The GMS Core Environment Program: Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Development of the Greater Mekong Subregion The GMS Core Environment Program:

The GMS Core Environment Program:

Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Development of the

Greater Mekong Subregion

The GMS Core Environment Program:

Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Development of the

Greater Mekong Subregion

Javed Mir, Senior Natural Resources Management Specialist David McCauley, GEF Facilitator

Asian Development Bank

Global Environment Facility - Country Support Program Sub-regional Workshop for GEF Focal Points in East and

Southeast Asia2 April 2007

Outline of the Presentation

• The Greater Mekong The Greater Mekong Subregion & ProgramSubregion & Program

• GMS Environmental GMS Environmental Working GroupWorking Group

• GMS Core GMS Core Environment ProgramEnvironment Program

• Integrating Global Integrating Global Environmental Environmental ConcernsConcerns

• Lessons Learned and Lessons Learned and Next StepsNext Steps

Recent Economic Expansion in the GMS

Real GDP (1992 = 100)

0.0

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

300.0GMS

Cambodia

Lao PDR

Myanmar

Thailand

Viet Nam

YunnanProvince

AnnualIndicator

1992 2004

Total exports (US$ billion)

36.3 a/ 129.4 a/

(258%)

Intraregional exports (US$ billion)

2.4 27.1

(1029%)

Tourist arrivals (millions)

9.6(1995)

17.8

(85%)

Foreign direct investment (US$ billion)

2.1 3.4

(62%)

a/ Excludes PRC.

GMS SUMMIT

GMS MINISTERIALMEETING

GMS SENIOROFFICIALS

MEETING (SOM)

GOVERNMENT NATIONAL

COORDINATINGCOMMITTEE

National Coordinator

ADB--------------Secretariat

WG on HRD (WGHRD)

Ad Hoc SG on Customs

Trade Facilitation WG

WG on Environment (WGE)

Sub. Investment WG

WG on Agriculture (WGA) GMS Business Forum

Tourism WG (TWG)

Sub. Telecoms Forum

Sub. Transport Forum

Energy Setor Forum

RPTCC Focal Group

GMS Program Organizational Structure

Overview of the GMS Program

Members:Members:Cambodia, People’s Republic of ChinaCambodia, People’s Republic of ChinaLao People’s Democratic Republic,Lao People’s Democratic Republic,Myanmar, Thailand, Viet NamMyanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam

Investment Program:Investment Program:- 26 investment projects over 12 years26 investment projects over 12 years- Investments of $6.5 billionInvestments of $6.5 billion- ADB contribution of $1.8 billionADB contribution of $1.8 billion- ADB project cofinancing of $2.6 billion ADB project cofinancing of $2.6 billion - 124 technical assistance projects124 technical assistance projects- Grants of $148 million ($69 million Grants of $148 million ($69 million ADB)ADB)

Initiatives:Initiatives:- Cross-border Transport Agreement- Cross-border Transport Agreement- Phnom Penh Plan for Development Phnom Penh Plan for Development ManagementManagement- - Core Environment ProgramCore Environment Program- GMS Energy Strategy- GMS Energy Strategy

“We welcome the recommendations by the ministers on the implementation of the Core Environment Program, together with local communities and development partners at their meeting in Shanghai, China in May 2005.” (July 2005, Kunming, PRC)

““If we do not take care of our natural If we do not take care of our natural resources and biodiversity, the region resources and biodiversity, the region

cannot realize its economic potential.”cannot realize its economic potential.”

““If we do not take care of our natural If we do not take care of our natural resources and biodiversity, the region resources and biodiversity, the region

cannot realize its economic potential.”cannot realize its economic potential.”

GMS Core Environment Program - Vision

A poverty-free and ecologically rich A poverty-free and ecologically rich GMSGMS

Core Environment Program – Objectives

• Embed environmental dimensions in Embed environmental dimensions in GMS Economic Cooperation Program GMS Economic Cooperation Program

• Positively influence GMS development Positively influence GMS development process, strategies and investments process, strategies and investments

• Integrate and synergize poverty Integrate and synergize poverty reduction and biodiversity conservationreduction and biodiversity conservation

• Partner with state and non-state Partner with state and non-state stakeholders on resource mobilization stakeholders on resource mobilization (knowledge, human and financial) (knowledge, human and financial) coupled with program development coupled with program development and implementationand implementation

Spatial Elements of the GMS CEP

Targets - Phase 1 (2006-2008)

•Integrate environmental concerns into development Integrate environmental concerns into development planning (NSEC, tourism, energy sectors)planning (NSEC, tourism, energy sectors)

•Establish structure for GMS biodiversity corridors Establish structure for GMS biodiversity corridors based on work in at least five pilot sites based on work in at least five pilot sites

•Develop pro-poor biodiversity conservation Develop pro-poor biodiversity conservation management plans for three protected areasmanagement plans for three protected areas

•Institutionalize use of environmental performance Institutionalize use of environmental performance assessment and NSDS, develop regional indicatorsassessment and NSDS, develop regional indicators

•Develop for Phase II (2009-2015) an ADB/GEF Develop for Phase II (2009-2015) an ADB/GEF partnership and investment programpartnership and investment program

•Prepare proposals for sustainable financing Prepare proposals for sustainable financing mechanisms (by 2008)mechanisms (by 2008)

Activities:Activities:

• Develop national-level capacity for Develop national-level capacity for environmental assessment of energy, environmental assessment of energy, transport and tourism strategies and transport and tourism strategies and plansplans

• Assess potential environmental Assess potential environmental impacts of GMS energy, transport and impacts of GMS energy, transport and tourism strategies and investments tourism strategies and investments

