Transcript No Slide Title

GEF Awareness Briefing
Structure 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
The 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.
The 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)
Biodiversity
 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.
Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD)
 Objectives



Conservation
Sustainable use
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits
 Financial

of the Convention
Mechanism
GEF is the financial mechanism of the
Convention
Climate 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
UN 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.
Climate 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)
International 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

International 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
Land Degradation
Worldwide phenomenon

Degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry subhumid 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.
Land Degradation (LD) & GEF’s
Role

Support country driven activities that prevent/ control
land degradation through its interface with the GEF’s
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)
Linkages

The environment is interconnected
through all levels

Local, national, regional, global
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
Regional
Local
Linkages

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
Global 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
GEF 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
Origin 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
“Incremental 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
Baseline and alternative funding
Incremental
Local
Baseline
Outcome
GEF Portfolio (June 1999)
in millions of US dollars
Biodiversity
International
Waters
Ozone Depletion
$2,531.37
$825.56
$5,631.86
$329.21
$191.73
Multi- Focal
Areas
Climate Change
Total GEF
$ 2,444.22
Total Co-Financing
$ 7,065.51
TOTAL
$ 9,509.73
GEF Governance Structure
CONVENTIONS
Provide Guidance
on Policy &
COUNCIL
32 Members :
18 Recipient
14 Donor
ASSEMBLY
All 166
Members
Programme Issues
 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
GEF Operational Framework
GEF Assembly
GEF Council
GEF Secretariat
STAP
UNDP
UNEP
Projects
World Bank
GEF Implementing Agencies:
Your Partners to Help Develop and
Implement Projects
UNDP
UNEP
UNDP:
technical
assistance /
capacity
building
projects
UNEP:
global/
regional
and transboundary
projects,
support
STAP
World Bank
World
Bank:
investment
projects
Executing 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
Projects can also be executed by:

Government Agencies

UN Specialized Agencies

Non-Governmental Organizations

Bilateral Development Cooperation Agencies

Others from the private sector/institutes
GEF 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)
Other 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
Basic 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
Present project
document to
Council
Develop project
brief and/or
project document
The 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.
The 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
The 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
Project Examples
GEF 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.
GEF 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
GEF Briefing
Discussion Session