UNEP-GEF Biodiversity UNEP-GEF Biodiversity Conservation Projects in Conservation Projects in

Europe/Europe/CISCIS Region Region

Results, Lessons Learned and Results, Lessons Learned and Key ChallengesKey Challenges

Marieta SakalianMarieta SakalianRegional Programme Coordinator Europe/CISRegional Programme Coordinator Europe/CISUNEP Division of GEF CoordinationUNEP Division of GEF Coordination

Presentation OutlinePresentation Outline

●● Background of UNEP-GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in Background of UNEP-GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in the Europe/CIS Region;the Europe/CIS Region;

● ● Results and Lessons Learned on: Results and Lessons Learned on: • Regional cooperation, key elements of successRegional cooperation, key elements of success• Safeguarding biodiversity (Biosafety)Safeguarding biodiversity (Biosafety)• Protected Areas (PA) ManagementProtected Areas (PA) Management• Mainstreaming Biodiversity Mainstreaming Biodiversity

●● ChallengesChallenges

Background of UNEP-GEF Background of UNEP-GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in the Biodiversity Portfolio in the

Europe/CIS RegionEurope/CIS Region

●● Includes 1Includes 155 ongoing and closed GEF3 and GEF4 projects in ongoing and closed GEF3 and GEF4 projects in 1717 countries:countries:

- 1- 100 on Biosafety on Biosafety

- 2 on mainstreaming biodiversity into agriculture production sector- 2 on mainstreaming biodiversity into agriculture production sector- 3 on catalyzing the sustainability of protected areas - 3 on catalyzing the sustainability of protected areas

●● Total US$ 30.81Total US$ 30.81 million GEF funding and US$ 35million in co-million GEF funding and US$ 35million in co-financing.financing.

Regional Cooperation:Regional Cooperation: Key elements for success Key elements for success

●● Work through National and International Executing Agencies Work through National and International Executing Agencies and partners with networks at national and regional levels;and partners with networks at national and regional levels;

●● Cooperation and shared objectives within the regions;Cooperation and shared objectives within the regions;● ● Strong and sustainable partnerships at all levels;Strong and sustainable partnerships at all levels;●● Strong local community engagement;Strong local community engagement;●● QQualified and motivated project teamsualified and motivated project teams

BIOSAFETY BIOSAFETY Results and Lessons LearnedResults and Lessons Learned

●● 5 active projects supporting Implementation of National 5 active projects supporting Implementation of National Biosafety Frameworks (NBFs) - Biosafety Frameworks (NBFs) - Czech Republic, Estonia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, MoldovaLithuania, Moldova and and SlovakiaSlovakia;;

●● 55 approved PIFs for approved PIFs for Albania, FYR Macedonia, Tajikistan, Albania, FYR Macedonia, Tajikistan, Turkey and TurkmenistanTurkey and Turkmenistan;;

●● Armenia, Kyrgyz Republic, RomaniaArmenia, Kyrgyz Republic, Romania have PIFs that they have PIFs that they decided to postpone to GEF-5. decided to postpone to GEF-5. AzerbaijanAzerbaijan has expressed has expressed interest in biosafety in GEF-5interest in biosafety in GEF-5

BIOSAFETY BIOSAFETY Results and Lessons LearnedResults and Lessons Learned

●● TThe existence of EC Directives has been a strong "driver" of he existence of EC Directives has been a strong "driver" of fully-compliant national systemsfully-compliant national systems;;

●● Sustainability of capacity builSustainability of capacity buildingding is fragile in the absence of is fragile in the absence of applications and the need to use the regulatory frameworkapplications and the need to use the regulatory framework;;

●● Polarisation of agbiotech private sector and NGO/public Polarisation of agbiotech private sector and NGO/public opinion places politicians in a difficult positionopinion places politicians in a difficult position;;

●● Although regional approaches make more scientific and Although regional approaches make more scientific and technical sense, politically, this will be difficult to achieve.technical sense, politically, this will be difficult to achieve.

Protected Areas ManagementProtected Areas ManagementResults and Lessons LearnedResults and Lessons Learned

●● Siberian Crane Wetland Project: Siberian Crane Wetland Project: RussianRussian Federation, Federation, Chına, Iran, Chına, Iran, Kazakhstan;Kazakhstan;

●● Wings Over Wetlands (WOW):Wings Over Wetlands (WOW): Armenia, Armenia, Estonia, AEstonia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,zerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Russian Federation,Turkmenistan,Russian Federation,Turkmenistan,Turkey,Turkey, UzbekistanUzbekistan

• New PA established - New PA established - Zharsor-Urkash Nature Reserve (53,350 ha, Zharsor-Urkash Nature Reserve (53,350 ha, Kazakhstan) and Synsko-Voykarskyi Natural Park (Kunovat, Russia);Kazakhstan) and Synsko-Voykarskyi Natural Park (Kunovat, Russia);

PA Expanded in Size - PA Expanded in Size - Naurzum (Kazakhstan) Naurzum (Kazakhstan) from 30,000 to 191,381 from 30,000 to 191,381 ha, plus buffer zone of 116,726 ha ha, plus buffer zone of 116,726 ha and and Kytalyk (Russia) from 1,607,000 to Kytalyk (Russia) from 1,607,000 to 2,598,590 ha;2,598,590 ha;

