260 likes | 607 Views
The Global Environment Facility. Leonardo A. Ramirez October 13th, 2005. Agenda. Introduction What is the GEF? Focus on International Waters GEF’s Organizational Structure GEF International Waters Portfolio Experiences Questions for discussion. Introduction - Antecedents.
E N D
The Global Environment Facility Leonardo A. Ramirez October 13th, 2005
Agenda • Introduction • What is the GEF? • Focus on International Waters • GEF’s Organizational Structure • GEF International Waters Portfolio • Experiences • Questions for discussion
Introduction - Antecedents • The Brundtland Commission and "sustainable development“ (1987). • The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (1992). • Initial experiment (1991). • Restructuration (1994).
What is The GEF? • The GEF is an independent financial organization that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable living in local communities.
What is The GEF (Focus Areas) • Biodiversity • Climate Change • International Waters • Land Degradation • The Ozone Layer • Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Focus on International Waters • Focal area includes both marine and freshwater systems. • Proponent of projects that help the developing countries to initiate a joint action to protect their shared waters and develop projects on a sustainable fashion way. • Channel for the implementation of comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary waters and their drainage basins. • Assist countries to identify and work jointly with their neighbors in order to address threats to the shared water body due to human activities.
GEF’s Organizational Structure • The Member countries: 176 countries. Each country has GEF rep. officials • The Council: Main governing body. 32 members who represent countries. Projects must be approved by the Council.
GEF’s Organizational Structure • The Assembly: • All the countries that are members of the GEF. • It meets once every four years to review the policies and operations of the GEF. • The Secretariat: • Coordinates the implementation of projects and programs. • Coordinates the formulation of policies and operational strategies.
GEF’s Organizational Structure Implementing Agencies: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) The World Bank (IBRD)
GEF’s Organizational Structure • Executing Agencies(1999): The African Development Bank (AfDB) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) The UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) • Nongovernmental Organizations(NGO’s): Participate in the development and the execution of GEF projects
GEF’s Organizational Structure • The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP): Technical advise Scientific collaboration Advise on monitoring & evaluation
GEF’s Organizational Structure Monitoring and Evaluation Unit: • Project Performance Report • Goal: to integrate the lessons learned from earlier efforts to achieve greater effectiveness. • Thematic reviews and independent evaluations, and by developing program-level indicators. • M&E is a shared responsibility between the GEF Secretariat and its Implementing Agencies: UNDP, UNEP, and the World Bank.
GEF International Waters Portfolio Source: Millenium Development goals Progress Report 2005
GEF International Waters Portfolio • With a $300 million portfolio that includes 17 projects, The UNDP-GEF is assisting over 70 countries which share 15 lake and river basins. Source: Int. Waters Brochure GEF 2004
Experiences (Lake Manzala) The Lake is exposed to high inputs of pollutants from industrial, domestic, and agricultural sources Lake that once provided 30 percent of all Egypt's fish (85 percent) of organ malformation and discoloration Source: United nations Project Document
Experiences (Lake Manzala) Success initiative! Treatment of wastewater via engineered wetlands is a new low cost technology The success of the project has led national authorities to try to expand it Source: United nations Project Document
Experiences (Bermejo River) Source: PCL library Encyclopedia Combined size of Hungary and Bulgary
Experiences (Bermejo River) Initial project 16 Dams Focus the countries on one or two key issues rather than a diffuse environmental campain. Surce Uitto, J. I. , Duda, A. (2004), Management of transboundary water resources: lessons from international cooperation for conflict prevention
Questions for discussion • Does the world need more “GEF type of Organizations” focused on International waters with a bigger portfolio for the sake of solving transboundary water problems? • Could we state that the jointly development of infrastructure projects with neighboring countries will on a timely matter fix the water scarcity crisis that some regions will face in the future?
The Global Environment Facility "Freedom alone is not enough without light to read at night, without time or access to water to irrigate your farm, without the ability to catch fish to feed your family." Nelson Mandela Thank you