Eric Coull ADB HQ, Manila 23 Jul 2008

1. www.panda.org/greatermekong WWF Greater MekongProgrammePresentation to the ADB – WWF Annual Meeting Eric Coull ADB HQ, Manila 23 Jul 2008

2. www.panda.org/greatermekong WWF Greater Mekong Presentation Outline • Evolution, highlights and some parallel history • Main Areas of Engagement/Activities/ Cooperation • Pipeline Activities • Links to the WWF Global Programme Framework • Next steps - Charting a new course for a Greater Mekong

3. www.panda.org/greatermekong Evolutionfrom Vietnam - Indochina - Greater Mekong 1980s Field research-based projects/ National Biodiversity Plans – Focus on Forests and related species in Vietnam with several major mammal discoveries 1990’s Expanding out from Vietnam to Laos and Cambodia 1990’s Establishing transboundary conservation projects – Biodiversity Forum, LINC; Establishing independent offices in capital cities 1998- 2000 Focus on PA management and large ICDPs in Vietnam – Vu Quang, Cat funded by DGIS; Ecoregion planning in Forests of Lower Mekong 1998 -2000 ADB RETA Marine resources project in China. Vietnam and Cambodia established WWF in Vietnam as leader in marine conservation.

4. www.panda.org/greatermekong Evolutionfrom Vietnam - Indochina - Greater Mekong 1999 Started to focus on Ecoregion Conservation planning in Forests of Lower Mekong with WWFUS and USAID support. 2000 WWF/IUCN invited to attend WGE meetings as observer 2001 WWF Indochina /and WWF Thailand jointly establishes the Living Mekong Initiative (Mekong River Ecoregion) with initial support from WWF Living Rivers 2001 ADB and WWF signed MOU, WWF Forms strategic local partnerships with MRC 2002 -2003 Building eco-regional approach and analysis – Greater Annamites, Dry Forests, Mekong River and more understanding the threats of infrastructure and the related ADB investment in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) strategy. ADB Developing GMS Regional Strategy

5. www.panda.org/greatermekong Evolutionand highlightsfrom Vietnam - Indochina - Greater Mekong 2004 ADB annual Meeting – first overlay of Lower Mekong Biodiversity priority areas with ADB’s Economic Corridors 2004 Core Environment Programme presented by ADB at WGE meeting in Hanoi and WWF later supported development of Biodiversity Corridors Conservation Initiative (BCI) 2005 WWF Programme restructures with merger of Indochina and Thailand through Living Mekong to the Upper Mekong and GMS to become WWF Greater Mekong with closer links to WWF China and clearer connections with the ADB – GMS 2005 Core Environment Programme launched and Environment Operations Centre opens in Bangkok 2005 WWF supports ADB with development of declaration and only WWF and SIDA participate in GMS Summit. (Kim Carstensen makes speech) 2006 Full implementation of BCI pilot sites 2008 WWF supports the Environment Minister’s meeting and Tom Dillon, senior VP of WWF US makes speech at GMS Summit in Laos.

6. www.panda.org/greatermekong • The Sao La discovered to science by WWF and Government survey team in Vietnam (1992). • Followed by other large mammals such as Giant Muntjac

7. www.panda.org/greatermekong Achievements - Programme • The first ever pictures of Cat Tien National Park’s Javan rhinos (thought to be extinct) - taken by Mike Baltzer, (May 1999). • by Mike Baltzer

8. www.panda.org/greatermekong Existing cooperation and opportunities • The GMS Working Group on Environment (observer) and one of several Development Partners for the Core Environment Program. • Biodiversity Corridors Initiative supported development and now implementer • Environmental Criteria for Hydropower Development (Partner)

9. WWF Indochina Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregions Biodiversity Landscapes Priority Map 2003 www.panda.org/greatermekong

10. WWF Indochina Forests of the Lower Mekong Ecoregions Biodiversity Landscapes Priority Map ADB GMS Economic Corridors (Lower Mekong) Overlay ADB-WWF Annual Meeting October 2004 www.panda.org/greatermekong Corridors not to exact scale East West Corridor Southern Corridor

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13. www.panda.org/greatermekong WWF Greater Mekong Programme Biodiversity Corridors Conservation Initiative (BCI) 1. Eastern Plains, Cambodia, 2. Xe Pian–Dong Houa Sao-Dong Ampham, Lao PDR 3. Ngoc Linh – Xe Sap, Vietnam Latest Progress Report to WGE Meeting, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR - July 2, 2008 with planned key deliverables to Dec 2008

14. Background – Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation www.panda.org/greatermekong • The GMS Regional Strategy based on economic transport corridors is encouraging trade between the six countries of the GMS. As part of the GMS Core Environment Program, the Biodiversity Corridors Conservation Initiative (BCI) tries to envelop the threatened biodiversity conservation landscapes of the GMS. • The GMS promotes itself as a very good example of regional cooperation for development based on connectivity and the BCI employs an innovative transboundary approach which links economic development with both social and environmental concerns. 14

