Introduction to the GEF Bangkok, 1921 Jan 2006

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Introduction to the GEFBangkok, 19-21 Jan 2006
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Origin of the GEF

• Mechanism for financing incremental costs of
  new global environment actions by developing
  countries
• Linked to negotiation and based on philosophy of
  Convention on Biological Diversity and U.N.
  Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Initially focused on biodiversity, climate change
  and shared (international) water bodies
• Recently extended to land degradation and POPs

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Financial History of the GEF

• GEF Pilot Phase
• 1991-1994 -- 1 Billion US Dollars
• Replenishments
• 1995-1998 -- 2.2 Billion US Dollars
• 1999-2001 -- 2.8 Billion US Dollars
• 2002-2005 -- 2.9 Billion US Dollars
• 2006-2009 currently under negotiation
• World Bank is the Trustee of the GEF Trust Fund

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GEF Institutional Framework

GEF Assembly GEF Council
STAP
GEF Secretariat
Office of ME
Implementing Agencies1. UNDP2. UNEP3. World
Bank
Executing Agencies1. ADF2.AFDB3. EBRD4.
FAO5. IADB6. IFAD7.UNIDO
Projects
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GEF Implementing Agencies

World Bank
UNEP
UNDP
Investment projects
Global regional/ and trans-boundary projects
Technical assistance/capacity building projects
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GEF Executing Agencies

• FAO
• UNIDO
• IFAD
• African Development Bank
• Asian Development Bank
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• Inter-American Development Bank

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• GEF FOCAL AREAS
• And STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

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Focal Areas of the GEF

• Biodiversity
• Climate Change
• International Waters
• Ozone Depletion (only countries in transition)
• Land Degradation
• Persistent Organic Pollutants POPs

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GEF links to the Global Environmental Conventions

• GEF is the designated financial mechanism for
  the
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
• Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
• POPs Convention
• The GEF is a designated mechanism for the
• Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD)
• The GEF collaborates closely with other treaties
  and agreements to reach common goals
  (International Waters, Montreal Protocol)

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Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• Objectives of the Convention
• Conservation
• Sustainable use
• Fair and equitable sharing of benefits
• In relation to genetic resources
• Financial Mechanism
• GEF is the financial mechanism of the Convention

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GEF Strategic Priorities BIODIVERSITY

• Catalyze sustainability of protected area systems
• innovative financing
• capacity building for sustainability
• catalysing community / private sector linkages
• Mainstream biodiversity in production landscapes
  and sectors
• facilitate mainstreaming - policy/remove barrier
• develop market incentive - measure/demonstrate
• Build capacity for the Implementation of the
  Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

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UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC)

• Requires developing countries (non-Annex I) to
  prepare National Reports on their
• greenhouse gas emissions
• climate change mitigation plans
• vulnerability to climate change
• GEF is its financial mechanism - finances
  convention reports and voluntary national
  projects
• Provides strategic guidance for GEF funding of
  climate change projects.

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GEF Strategic PrioritiesCLIMATE CHANGE

• Promotion of energy-efficient products/ processes
• Financing for renewable energy/energy efficiency
• Power sector policy frameworks supportive of
  renewable energy and energy efficiency
• Productive uses of renewable energy
• Promotion of low GHG urban transport modes and
  clean vehicle/fuel technologies

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International Waters

• Defined as oceans and fresh water basins whose
  boundaries are shared by more than one country
• GEF is not a financial mechanism for any
  international waters conventions. However it
  helps implement Regional Seas Conventions,
  UNCLOS, and other maritime conventions

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GEF Strategic PrioritiesINTERNATIONAL WATERS

• Develop multi-country water-body Strategic Action
  Programs and management capacities
• Catalyze stress-reduction reforms/investments
• Undertake innovative demonstrations to
• Reduce contaminants
• Control invasive species
• Address water scarcity

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Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

• Characteristics and Effects of POPs
• Persistent ability to resist degradation
• Bio-accumulate
• Potential for long range transport (air, water,
  migratory species)
• Health damage, e.g. disrupt endocrine systems,
  suppresses immune systems, induce reproductive
  and developmental changes

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POPs Convention

• Objectives
• Stop production and use of 3 pesticides Aldrin,
  Endrin Toxaphene
• Phase-out production and use of 5 others, e.g.,
  DDT, dieldrin
• Stop production and use of PCBs
• Minimize by-products of chemical processes and
  incineration e.g., dioxins, furans
• GEF is interim financial mechanism

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GEF Strategic Priorities POPS

• Capacity building
• Policy/regulatory reforms and investments
• Demonstration of innovative and cost-effective
  technologies and practices

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Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

• Promote sustainable land management (SLM) and
  ecosystem stability, functions, services
• Development capacity for SLM and mainstream into
  national development
• Innovative, indigenous, investments to improve
  ecosystem integrity
• GEF is a (not the) financial mechanism

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GEF Strategic PrioritiesLAND DEGRADATION

• Strengthen institutional capacities to
• Integrate sustainable land management in national
  development and policy frameworks, programs and
  plans
• Implement policy and regulatory reforms
• Implement innovative and/or indigenous
  sustainable land management practices through
  projects

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Current GEF Portfolio (in millions of US dollars)
Total GEF 5,242.68 Total Co-Financing 17,394.83
TOTAL 22,637.51
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• GEF SUPPORT
• FOR CAPACITY BUILDING

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Capacity Development

• Capacity Development Initiative (CDI)
• Strategic GEF/UNDP partnership
• Responds to developing country priorities and
  convention requests for support
• Achievements of CDI
• Mobilized national capacity assessments
• Raised awareness of global environment issues
• Developed a framework for GEF action

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GEF Strategic Approach to Capacity Building

• Self assessment of capacity building needs
  (NCSAs)
• Do more capacity building in GEF projects
• Support targeted capacity building projects
• Country specific programs for addressing capacity
  building needs in LDCs and SIDS.

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National Capacity Self-Assessments (NCSAs)

• 200k available through expedited procedures
• Complementary to recent or ongoing capacity
  assessment exercises
• Country-driven, multistakeholder, and iterative
• UNDP, UNEP and World Bank can deliver
• 25k available for LDCs and SIDS for process
  design and proposal development
• Global Technical Support program for
  Implementation of NCSAs

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Capacity Building Next Steps

• Operationalization of the new funds (LSCF, SCCF,
  AF)

GEF Assistance to Address Adaptation
GEF Trust Fund Strategic Priority Piloting an
Operational Approach to Adaptation (SPA)
Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) (implementatio
n of NAPAs) NO GLOBAL BENEFITS
Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) Top priority
to Adaptation NO GLOBAL BENEFITS
Adaptation Fund (AF) (2 of the share of the
proceeds of the CDM) NO GLOBAL BENEFITS
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• GENERAL ELIGBILITY CRITERIA
• GEF FUNDING CATEGORIES
• GEF PROJECT CYCLE

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Other Project Eligibility Requirements

• Country-driven and endorsed by host Government
• Produce identifiable global benefits
• Participation of all affected groups and
  transparency
• Consistency with the Conventions
• Possess strong scientific and technical merit
• Financially sustainable and cost-effective
• Include processes for monitoring, evaluation, and
  incorporation of lessons learned
• Play catalytic role that leverages other financing

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GEF Funding Categories

• Full-size projects (over 1 million)
• Medium-sized projects (up to 1 million)
• Project Development (preparation) Funds (PDF)
• PDF-A up to 25,000 (up to 50,000 for MSPs)
• PDF-B up to 350,000
• PDF-C up to 1 million
• Enabling activities (various sizes)
• Small Grants Programme (up to 50,000/project)

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GEF Small Grants Program (SGP)

• Provides direct funding to NGOs and CBOs for up
  to a maximum of US 50,000/project
• Operates in a decentralized and flexible manner
  by establishing a country program
• Led by a National Steering Committee majority of
  members from civil society
• Committee responsible for designing national SGP
  strategy and approving individual grants
• Day to day management by National Coordinator

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Basic Project Cycle
Develop project concept
GEF review for eligibility and pipeline entry
OFP endorsement
Final evaluation
Project impacts continue after completion of GEF
funding
Implement, monitor and evaluate project
Secure project development funding option
GEF Council review and approval for CEO
endorsement for OFP
Prepare project proposal
GEF review for Work Program inclusion
CEO clearance
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• RESOURCE ALLOCATION FRAMEWORK (RAF)

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RAF Timeline

• Creation of the RAF
• - Policy Recommendation of GEF 3 Replenishment
• - Recommendation approved by GEF Council --
  October 2002
• - Technical Working Group June to November 2003
  
• - Council Meetings and Consultation 2003,
  20004, 2005
• - Framework adopted by Council September 2005
• Consultations on Implementation, Jan.-June 2006
• - details to be determined
• Implementation
• - Begins July 1, 2006

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Two Components of the RAF

• Potential to generate global environmental
  benefits
• GEF Benefits Index (GBI)
• Capacity to deliver
• - GEF Performance Index (GPI)

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All GEF-Eligible Countrieshave allocations

• Individual allocations
• - Flooreven small countries are guaranteed
  minimum allocations

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RAF Implementation

• Continuity of existing practices
• Convention guidance will remain the ultimate
  determinant for GEF funding
• Countries will prepare projects in keeping with
  GEF Operational Programs and Priorities
• Approach will support and strengthen
  country-driven planning process
• Innovative elements
• Predictability Countries know upfront how much
  money they will program
• Increased transparency of allocation

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• GEF GOVERNANCE
• GEF NATIONAL COORDINATION

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GEF Governance Structure
CONVENTIONS
COUNCIL 32 Members 18 Recipient 14 Donor
ASSEMBLY All 176 Participants
Provides Guidance on Strategy Project Design

• GEF Council meets every 6 months to review and
  approve all projects, business plans and
  operational policies.
• GEF Assembly meets every 4 years to review
  objectives, structure and amend the GEF
  Instrument, as necessary.

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Relationship Among the GEF, Conventions and
National Entities
GEF Council Secretariat
Constituencies
CBD, CCD, FCCC, POPs
INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
STAP
Implementing Agencies
IA Field Offices
Convention Focal Points
Operational Focal Points
Political Focal Points
NATIONAL LEVEL
Other Governmental, NGO, Private Industry,
Research/Academic, Community Stakeholders
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Key National Focal Points in Thailand

• Political Focal Point
• Mr. Manop MEKPRAYOONTHONG
• Operational Focal Point
• Mr. Petipong Pungbun Na AYUDHYA
• Convention Focal Points
• Mrs. Nisakorn Kositrat UNCBD
• Mrs. Nisakorn Kositrat UNFCCC
• Mr. Worapong WARAMIT UNCCD
• Mr. Apichai Chvajavernpun POPS

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Typical ResponsibilitiesGEF Political Focal Point

• Ensure overall policy consistency
• Ensure GEF policies consistent with national
  policies
• Communicate Government views
• Report on GEF Council Meetings
• Act as in-country Government contact point
• Distribute GEF documents

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Typical ResponsibilitiesGEF Operational Focal
Point

• Ensure GEF-activities consistent with national
  policies and GEF Operational Guidelines
• Identify project ideas to meet country priorities
• Facilitate in-country consultations with
  stakeholders
• Provide feedback on projects

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Thailand is part of the South Asia constituency

• Malaysia
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Vietnam

• Thailand
• Cambodia
• Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea
• Peoples Democratic Republic of Lao

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Overview of GEF Constituencies

• Countries grouped according to their Constituency
• AFRICA 6 Constituencies
• ASIA 6 Constituencies
• LAT CARIBB 4 Constituencies
• EAST EUR 2 Constituencies

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Lesson Learnedin GEF National Coordination
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• DISCUSSION SESSION