Key Lessons from UNDP-GEF biodiversity conservation projects in the

Asia Pacific Region

Sameer KarkiRegional Technical Adviser

UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok for Asia and the Pacific

• Background to UNDP-GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in the Asia-Pacific

• Project Ratings – Progress towards achieving objectives– Implementation

• Lessons Learnt on: – Project implementation– Protected Areas’ Management– Mainstreaming Biodiversity

Presentation Outline

• Lessons based on annual report for the period July 2008 - June 2009

• Include 29 ongoing projects in 16 countries:– 18 are on mainstreaming biodiversity– 10 are on catalyzing the sustainability of protected areas – 1 on safeguarding biodiversity.

• Projects are from GEF2, GEF3 and GEF4 funding

• Total US$ 97.81 million GEF funding and US$ 178.43 million in co-financing.

 

Background to UNDP-GEF Portfolio in the Asia Pacific Region

Progress towards meeting project objectives:• 1 Highly Satisfactory: 522 Malaysia: Tropical peat swamp

forest and wetlands• 22 projects: Satisfactory• 5 projects : Marginally Satisfactory

Implementation ratings• 1 project Highly Satisfactory: 2177 Cambodia: Establishing

Conservation Areas Landscape Management • 20 projects: Satisfactory• 8 projects Marginally Satisfactory

Project Ratings

Critical elements highlighted by project staff for success:• A qualified and motivated project team• Strong local community engagement• Incentive-based biodiversity conservation for meaningful

and lasting impacts at the site level. • Strong partnerships at all levels

Lessons Learned: Project Implementation

• Capacity building of conservation partners (government, communities and other sectors) should be undertaken within the context of a supportive enabling environment and organizational development

• Innovations in the geographic or spatial scope of biodiversity conservation – e.g. landscape level could lead to better results as the impacts of human activities

• Critical milestones in project design such as new laws, regulations and institutions should consider complex political process and be realistic

• Changes in project’s scope should consider available resources and be built on f lessons from implementation.

• Project inception is a critical phase of project implementation and should be well-organized and with sufficient in duration.

Lessons Learned: Project Implementation (2)

• 11 projects in 8 countries : Cambodia, India (2), Iran (2), Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam (2).

• Projects impact approximately 8.4 million hectares of protected area, including:– 11 new PAs established, totalling 2.4 million hectares;– 4 PAs are in the process of being established (0.7 million hectares)– 24 existing PAs being strengthened (5.3 million hectares)

Lessons from Strategic Objective 1: Protected Areas’ Projects

PA Management Project Lessons

• Marine, coastal and wetland protected areas need to be designed with clear understanding on institutional complexities and seasonality impacts

• Decentralization of PA management to local governments and communities should take into account their capacities

• PA management should anticipate emerging problems such as climate change and institute adaptation measures

• Financial sustainability should be a primary component of exit strategies of projects

• Communications through constructive dialogues is instrumental in containing threats from illegal activities within protected areas.

• Protected areas authorities can play a role in mainstreaming biodiversity concerns into the wider landscape – such as in local community activities and local development plans, their mandates and capacities need to be strengthened to fulfill on such roles

Lessons related to Biodiversity Mainstreaming Projects

• 18 SO2 projects in 13 countries : Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China (3); India; Iran; Korea; Malaysia (2); Maldives; Mongolia; Nepal (2); Pakistan (2); Vanuatu.

• Demonstration activities cover 4.4 million ha in terms

• Key sectors covered—tourism, agri-business (agricultural biodiversity), fisheries, and forestry.

Lessons from Biodiversity Mainstreaming Projects• Risks and uncertainty in multi-year, multi-stakeholder and geographically

expansive projects should be anticipated and addressed to avoid costly delays.

• Inclusive and participatory management should be encouraged particularly at the highest level of project management.

• In mainstreaming projects, policy-related outcomes and outputs are common. However, the intricacies of the policy processes should be recognized in formulating project frameworks.

• Mainstreaming into decision-making can proceeds at a different pace at the local, national and policy-making levels. Hence progress in different project components will often vary, resulting in disconnects between change at the national level and at the local level

For further information

Sameer.karki@undp.org