GEF CSP Sub-Regional Workshop:
presentation of Russia's experience
Contents
•
GEF Portfolio in the Russian Federation
•
GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in the Russian Federation: Partners and Regions
•
Current GEF/Russia Strategic Priorities for Biodiversity
•
Approaches to GEF Biodiversity programming
•
Results and Achievements in Biodiversity Management
•
Constrains and Challenges
•
Lessons Learnt
•
Integrated Approaches to Global Environmental Challenges
GEF Portfolio in the Russian Federation
Since 1991, GEF allocated project grants and project preparation grants for approved national projects in the
Russian Federation for a total sum of US$226.6 million (Total cofinancing US$789.78 million)
Overall participated in 33 approved GEF national projects in Russia, mainly in Biodiversity and Climate Change
Grants allocated by GEF to the 23 regional and global projects for Russian Federation totaled US$114.23 million
(Total cofinancing US$639.78 million)
In 2007, US$25.65 million were allocated from RAF
GEF-4 resources to national projects in Biodiversity
and US$87.10 million to national projects in Climate
Change.
Approved projects in
RF since 1991 (US$
million)
Utilized RAF GEF-4 Allocations in Biodiversity by
2008: US$15.46 million (3 Full Projects)
2 new Biodiversity projects under development for
US$10.19 to be submitted to the GEF in 2009
Total GEF Grant
Total cofinancing
National projects
226.550
789.763
Regional projects
114.237
639.776
National projects
Biodiversity
59,37
93,08
RAF GEF-4 Biodiversity Allocation and Utilization in Russia in 2008
30
25
10,19
US$ million
20
Allocations
remaining to be
programmed
Allocation
utilized
15
10
15,46
5
Total BD GEF-4:
US$25.65 million
0
Biodiversity
GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in the Russian Federation
Partners and Regions
GEF projects in Biodiversity in Russia by GEF Implementing Agency:
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): 8 national projects (full and medium size)
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): 1 national full size project, 4 regional/national enabling activities
• The World Bank : 2 national projects (full and medium size)
Key project implementing partners, national/regional levels:
Government:
Institutes/NGOs:
Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation
and its regional branches
Ministry of Agriculture
State Committee for Fisheries and its regional branches
Regional Governments
Regional governmental authorities responsible for ecological control
WWF-Russia
Biodiversity Conservation Center (BCC)
Environmental Educational Center "Zapovedniks“
Coverage of GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in Russia since 1991
National
Siberia
Kamchatka Oblast
Khabarovsky Kray
Kamchatka Peninsula
Lower Volga
Altai-Sayan
Taymir
Kamchatka Oblast
Arctic
Marine and Coastal Areas
Komi Republic
Steppe PAs
Eco-regions covered by GEF Biodiversity projects in
Russia
GEF/Russia Strategic Priorities for Biodiversity
Catalyzing Sustainability of Protected Area Systems
-Demonstrating Sustainable Conservation of Biodiversity in Four Protected Areas in Russia's
Kamchatka Oblast (UNDP 2003-2010)
- Biodiversity Conservation in the Russian Portion of the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion (UNDP 2006-2010)
-Conservation of Wetland Biodiversity in the Lower Volga Region (UNDP 2006-2010)
-Strengthening Protected Area System of the Komi Republic to Conserve Virgin Forest Biodiversity in
the Pechora River Headwaters Region (UNDP, FSP: 2008 – 2013)
- Strengthening the Marine and Coastal Protected Areas of Russia (UNDP 2009-2014)
- Improving the Coverage and Management Efficiency of Protected Areas in the Steppe Biome of
Russia (PPG on-going, FSP: UNDP 2010-2014)
Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation in Production Landscapes/Seascapes and Sectors
-An Integrated Ecosystem Management Approach to Conserve Biodiversity and Minimize Habitat
Fragmentation in Three Selected Model Areas in the Russian Arctic (ECORA) (UNEP 2003-2009)
- Conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in Russia’s Taymir Peninsula: Maintaining
connectivity across the landscape (UNDP 2006-2010)
-Conservation and Sustainable Use of Wild Salmonid Biological Diversity in Russia's Kamchatka
Peninsula (UNDP 2003-2009)
- Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation into Russian energy policies and operations (under
development, endorsed by OFP, UNDP, 2010-2014)
- Joint Actions to Reduce PTS and Nutrients Pollution and Protect Biodiversity in Lake Baikal through
Integrated Basin Management: Russia, Mongolia. Multifocal BD/IW (under development, UNDP
2010-2013)
Approaches to GEF Biodiversity programming
•
Ecoregional/ecosystem approach addressing gaps in Protected Areas
coverage (representativity): Arctic, marine and coastal, steppe, forest,
freshwater and wetland ecosystems, etc.
•
GEF assistance helps expand national protected areas system and improve
its management effectiveness
•
Partnership with key sectoral and regional agencies to embed biodiversity
conservation concerns into decision-making and strategic planning
•
Building capacity of local and regional stakeholders
•
Mainstreaming biodiversity into various development sectors: fishery,
energy, etc.
Results and Achievements in Biodiversity Management
• Enhanced protected area management effectiveness (management-plans
for individual PAs, enhanced technical capacities for protection and
monitoring, improved capacities of PA staff): at least 30 federal and regional
PAs covering an area of more than 15 million hectares of utmost global and
national biodiversity value
1400
1200
Federal
budget
1000
• Increased funding for PA system management
800
Extra
budgetary
600
400
GEF
funding
200
0
2000
2005
2006
2007
• Better cooperation between protected areas and local communities (SME
funds, co-management, sustainable livelihoods, eco-tourism)
• Interagency tools and partnerships for biodiversity conservation and PA
management (anti-poaching teams, technical advisory boards, steering
committees)
Constrains and challenges
• On-going administrative and regulatory reform; legal barriers
• Staff turn-over in regional administrations and protected areas; capacity
constrains
• Lack of project management expertise in the regions
• Integrated multifocal programmes require interagency and sectoral
coordination
Lessons Learnt
• Project interventions are most effective when designed to complement and
build on the existing baseline activities and provide key incremental
assistance to national/regional initiatives
• Successful exchange of experience among the projects allows better
synergies and enhanced quality of interventions in the following fields:
 PA management tools
Alternative livelihood demonstrations(SME activities in Kamchatka and
Altay-Sayan)
Institutional strengthening and capacity building
 Public awareness activities
• Active and thoroughly planned stakeholder involvement process is a
prerequisite for successful incremental intervention
Integrated Approaches to Global Environmental Challenges
•
-
•
-
•
Biodiversity and Climate Change: Cross-focal area initiative in Altay-Sayan
Ecoregion and in Komi Republic aimed to expand regional protected area
networks so as to build resilience to climate change induced threats and
protect carbon sinks (GEF + German Climate Change Initiative):
Designation of PAs to a) reduce ecosystem vulnerability and b) increase the
carbon storage
Fire management strategies to a) benefit in emission reduction and
b)increase climate change adaptation capacities of local institutions
Biodiversity and Energy: New pipeline initiative on mainstreaming
biodiversity conservation priorities into Russian energy sector development
policies and energy production sectors (under development, endorsed by
OFP):
Addressing potential threats to biodiversity from the new and planned
energy projects
Reducing impacts from existing energy production and transportation
infrastructure on globally important ecosystems
Biodiversity and Water: Multifocal UNDP/GEF Regional project to conserve
biodiversity and reduce contamination in the Baikal Lake Basin: Russia,
Mongolia (under development)
Thank you