GEFs Experience in Financing the Conservation of Tigers Yoko WatanabeProgram Manager, GEF Secretariat

Overview of the PresentationIntroductionGEFs Partnership with the Global Tiger InitiativeGEFs Experience in Financing Tiger ConservationGEFs Future Investment StrategyGEFs Project Financing Modalities

What is the GEF?

A financial mechanism established to protect the global environment and promote sustainable development.

GEF supports developing countries and economies in transition on incremental cost of actions to protect the global environment.

Financial mechanism for the CBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD, and POPs.

GEFs Six Focal Areas: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Intl Waters, Ozone depletion, Land degradation, and POPs.

Biodiversity: GEF Investment and Achievements

GEF Investment of $2.3 billion, with $5.4 billion cofinance, to support 790 projects in more than 155 countries to conserve and sustainably use of biodiversity

Improved management of 2,302 protected areas, covering 634 million hectares, helped achieve global target of 10% of the worlds land under protection

Enabling productive landscapes and seascapes to become biodiversity-friendly, covering over 160 million hectares

Pioneer investor in testing and scaling-up of conservation trust funds and payments for ecosystem services

Supported the development of National Biosafety Frameworks in 123 countries and their implementation

GEF Partnership with the Global Tiger Initiative

Founding and major partner of the GTI.

Financing two Medium Size Projects through the World Bank, with total GEF grant of $1.5 million.

To support work on:Organization of the Global Tiger Summit in Sept 2010.Development of financial architecture for tiger conservation. Strengthen regional capacity on wildlife trade.

GEF Funding for Tiger Habitat GEF is arguably the largest funder on tiger and its habitats conservation.

Total of 19 projects in all TRCs, implemented by the World Bank and UNDP, with total funding of $96.7 million

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), a partnership initiative of GEF, WB, CI and others, also provided several grants on tiger.

GEF Project Example: Cambodia Virachey National Park Management Finance: GEF $2.75m, Cofinance $2.25mBasic Info: 2000, World Bank, Govt, 3325km2, largest PAObjective: Minimize illegal exploitation and degradation of biodiversityOutcomes: 1) Strengthened park mgmt, 2) Trained staff, 3) Livelihood options developed, etc.

GEF Project Example: Nepal Landscape Conservation around Chitwan Finance: GEF $ 0.75m, Cofinance 0.9mBasic Info: 2001, UNDP, KMTNC/NTNC, Nepals key tiger habitatObjective: Manage Barandabhar corridor to conserve viable populations of flagship species (tiger and rhino) and their habitat.Outcomes: 1) strengthened mgmt of corridor forest and grassland; 2) developed community-based conservation model: income generation activities, etc.

GEF Project Example: Russia PA Network in Khabarovsk Kray Finance: GEF $0.75m, Cofinance $1mBasic Info: 2001, WB, Wildlife Foundation, 4000km2, largest tiger PA (Sikhote-Alin)Objective: Establish integrated protected areas system.Outcomes: 1) Established new PA; 2) Strengthened PA network; 3) Increase public awareness, etc

Future Financing: GEF-5 Biodiversity Program: Strategic Objectives

ObjectivesImprove Sustainability of Protected Area Systems

Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Production Landscapes/ Seascapes and Sectors

Build capacity to implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Capacity Building on Access and Benefit Sharing

GEFs Grant SchemesFY2007-2010Biodiversity: $1.2 billion Land Degradation: $400 million Sustainable Forest Management: $250 million

Grant sizes:Full-size project (above $1 million)Medium-size project (below $1 million)Small Grants Program (max $50000)Grant modalities:Country level Projects (utilizing country STAR allocation)Programmatic Approach (Umbrella platform facility, along with country level sub-projects)Incentive scheme through the Sustainable Forest Management Program.

GEFs System of Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR) BiodiversityBangladesh ($1.88m)Bhutan ($1.96m)Cambodia ($3.85m) China ($52.67m)India ($30.58m)Indonesia ($54.17m)Lao PDR ($6.11m)

Malaysia ($14.66m)Myanmar ($6.72m)Nepal ($2.67m)Russian Federation ($24.37m)Thailand ($9.05m)Vietnam ($12.12m)

New Funding for the TigerDespite close to $100 million invested by GEF, tiger populations continue to decline

New initiative needs to look in to new and innovative approach learning lessons from the past.

Target key habitats more strategically and in an integrated manner.

High level commitment and engagements.

GEF is looking forward to a productive partnership

*** Key Issues in Biodiversity How to sustain conservation? Embedding projects in proper context Mainstreaming

*