial (FFEM) or French GEF. The amount of the FFEM is 440 million francs for the 1994-1997 period. To date, the French GEF has co-financed 2 UNDP projects to the amount of US$100,000. A project presented to the FFEM must a) be in accordance with the priorities and criteria of the international agreements on global environment (ozone, climate change, biodiversity); b) respect the criteria of the international GEF; and c) be a component of a wider development programme, in order to ensure the appropriate integration of global environment issues in the development process. For further information, please contact
Caisse Francaise de Developpement ECOSOC - New York - 24 June-26 July ENABLING ACTIVITIES APPROVED DURING THE MAY/JUNE GEFOP MEETINGS Bhutan : National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy &
Action Plan and Report to the CBD - $116,546 [ GEF Secretariat ~ Downloads ~ Comments ] |