15. Progress to date: Main areas of work to report against www.panda.org/greatermekong 1.Poverty Reduction • Harmonized Land Management & • Ecosystem Connectivity 4. Capacity Building 5. Sustainable Finance

16. Background – Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) cooperation www.panda.org/greatermekong • WWF has good collaboration with the ADB’s Environmental Operations Centre in Bangkok and the host Governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam to implement in pilot sites of the BCI in three of the six countries. • Overall good progress has been made after some initial delays. Next steps: corridor strategy development and implementation, sustainable finance mechanisms implementation and preparations for phase II. 16

17. Project on Environmental Considerations for Sustainable Hydropower Development (ECSHD)

18. www.panda.org/greatermekong History of the collaboration between ADB / MRC / WWFon Environmental Consideration for Sustainable Hydropower Developmentin the Mekong Marc Goichot (WWF GMP)

19. www.panda.org/greatermekong Why joint work on HP? “Presently, there are 12 completed large hydro-electric projects in the Mekong River Basin, and many more are planned. It is clear that hydropower plays an important role in meeting the current and future energy needs in the Mekong River Basin’s countries. At the same time, due to their size and function, hydroelectric dams have considerable social, environmental and hydrological impacts. A very large number of different hydropower projects have been proposed for the Mekong Basin. The challenge is to identify options for regional hydropower development which provide the energy needs of the region with the least social and environmental impact – that is, to build the best possible dams in the best possible way.”

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21. www.panda.org/greatermekong Project concept written by MRC and WWF on 12 Nov 2004 (1/2) “The objective of the project is to identify options for hydropower development that can most efficiently meet the energy needs of the region with the least social and environmental impact.”

22. www.panda.org/greatermekong Project concept written by MRC and WWF on 12 Nov 2004 (2/2) Expected Key Outputs : • Database of existing and proposed hydroelectric dam projects in the Mekong Basin, including • Criteria for assessing proposed hydropower projects • Descriptions of possible scenarios for hydropower development in the basin • Ranked list of most favourable projects in a regional context, based on identified scenarios.

23. www.panda.org/greatermekong • ECSHD project started in 2006 (joint initiative of ABD, MRC and WWF) • Started scoping study to prepare technical document (published) • Three phases under ECSHD project: Project identification (completed July 07) Project formulation (June – Sept 08) Project implementation (Oct 08 – Sept 10)

24. www.panda.org/greatermekong 1st meeting of the Task force on environmental criteria for hydropower development June 29th 2006 meeting(2/3) Member of Task force: MRC: Point person: Dr Dao Trong Tu Micheal Waters Hans Guttman Mr Phouangphanh Souvannabouth or John Forsius (alternate) Chris Barlow Tatsuo Kuneida WWF: Point person: Marc Goichot Ute Collier Tang Wanlin Petr Oblrdlik ADB: Point person: Ian Making Anthony Jude Pradeep Perera Ed Baardsen Dui Bui Thanh Javed Mir and for coordination with CEP/EOC (list communicated by ADB on July 17th 2006)

25. www.panda.org/greatermekong TOR“Task force on environmental criteria for hydropower development”finalized Sept 2006

26. www.panda.org/greatermekong What’s it all about ? How to present the big picture to decision-makers, or how to make the case for comprehensive planning, with ECSHD as one way of bringing more rationality and comprehensiveness into the planning process in each country and GMS-wide?

27. www.panda.org/greatermekong Some results we can expect in GMS ? • By January 2009, it is expected that key outputs from or collaboration would have been identified by the GMS countries and should have been delivered. • These could include: • SEAs of national hydropower plans; • a comprehensive hydropower inventory; • environmental criteria for hydropower in the Greater Mekong Sub-region; • results of stakeholder participation; and • program design for future work by the ECHD.

28. www.panda.org/greatermekong Strong Foundation– to more impact • Strong Country Programmes as the foundation for a wider Regional Programme with stronger links being developed between field work and policy change at national, regional and global level - Mow more capable of having more impact by making the links Local to Global

29. www.panda.org/greatermekong Drivers and Threats Solid foundation for footprint and sustainability issues and creating even more connections to WWF Network Initiatives (NIs) New priority programme in the Greater Mekong established and developed into a full strategy 2008 - agriculture - mining - infrastructure - climate change - timber trade - wildlife trade

30. www.panda.org/greatermekong Connections to Network Initiatives Market Transformations Tigers Climate China Shift Smart Fishing (Coral Triangle)

31. www.panda.org/greatermekong Next steps Charting a new course for a Greater Mekong Finalize a more focused WWF Initiative on transformational change around key threats to Global Priorities in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

32. www.panda.org/greatermekong Work with strategic WWF and GMS partners to create a formal agreement that unifies the six countries of the GMS around one vision for a sustainable future and the conservation of its unique Biodiversity Conservation Landscapes throughout 60 million hectares of the Greater Mekong Subregion. Charting a new course for a Greater Mekong

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