Title: GEF Awareness Briefing
1 2Structure of this presentation
- Global Environmental Issues GEF focal
areas,Conventions and Linkages - The GEF history, governance, structure,
operational procedures and concepts - Project cycle information and examples
- Summary and Discussion
3The Global Environmental Focal Areas of the GEF
- Biodiversity
- Climate Change
- International Waters
- Ozone Depletion (only countries in transition)
- And Land Degradation as it relates to the above
focal areas.
4The GEF and the Global Environmental Conventions
- The GEF is the designated financial mechanism
for the - Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
- The GEF collaborates closely with other treaties
and agreements to reach common goals
(International Waters, POPs, CCD, Montreal
Protocol)
5Biodiversity
- Biodiversity refers to the different life forms
on earth -- species of plants and animals --,
their genetic variations, and the complex
ecological interactions among them. - Biodiversity is under threat largely from
human-induced pressures.
6Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- Objectives of the Convention
- Conservation
- Sustainable use
- Fair and equitable sharing of benefits
- Financial Mechanism
- GEF is the financial mechanism of the Convention
7Climate change has significant implications for
developing countries
- Changes in timing and frequency of precipitation,
extreme weather events - Impact on coastal areas
- Risk for agricultural sector
- Health risks
8UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
requires
- Developing country states (non-Annex I Countries)
to prepare National Reports - on their greenhouse gas emissions
- their national climate policies
- and their vulnerability to climate change
- As the financial mechanism, the GEF provides
funding for preparation of these reports. - The Convention is also the source of guidance for
GEF funding of climate projects.
9Climate Change Convention and Kyoto Protocol
- Protocol (1997) sets GHG emission reduction
targets for industrialized countries and defines
flexible instruments, emission credit trading,
joint implementation, and the Clean Development
Mechanism (CDM)
10International Waters
- The Coastal Oceans and large fresh water basins
whose boundaries are shared by more than one
country - International Waters provide a multitude of
goods a few of which include - High quality sources for irrigation and fisheries
- Drinking water supplies
- Sanitation
- Recreation
- Carbon sinks
- Climate Moderators
- Transport Corridors
11International Waters
- The coastal oceans and transboundary fresh water
basin are under siege from - Unsustainable irrigation diversion of fresh water
- Pollution discharge from industry, sewage
agriculture - Over fishing
- Habitat loss and Wetland conversion
- Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
- The GEF is not a financial mechanism for
International - Waters. However it supports Regional Sea
Conventions, UNCLOS, and selected maritime
conventions
12Land Degradation
- Worldwide phenomenon
- Degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry
sub-humid areas. In dry lands, soil quality,
freshwater supplies, vegetation, and crops are
all easily damaged. - Characterized by loss of biological or economic
productivity and complexity in croplands,
pastures, and woodlands. - Primary causes over cultivation, overgrazing,
deforestation, poor irrigation practices,
poverty, political instability.
13Land Degradation (LD) GEFs Role
- Support country driven activities that prevent/
control land degradation through its interface
with the GEFs Focal Areas. - Addresses LD as part of national sustainable
development plan - Complements, rather than substitutes other
financing available - Possible if project design is from the bottom up
(local needs as well as conservation)
14Linkages
- The environment is interconnected through all
levels - Local, national, regional, global
- Country projects funded by the GEF need to focus
on preserving the integrity of the global
environment, since all levels of the environment
are interconnected - Country projects funded by the GEF need also to
improve environmental conditions and
sustainability at the local, national, and
regional levels
Global
Regional
Local
15Linkages
- All the Focal Areas are linked
- Climate change affects biological diversity
- Biological diversity affects land degradation and
climate change - International waters affects biological diversity
and climate change - Land degradation is linked to the other focal
areas
16Global Environment Facility Timeline
- GEF Pilot Phase
- 1991 - 1994
- 1 Billion US Dollars
- Replenishment
- 1995 - 1998
- 2.2 Billion US Dollars
- 1999 - 2001
- 2.8 Billion US Dollars
- World Bank is the Trustee of the GEF Trust Fund
17GEF is a Co-financier
- GEF encourages partnerships by bringing together
multiple sources of funding for projects - Key Concept the GEF is not a project financier,
but a project Co-financier providing new and
additional funds to address global environmental
issues
18Origin of the Principle of Incremental Costs
- Developing countries sought mechanism for funding
the incremental costs of global environmental
actions - This concept is at the heart of the CBD and
UNFCCC, as negotiated and agreed by the
Conferences of the Parties - Incremental costs calculations are also applied
to work undertaken to fulfill the Montreal
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer
19Incremental Costs
- Cost of activities for the global environment
beyond what is required for national development - GEF projects must complement national programmes
and policies to maximize global benefits - 1) Establish the baseline
- 2) Determine cost of GEF alternative
- 3) Incremental cost (project budget) GEF
alternative -- cost of baseline
20Baseline and alternative funding
21GEF Portfolio (June 1999) in millions of US
dollars
Total GEF 2,444.22 Total
Co-Financing 7,065.51 TOTAL
9,509.73
22GEF Governance Structure
CONVENTIONS
COUNCIL
ASSEMBLY
32 Members
All 166
Provide Guidance on Policy Programme Issues
18 Recipient
Members
14 Donor
- GEF Council meets every 6 months to review and
approve all projects, Work Programmes, Business
Plans, policies. - GEF Assembly meets every 3 years to review
general policies,operations, and amendments to
the GEF Instrument.