Component Component

11

Environmental Assessment of Economic Corridors and Sector Strategies

Aim: Aim: Ensure GMS Ensure GMS development strategies development strategies and investment plans are and investment plans are environmentally sound, environmentally sound, economically efficient and economically efficient and socially equitablesocially equitable


• Initiate at least five biodiversity Initiate at least five biodiversity corridor pilot sites tied to GMS corridor pilot sites tied to GMS economic corridorseconomic corridors

• Link biodiversity conservation to Link biodiversity conservation to poverty reductionpoverty reduction


• Initiate at least five biodiversity Initiate at least five biodiversity corridor pilot sites tied to GMS corridor pilot sites tied to GMS economic corridorseconomic corridors

• Link biodiversity conservation to Link biodiversity conservation to poverty reductionpoverty reduction

Component Component

22

Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative

Aim: Aim: Establish Establish sustainable management sustainable management and use regimes in the and use regimes in the GMS biodiversity GMS biodiversity conservation corridorsconservation corridors


•Monitor the state of the environment Monitor the state of the environment and build environmental performance and build environmental performance assessment capacityassessment capacity

•Link environmental performance Link environmental performance assessment to national economic and assessment to national economic and sector development, planning and sector development, planning and monitoring processesmonitoring processes

Component Component

33

Environmental Performance Assessments

Aim: Aim: Build on SEF I & II to Build on SEF I & II to enhance and enhance and institutionalize institutionalize environmental environmental performance assessment performance assessment capacity and usecapacity and use


• Identify options for institutionalizing the Identify options for institutionalizing the functions of the Environment Operations functions of the Environment Operations Center Center

• Build capacity for integrating sustainable Build capacity for integrating sustainable development considerations into planning and development considerations into planning and monitoringmonitoring

• Develop capacity and networks for Develop capacity and networks for environmental information/knowledge environmental information/knowledge generation and management generation and management

• Build stakeholder platforms and networksBuild stakeholder platforms and networks

Component Component

44

Capacity Building for Environmental Management

Aim:Aim: Self-sustaining GMS Self-sustaining GMS environmental governance environmental governance and management regimeand management regime


Prepare a Core Enviroment Program Prepare a Core Enviroment Program / Biodiversity Corridors Initiative / Biodiversity Corridors Initiative investment framework for 2009-investment framework for 2009-20152015

Component Component

55

Sustainable Financing

Aim:Aim: Initiate strategies and Initiate strategies and mechanisms to promote the mechanisms to promote the financial sustainability of financial sustainability of landscape conservation and landscape conservation and environmental management environmental management efforts in the GMSefforts in the GMS

Areas of Emphasis – Phase 2 (2009-2015)

• Further develop GMS environmental Further develop GMS environmental management and institutional management and institutional capacity buildingcapacity building

• Firmly establish biodiversity corridors Firmly establish biodiversity corridors and upscale investments tied to and upscale investments tied to watershed restoration and protectionwatershed restoration and protection

• Encourage sustainable transport Encourage sustainable transport through public-private partnershipsthrough public-private partnerships

• Identify high priority climate change Identify high priority climate change risks and introduce appropriate risks and introduce appropriate adaptation measuresadaptation measures

Core Environment Program – Innovations

•Makes active use of partnerships Makes active use of partnerships (currently over 30 partners) (currently over 30 partners)

• Incorporates cross-sectoral Incorporates cross-sectoral development synergies and development synergies and environmental risksenvironmental risks

•Applies landscape management Applies landscape management approachapproach

• Includes attention to emerging Includes attention to emerging threats – climate change, acid threats – climate change, acid rain, social/cultural risksrain, social/cultural risks

Environmental Mainstreaming Achievements Implementation in early stages, but mainstreaming efforts center on:

• Improved environment-sectoral communications: Facilitating cross-sectoral engagement between the Working Group on Environment and GMS development/investment planning bodies in transport, energy (hydropower) and tourism sectors.

• Partnerships: Bringing together multiple actors – state, communities, NGOs, universities, bilateral and multilateral partners on one common platform.

• Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA): Applied to key sectors in GMS Program covering >$3.5 billion now and expected to be >$25 billion by 2015. Using several spatial scales: national, provincial, subregional economic corridors.

• Poverty-environment linkages: Biodiversity conservation in high priority landscapes linked to local livelihoods development through SEAs tied to conservation investments

• Environmental investments: Developing an environmentally focused investment framework which will amount to about $1 billion vis-à-vis $10 -$15 billion of infrastructure investments.

Environmental Mainstreaming Challenges

Primarily Facing Human Resource Constraints:

• Central and provincial level capacity to undertake integrated development planning

• Staff at environment agencies and key decision making ministries to engage on environment and development issues

• Complex program planning and reporting over-loads staff

Responses:

• Embedding initiatives within mainstream development and conservation plans and programs

• Augmenting public sector capacity by bringing in communities and non-state actors

• Using SEAs to provide a platform for bringing people, skills and programs together

• Enabling local communities to generate and manage information, knowledge and financial resources, and become the key decision makers and service providers

Lessons: Mainstreaming Global Concerns

Still early in the process, but some preliminary lessons:

• Taking a long-term view: Biodiversity and climate change issues require longer term perspective, and the GMS program provides it

• Subregional facilitation: Country-driven vision and approach essential, but GMS program allows neutral framwork for subregional cooperation.

• Relevance to Key Audiences: Environment must be seen not as a constraint, but adding value to everyday lives and jobs for communities, benefits for line agencies, and so on.

• Multi-stakeholder Networks: Integrative planning is time and information/ knowledge intensive. No single actor including the State can do it.

• Flexibility to Act: Need an adaptive planning and implementation mode with robust knowledge/technological back-up system.

Thank you!

Documents

The GMS Core Environment Program: Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Development of the Greater Mekong Subregion The GMS Core Environment Program: