GEF Enabling Activities: Application & Access Guide

1. GEF and the Conventions Reporting - GEF Enabling Activities - Overview - UNDP’s role - UNDP’s activities in the Region GEF Caribbean Expanded Constituency Workshop Belize City, Tuesday 01 March 2011

2. GEF as a “financial mechanism” for global environmental conventions • The GEF provides funding to assist developing countries in meeting the objectives of international environmental conventions. • → GEF serves as "financial mechanism" for 4 conventions: • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) • UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) • UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants • The GEF, although not linked formally to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (MP), supports implementation of the Protocol in countries with transition economies

3. GEF - Areas of Work STAR – System for Transparent Allocation of Resources

4. Country Programming – Transparent Allocation of Resources STAR – System for Transparent Allocation of Resources

5. Country Programming – Transparent Allocation of Resources • Any country that receives a sum total allocation for BD, CC, and LD that totals less than $6.5* M would be allowed to use its allocation within either of these three focal areas, if eligible. • Around 50 countries are expected to benefit => several Caribbean countries (see previous table) • These countries will be invited to inform the Conference of the Parties of the relevant convention(s) about the utilization of the GEF resources. • *The final flexibility threshold for GEF-5 will be set once the size of the replenishment is known, based on Council decision to protect at least 90% of biodiversity and climate change resources (update: done, results reflected in previous table).

6. GEF as a “financial mechanism” & reporting obligations • The funding of National Communications/reports to the conventions is a fundamental obligation of the GEF as the financial mechanism of various conventions • Countries may apply directly to the GEF for resources and technical support to prepare National Communications. • Countries also have the option to receive resources and technical supportfor National Communicationsthrough GEF Agencies

7. How to access GEF funds The followingmechanisms are availableforaccesing GEF funds →Full-SizedProjectsGEF contributions > 1 M$*→ Medium-SizedProjects GEF contributions <1 M$* →others: EnablingActivitiesand Small GrantsProgrammeFull-Sized and Medium-SizedProjects are preparedwiththehelp of anImplementationAgency. Enablingactivities can bepreparedwithorwithouthelp of anImplementingAgency.

8. Enabling Activities (EAs) • The GEF finances Enabling Activities • related to the conventions on: • biodiversity • climate change • Persistent Organic Pollutants • desertification • to help countries prepare: • national inventories (e.g. GHG) • strategies (e.g. NBSAP) • action plans “ “ • reports (.e.g. 2010 BD targets) • under these conventions

9. EAs & Focal Areas Set-asides (FAS) • A Focal Areas Set-aside (FAS) for each Focal Area under the STAR is defined • The FAS falls outside the national STAR allocations to the amount of 20%* • This set-aside can be used to finance Enabling Activities and regional and global projects • Sustainable Forest Management incentive program included in the FAS under GEF 5

10. Enabling Activities (EAs) Expedited versus non-expedited access to funds Enabling activities may be submitted to the Secretariat on a rolling basis throughout the year EAs requesting GEF financing in excess of the ceiling amount approved by the Council are considered non-expedited EAs and are processed as FSPs

11. UNDP support to EAs e.g. UNDP

12. Enabling Activities (EAs) Templates - guidelines

13. Enabling Activities (EAs) Templates - guidelines

14. Enabling Activities (EAs) Operational Guidance

15. Enabling Activities (EAs) Operational Guidance

16. EAs under the Focal Areas: BD • BD GEF 5 Strategy – Objective 5: • Integrate CBD Obligations into National Planning Processes through Enabling Activities • → assist national government institutions in meeting their immediate obligations under the CBD, notably the development and revision of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs), national reporting, and clearing house information functions. • → make critical contributions to the successful mainstreaming of biodiversity into national development planning frameworks and sector planning processes • → incorporate knowledge from increased understanding on role of habitat & biodiversity in helping humans adapt to climate change + advances in ecosystem service valuation into revised NBSAPs

17. EAs under the Focal Areas: BD • BD GEF 5 Strategy – Objective 5: • Integrate CBD Obligations into National Planning Processes through Enabling Activities • Countries will be able to access the Focal Area Set-aside funds (FAS) to implement Enabling Activities for an amount up to $500,000 on an expedited basis • Amounts greater than that will be provided from a country’s national allocation.

18. EAs under the Focal Areas: BD http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2011/ntf-2011-035-bs-en.pdf

19. EAs under the Focal Areas: BD

20. EAs under the Focal Areas: CC • CC(M) GEF 5 Strategy – Objective 6: • Support Enabling Activities & Capacity Building • GEF has provided financial and technical support to more than • 150 non-Annex I Parties to prepare their initial, second, and, in some • cases, third national communications to the UNFCCC • GEF will continue to support the preparation of national communications to the UNFCCC. Parties that did not receive support during GEF-4 will likely require financial support to prepare their 3rd or 4th national communications to the UNFCCC. • The GEF will also continue to fund the preparation and updating of Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs; top-ups to NCs), especially for countries that did not receive support during GEF-4

21. EAs under the Focal Areas: CC • CC(M) GEF 5 Strategy – Objective 6: • Support Enabling Activities & Capacity Building • The GEF helps developing countries submit national communications to the UNFCCC, including a report on national inventories of greenhouse gases. • The largest part of GEF support for the NCs is delivered through an umbrella and support programadministered by the UNDP and the UNEP. • Through this umbrella program, countries can also receive support for vulnerability and adaptation assessments, capacity building, and technology needs assessments.