operations, and amendments to the GEF Instrument.
7
23GEF Operational Framework
GEF Assembly GEF Council
GEF Secretariat
STAP
UNDP
UNEP
World Bank
Projects
24GEF Implementing AgenciesYour Partners to Help
Develop and Implement Projects
UNEP global/ regional and trans-boundary
projects, support STAP
UNDP technical assistance / capacity building
projects
World Bank investment projects
25Executing Agencies with shared responsibility for
GEF Project Cycle Management
- African Development Bank
- Asian Development Bank
- European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Inter-American Development Bank
26Projects can also be executed by
- Government Agencies
- UN Specialized Agencies
- Non-Governmental Organizations
- Bilateral Development Cooperation Agencies
- Others from the private sector/institutes
27GEF Funding Categories
- Full-size projects (1 million and up)
- Medium-sized projects (up to 1 million)
- Financing can be available for preparing projects
- Small Grants Programme (up to 50,000)
- Enabling activities
- Project Development Funds (PDF-A up to 25,000
- PDF-B up to 350,000 PDF-C up to 1 million)
28Other Project Eligibility Requirements
- Country-driven and endorsed by host Government
- Produce identifiable global benefits
- Participation of all affected groups and
transparency - Consistency with the Conventions
- Possess strong scientific and technical merit
- Financially sustainable and cost-effective
- Include processes for monitoring, evaluation, and
incorporation of lessons learned - Play catalytic role that leverages other financing
29Basic Project Cycle
Project impacts continue after completion of GEF
funding
Develop project concept
Present concept to an Implementing Agency
Monitor and evaluate
Option to pursue project development financing
Implement Project
Develop project brief and/or project document
Present project document to Council
30The GEF Programmatic Approach
- Purpose
- Provide phased and sustained support for the
implementation of a multi-year program that
better integrates global environmental objectives
into national strategies and plans.
31The Programmatic Approach emphasizes
- Translating national strategies into concrete
action plans - Strengthened in-country policy, legal, and
institutional arrangements - Agreed goals, milestones, and indicators for each
phase - Sequenced disbursements based on identified
milestones - A learning and adaptive management system
32The Country Programming Framework depends upon
- A high level political commitment
- Well advanced national biodiversity strategies or
plans for biodiversity, energy, international
waters, with clear priorities - Country commitment towards the key objectives and
priorities - Willingness to work across sectoral ministries
and agencies - Cooperation, collaboration, and joint programming
with the implementing agencies and other partners
towards the common objectives
33Project Examples
34GEF Briefing Summary
- GEF is a co-financing mechanism bringing together
GEF resources with those from Government, banks,
NGOs, bilateral and multilateral agencies to
address - Biodiversity
- Climate Change
- International Waters
- Ozone Depletion
- Land degradation as it relates to these focal
areas - GEF Projects address the global environment
within the framework of country priorities.
35GEF Briefing Summary
- GEF projects are
- approved by a Governing Council
- implemented by UNDP, UNEP, the World Bank and
RDBs or by some partnership among these
organizations) and they are - executed by Government agencies, regional
development banks, UN agencies, NGOs and
bilateral cooperation agencies, private sector
groups, educational institutions
36GEF BriefingDiscussion Session