The GEF Land Degradation Focal Area – Enhancing Ecosystem Services in Production

Landscapes

Presented at STAP Workshop on Soil Organic Carbon Nairobi, September 10-12, 2012

Land Degradation Focal Area Mandate – Finance efforts to arrest and reverse current global trends in land degradation, specifically desertification and deforestation. Focus – Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in production landscapes Impacts: • Flow of ecosystem services increased or maintained • Sustained crop, livestock, and forest production (existing areas) • Sustainable livelihoods (development benefit)

GEF is a Financial Mechanism of the UNCCD

Land Degradation Focal Area is main GEF financing window Sustainable Land Management

GEF financing leverages resources in agriculture, livestock, forestry for global environmental benefits

Investing in Sustainable Land Management supports implementation of the UNCCD by affected country Parties

Drylands of the World

Source: UNEP/GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics Library (http://www.wri.org/publication/content/8236)

Arid Semi-arid Sub-humid GEF Projects focusing on SLM

Contexts for GEF Financing - Land Degradation

Desertification… Deforestation

GEF-5 LD Focal Area Objectives 1 Maintain or improve flow of agro-ecosystem services to

sustaining livelihoods 2 Generate sustainable flows of forest ecosystem services

in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid zones (drylands) 3 Reduce pressures on natural resources from competing

land uses in the wider landscape 4 Increase capacity to apply adaptive management tools

in SLM

Sustainable Land Management

• “….a knowledge-based procedure that integrates land, water, biodiversity, and environmental management to meet rising food and fiber demands while sustaining livelihoods and the environment ” (World Bank 2006).

Advancing SLM Implementation

Living sand barrier Contour Terrace Forest Landscape Restoration

Rangeland Management

Agroforestry Forest Landscape Management

Multiple Benefits through SLM Ecosystem Services in Production Systems

– Soil fertility restoration and enhancement – Land and water conservation and improvement – Biodiversity conservation - above and below ground – CC mitigation: Reduced GHG emissions and Carbon

sequestration

Development – Climate-resilient production systems (CC adaptation) – Options for household food security and income

Multifocal area projects Deliver multiple environmental and social benefits, seeking synergy:

• LAND DEGRADATION: Maintain/improve flow of ecosystem services (LD-1, LD-2); Integrating landscapes and improving cross-sectoral coordination (LD-3).

• BIODIVERSITY: Protected area management (BD-1) or mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into production landscapes, seascapes, and sectors (BD-2).

• CC MITIGATION: LULUCF component (CCM-5)

for mitigating climate change.

• CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION (LDCF/SCCF): SLM and IEM as entry points for joint MFAs and programs

GEF-5 SFM/REDD-plus Program Goal: achieve multiple environmental

benefits from improved management of all types of forests.

Funding derives from three GEF Focal Areas (Biodiversity, Climate Change and Land Degradation)

Separate funding envelope created outside the STAR to provide incentive funding for interested countries

How The SFM/REDD+ Incentive Works

Investments from 2+ FAs seeking multiple benefits from managing forests sustainably

Incentive funds

released in ratio of 3:1 of

FA investment

STAR Resources

BD

CC

LD

e.g. LD $1,000,000

CC $2,000,000 + SFM $1,000,000

Total Project $4,000,000

Typology of LD FA investments in GEF-5 LD-stand alone projects Multifocal area projects SFM/REDD+ projects

10 projects with ~ $38 million LD resources (FY 11-12)

13 projects with ~ $42 million LD resources (FY 11-12)

20+ projects with ~ $80 million LD STAR resources (FY11-12)

#4332 Tajikistan: Upland Agricultural Livelihoods and Environmental Management Project

#4583 Turkey: Sustainable Land Management and Climate Friendly Agriculture

#4332 Azerbaijan: Sustainable Land and Forest Management in the Greater Caucasus Landscape

#4754 Pakistan: Sustainable Land Management Programme to Combat Desertification

#4584 Kazakhstan: Improving Sustainability of PA System in Desert Ecosystems through promotion of BD compatible Livelihoods in & around PAs

#4744 Mongolia: Securing Forest Ecosystems through Participatory Management and Benefit Sharing

Programmatic Approaches Roughly 40 million (25%) of the total $160 million committed in FY11-12 have been programmed under programmatic approaches, including stand alone, MFA’s and SFM/REDD+ projects.

GMS Forests & Biodiversity #4945 Cambodia: Collaborative Management for Watershed and Ecosystem Service Protection and Rehabilitation in the Cardamom Mountains (LD )

MENA-Deserts & Livelihoods #5026 Jordan: Badia Ecosystem and Livelihoods Project (BD+LD+CC)

Great Green Wall Initiative #4907 Nigeria: Erosion and Watershed Management Project #4908 Chad: Agriculture production support project (BD+LD+SFM/REDD+)

Implications of the emerging Typology

• SLM INRM Carbon benefits in Forest landscapes

• By leveraging other focal area resources for SLM, LDFA agenda is being absorbed by the carbon agenda

• What are the priorities of countries in different types of LD projects?

• What guidance to give countries on how to pursue SLM agenda in MFAs and SFM/REDD+ projects ?

Increased carbon in soils

Climate smart agriculture

Decrease GHG emissions

Mitigation

Value to farmers, communities, society

More biomass, more residue, more production

More employment

Better land management

Adaptation

Agriculture production and

productivity

Climate change

Reduce poverty and food security

How low carbon options contribute to agriculture productivity and food security ?

0 2 4 6 8 10

0

10

100

1000 Pr

ofit

per t

on o

f car

bon

diox

ide

sequ

este

red

(US$

)

Carbon dioxide sequestered (ton per hectare per year)

No-tillage

Inorganic fertilizer Intercropping

Alley farming Manure

Cover crops

Crop residues

Rotation intensification

Soil amendments

Terracing

Rotation diversification

Rainwater harvesting Cross slope barriers

Include trees Afforestation

Tree crop farming

Improved fallow

Source: World Bank, 2012

“Normal” or sustainable level of SOC

BAU GEF Project with LDFA Resources

GEF Project with LD + MFA Resources

SO

C

SLM for food security

SLM+SFM+LULUCF for CC-M

Scenarios for SOC in GEF Projects SOC for CC Mitigation

Conclusions • GEF financing -> leverage investments in SLM to

manage soils for food security and CCA & M • Demonstrating global environment benefits

requires tools for monitoring and measuring • Application of the tools at multiple scales is

crucial for reporting – cost implications • Engagement of scientists in GEF projects is key

to achieving this – – partnership with GEF Agencies – FAO, UNDP, UNEP… – South-south and North-south exchanges

Issues for Discussion • Soil management options for LD focal area to

interface with CC-M and CC-A focal areas - managing tradeoffs and harnessing synergies

• How can the GEF achieve more constructive programming of SLM resources in the context of emerging livelihood priorities? – food security, climate-smart agriculture

• How should GEF manage expectations for measuring and monitoring soil ecosystem services in SLM projects?

• Can programmatic approaches be useful tools to focus resources on specific thematic issues?