22. EAs under the Focal Areas: LD • LD GEF 5 Strategy – Objective 4: • Increase capacity to apply adaptive management tools in SLM • GEF supports enabling activities related to the obligations of the Parties to the UNCCD in the context of wider capacity development for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) • This objective will support adaptive management by aiding countries in national monitoring and reporting to UNCCD in the context of supporting the national and regional SLM agenda and the development of new tools and methods for better addressing the root causes and impacts of land degradation

23. EAs under the Focal Areas: LD For enabling activities that are Convention obligations (UNCCD) an amount of $150,000will be made available under the LD focal area to support each country in reporting against the implementation of the 10-year strategic plan of the UNCCD

24. Observation: International Waters (IW) GEF 5 Strategy – Transboundary Diagnostic Analyses & Strategic Action Programmes: = foundational capacity building, large “enabling activities” conducted under the form of Full or Medium-sized projects IW = additional funds, not part of a Country’s STAR allocation

25. Slide text starts here • Myriad regular • Align left UNDP GEF’s Adaptation Portfolio includes. Enabling activities: Second National Communications to the UNFCCC (100) • 15 Caribbean countries are supported by UNDP for SNC – National Adaptation Programme of Action (29) (mainly for • LDCs) example from the perspective of the CC FA

26. GEF National Communications Support Programme – NCSP (UNFCCC) http://ncsp.undp.org/

27. GEF National Communications Support Programme – UNDP/UNEP

28. GEF National Communications Support Programme – UNDP/UNEP NCSP ncsp@undp.org

29. UNDP & National Capacity Self Assessments (NCSAs) GEF support for country capacity development focusses on strengthening the capacities to manage priority environmental issues and contribute to global environmental benefits Each of the GEF modes of delivery (FSPs, MSPs, SGs and Enabling Activities) aims to incorporate some form of capacity development Since 2002: GEF Strategic Approach to Enhance Capacity Building, = outcome of a major 1999-2000 review, the Capacity Development Initiative The National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA), was provided to make a self-assessment of their capacity needs and prepare a National Capacity Action Plan

30. UNDP & National Capacity Self Assessments (NCSAs) http://ncsa.undp.org/

31. NCSAs Process & Products • Process • Engaged broad range of stakeholders in understanding root causes of environmental unsustainability • Strengthened legitimacy of action to build foundational cross-cutting capacities for the global environment and environmental sustainability • 14 sub-regional NCSA networking and support workshops • Products • Focal Area Stocktaking and Thematic Assessment of Capacity Development needs • Cross-Cutting Capacity Development Assessments • Final Report and Action Plan • Monitoring Guidelines of Capacity Development • NCSA Synthesis Report

32. UNDP & NCSAs: Self-reported Priority Capacity Needs

33. UNDP & NCSAs: CCCD in GEF-5 Opportunities for Cross-Cutting Capacity Development • 146 countries undertook an NCSA and are eligible to receive CCCD GEF-5 funds • NCSAs enjoyed broad coverage of eligible countries, including LDCs and SIDS • Greatest coverage was the Caribbean, at 100%

34. UNDP & NCSAs: CCCD in GEF-5 • Five areas of support for CCCD • Projects are to implement a priority cross-cutting capacity • development recommendation identified in the NCSA Action Plan • To be implemented as MSPs (US$ 500K GEF contribution*) *up to US$ 1 M if technically merited • GEF $ available outside of STAR; countries may wish to use STAR allocation Generate, access and use of information and knowledge Strengthened capacities for policy and legislation development for achieving global benefits Strengthened capacities for management and implementation on convention guidelines New and improved sustainable financing mechanisms Capacities enhanced to monitor and evaluate environmental impacts and trends

35. UNDP & EAs in the Caribbean: NCSP (regional) workshops MORE INFO & PRESENTATIONS: http://ncsp.undp.org/workshops?op=%3C

36. UNDP & EAs in the CaribbeanNCSP

37. UNDP & EAs in the CaribbeanNCSA

38. UNDP & EAs in the Caribbean http://www.undp.org/gef/contacts/lac.html

39. UNDP in the Caribbean: Country Offices

40. UNDP in the Caribbean: Country Offices GEF contacts PO = Programme Officer – PA = Programme Associate

41. UNDP & EAs in the CaribbeanActive portfolio

42. UNDP & EAs in the Caribbean

43. UNDP & EAs in the Caribbean

44. UNDP & EAs in the Caribbean

45. UNDP & EAs in the Caribbean