Interlinkages between the GEF Focal Areas: A Report Focusing on the

needs of the GEF

Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP)

*Focal Areas are: Biodiversity, Climate change, International waters, Land

degradation, Ozone depletion,POPs

Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP)

• 15 members

• Diverse expertise and regional representaion

• Provide advice to the GEF and bring relevant scientific and technical knowledge to the attention of the GEF

GEF

• Set up post Rio• Funding to support the goals and objectives of

the Conventions - a catalytic institution• Replenishment every four years • Current: $US3billion from 2002-6• Projects dispersed through “implementing

agencies (IAs : WB, UNDP, UNEP)• Projects developed within focal areas and within

Operational Programs (OPs)• Also funds enabling activities (for convention

reporting) and capacity building activities

Focal AreasFocal Area Includes:

Climate Change Mostly mitigation, but this year on adaptation

Biodiversity Concentrates on many ecosystems

International Waters Rivers, lakes, aquifers, coastal and inland wetlands, Large Marine Ecos

Ozone Depletion Reduction of Methyl Bromide

Multi-Focal (OP #12) Integrated ecosystem management

POPs Capacity building, non-combustion disposal technologies

Summary of GEF Investments (1991-2002)

Focal Area GEF Investments ($m)

Climate Change 1407.4

Biodiversity 1485.8

International Waters 550.8

Ozone Depletion 169.9

Multi-Focal (OP #12) 210.0

POPs 20.9

Operational Programs• 15 OPs: multiple ones in some Focal Areas

– including in Biodiversity, Climate change and International waters

– In Biodiversity, OPs include: Sustainable forestry; Coastal, Marine and Freshwater resources; Arid and semi-arid lands; Mountain ecosystems, Agrobiodiversity

• More recently multifocal areas added– Integrated Approach to Ecosystem Management

(OP#12 - $250m)– Sustainable Land Management (OP#15 - $500m)

Strategic priorities

• Move to these in the third replenishment – E.g in Biodiversity– Catalyzing Sustainability of Protected Areas– Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Production

Landscapes and Sectors– Capacity Building for Implementation of the

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety– Generation and Dissemination of Best Practices

for Addressing Current and Emerging Biodiversity Issues

However, ..

• most of the projects are still funded in the OPs and thus within one single Focal Areas (note IW in many ways deals with linkages)

• Hence the need for looking at interlinkages in the Focal Areas

Overall Performance Study 2

• “..integration of global environmental issues into the mainstream development agenda”

Another reason for looking at interlinkages

STAP in this report would: ..• Focus on the scientific and technical basis of the

linkages and why they need to be considered

• What general interventions could be developed that take the interlinkages into account, are sustainable etc

• Include case studies (GEF and non-GEF funded) that would give insights and are illustrative of what can be (or has been) done to include interlinkages in project design (what could have been changed in projects to take the interlinkages into account)

• Learning by doing - adaptive management in projects dealing with interlinkages.

Types of interventions (i.e., strategies and policies)

• potential synergies and tradeoffs between the different focal area – temporal and spatial scale (time lags,

thresholds etc)

A possible framework - from current scientific understanding

Climate Change

Land Degradation

Biodiversity Change

International waters

Persistent Organic Pollutants

Stratospheric ozone depletion

Move from the circles to the arrows

MA’s Conceptual Framework as an overall framework

Indirect and Direct Drivers of ChangeIndirect Drivers Demographic Economic (e.g., globalization, trade, market, & policy framework) Socio-political (e.g., governance, institutional, & legal framework) Science and Technology Cultural and religious (e.g., choices about what and how much to consume)

Direct Drivers Changes in land use and land cover Species Introductions or removals

Biodiversity, international waters Technology adaptation and use

Various FA External inputs (e.g. fertilizer use, pest control, irrigation)

Biodiversity, IW Harvest and resource consumption (many of the FA( Climate change Natural physical and biological drivers(e.g., volcanoes, evolution)

Alternative way to look - make interlinkages more tangible

What are the some of the issues or questions the IAs have in terms of GEF projects (consulting the IAs on this)

What are the pressing scientific and socieconomic issues at the global level?

• Degradation and over exploitation of our land and water resources

• Management of transboundary watersheds and coastal areas given pressures from pollution, including POPs, land run-off etc

• Management of Invasive species• Management of wetlands

Global issues and focal areas

• Degradation and over exploitation of our land and water resources

• Management of transboundary watersheds and coastal areas given pressures from pollution, including POPs, land run-off etc

• Management of Invasive species• Management of wetlands• Desing of protected areas

Need to have interventions that consider all the FA. Biodiversity, Climate change, International waters, land degradation, POPs, stratospheric ozone depletion

Structure of the Report

• Executive summary• Rationale and Scope

– Need for interlinkages amongst the focal areas– A short context setting of work already done

• An overall framework – Including Introduction to direct and indirect drivers, SPIR, MA CFW

• Types of interventions (policies, strategies)• Translation of these into potential projects (or

programmatic approaches

Overall about 50 pages

Draw on various reports already done internationally and previously by STAP

TimetableDec 2003 to May 2004

• Mid Dec: Distribution of outline to IAs, GEF Sec, Conventions• Late Dec : Comments back from IAs, GEFSEC on the outline • 20-22 Jan 2004: STAP member writing meeting to develop the

first draft• End Jan: Distribution to IAs, GEF Sec, Conventions for

comments• Mid Feb: Comments back on the first draft• 1-4 March: Discussion and further development of the paper at a

STAP meeting• Early March-mid April: finalisation of the document; • Mid April: Briefing to the IAs, GEF Sec and Conventions • Mid April: submission to the GEF May Council meeting

Deal with the drivers collectively

Deal with sector or ecosystem G&S collectively

Multiple pressures or drivers, sectoral and fragmented approach at international and national level

Some challenges - to all

Some challenges for GEF specifically

• Global problems, local impacts, local solutions, local benefits - a problem when looking at the incremental costs for GEF projects; flexibility as in adaptation and now the land degradation

In summary

• Developing a report on dealing with interlinkages within the GEF focal areas

• Thus GEF orientated

• Tight timeframe

• Work with the UNEP initiative

• Happy to circulate outlines to people

Contact

Habiba.gitay@anu.edu.au