PA and Water Management Plans developed;PA and Water Management Plans developed; Addressed threats - Addressed threats - Removal of Oil Exploration Rig from Uvat breeding Removal of Oil Exploration Rig from Uvat breeding

grounds in Russiagrounds in Russia

Protected Areas ManagementProtected Areas ManagementResults and Lessons LearnedResults and Lessons Learned

●● Decentralization of PA management to local governments and Decentralization of PA management to local governments and communities and communities and NGOs is essential to achieve sustainable NGOs is essential to achieve sustainable conservation objectives;conservation objectives;

●● EEmerging environmental problems such as climate change has merging environmental problems such as climate change has to be taken into consideration in PA managementto be taken into consideration in PA management;;

●● Financial sustainability should be a primary component of Financial sustainability should be a primary component of intervention strategies and exit strategies of projects;intervention strategies and exit strategies of projects;

●● Management decisions should be based on Management decisions should be based on Applied Research Applied Research and Ecological Monitoring results and Ecological Monitoring results

Mainstreaming BiodiversityMainstreaming Biodiversity Results and Lessons Learned Results and Lessons Learned

●● In-Situ/In-Situ/On Farm Conservation and Use of Agricultural On Farm Conservation and Use of Agricultural Biodiversity (Horticultural Crops and Wild Fruit Species)Biodiversity (Horticultural Crops and Wild Fruit Species) in in Central AsiaCentral Asia: : Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, UzbekistanKazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

●● In-situ In-situ Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives through Enhanced Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives through Enhanced Information Management and Field Application:Information Management and Field Application: Armenia,Armenia, Bolivia, Bolivia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, UzbekistanUzbekistan

Demonstration activities cover 828,228 haDemonstration activities cover 828,228 ha Key sectors covered - agriculture (agricultural biodiversity) Key sectors covered - agriculture (agricultural biodiversity)

and forestryand forestry

Mainstreaming BiodiversityMainstreaming Biodiversity Results and Lessons LearnedResults and Lessons Learned

●● Legal frameworks and benefit sharing mechanisms;Legal frameworks and benefit sharing mechanisms;●● Increased capacity - Regional Training Centers;Increased capacity - Regional Training Centers;●● Knowledge base and information management systems – Knowledge base and information management systems – National and International information systems on Crop Wild National and International information systems on Crop Wild

Relatives and Horticultural crops Relatives and Horticultural crops ●● Reducing vulnerability - Reducing vulnerability - Increasing the potential of farmers to Increasing the potential of farmers to

withstand economic and climate change withstand economic and climate change

Mainstreaming BiodiversityMainstreaming Biodiversity Results and Lessons Learned Results and Lessons Learned

●● Replication and scaling up of project outputs depends on the Replication and scaling up of project outputs depends on the political will to commit resources to research and political will to commit resources to research and implementation and to make the necessary political and implementation and to make the necessary political and institutional arrangements;institutional arrangements;

●● In order to achieve global environmental benefits arising from a In order to achieve global environmental benefits arising from a complex and challenging project it is essential to establish complex and challenging project it is essential to establish sustainable effective partnerships between relevant sectors – sustainable effective partnerships between relevant sectors – environment, agriculture and forestry, and to promote the environment, agriculture and forestry, and to promote the sharing of experiences between countries;sharing of experiences between countries;

Mainstreaming BiodiversityMainstreaming Biodiversity Results and Lessons LearnedResults and Lessons Learned

●● Mainstreaming into decision-making depends on integration Mainstreaming into decision-making depends on integration and institutionalization of project implementation and and institutionalization of project implementation and management through management through the relevant partner agencies the relevant partner agencies at at national and regional level;national and regional level;

●● Frequent and clear communication with partners is critical Frequent and clear communication with partners is critical for achievement of project objectives. for achievement of project objectives.

●● Long-term cooperation and shared objectives within the Long-term cooperation and shared objectives within the regions regions are critical for multi-country projects;are critical for multi-country projects;

Some Current ChallengesSome Current Challenges

●● UNEP’s regional presence is limited while demand for services UNEP’s regional presence is limited while demand for services is high;is high;

● ● GEF project cycle remains cumbersome despite good reforms;GEF project cycle remains cumbersome despite good reforms;

● ● Co-finance burden for many partners and countries;Co-finance burden for many partners and countries;

●● Lack of incentives for inter-agency cooperation on projects;Lack of incentives for inter-agency cooperation on projects;

Some Current ChallengesSome Current Challenges

●● Incentives for regional cooperation & multi-country projects Incentives for regional cooperation & multi-country projects (mechanism of Set Aside funds as ‘top-up’ to STAR);(mechanism of Set Aside funds as ‘top-up’ to STAR);

●● Some misconception regional GEF projects – as being too Some misconception regional GEF projects – as being too costly or not having national benefits;costly or not having national benefits;

●● Transaction costs for Executing Agencies not fully recovered Transaction costs for Executing Agencies not fully recovered through project management costs.through project management costs.