Biodiversity Enabling Activity
Project Proposal for Additional Funding
Country:
Bhutan
Project Title:
Assessment of Capacity Building Needs and
Country Specific Priorities in Biodiversity
Country Eligibility:
Ratification of Convention on Bio-diversity on
25 August 1995
GEF Additional Financing
(Phase II):
US $ 165,000
Government Contribution:
In kind
Total Budget
(+ GEF Financing (Phase I):
US $ 281,546.00
GEF Implementing Agency:
UNDP
National Executing Agency:
Ministry of Agriculture
Royal Government of Bhutan
Local Counterpart Agency:
Nature Conservation Division (NCD)
Department of Forestry Services
Ministry of Agriculture
GEF operational Focal Point:
Department of Aid & Debt Management (DADM)
Ministry of Finance
CBD operational Focal Point:
National Environment Commission (NEC)
CHM Focal Point:
Dr. Sangay Wangchuk, Joint Director, NCD, MoA
Estimated Starting Date:
November 15, 2001
Project Duration:
One (1) year
1
I.
BACKGROUND ON CURRENT PROJECT STATUS
The Royal Government of Bhutan ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
in its 73rd session of the National Assembly held in 1995. In supporting this convention
we have committed ourselves to protect the many rare, endangered and endemic species
in our country and towards upholding a national, regional and global responsibility.
In order to fulfill the obligations to the CBD and at the same time also to realize our
commitment to the protection and conservation of our biological resources the Royal
Government of Bhutan (RGoB) initiated the process for the development of a National
Bio-diversity Conservation Strategy with prioritized Action Plans in November 1996
through funding from UNDP/GEF. This is to serve as an overall framework to
consolidate, strengthen and improve its activities and programmes to conserve and
sustainably utilize the rich natural biodiversity of the country.
The Nature Conservation Division under the Department of Forestry Services within the
Ministry of Agriculture was entrusted with the responsibility for co-ordinating the
development of the National Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (BAP).
This was because the Department of Forestry Services is the main governmental agency
responsible for the execution of biodiversity conservation programmes as well as
overseeing and enforcing measures to conserve and sustainably utilize the biodiversity
resources of Bhutan.
The BAP has been prepared through active participation of all relevant stakeholders at
national and district levels through a series of meetings, consultations and regional and
national workshops stretching over a period of six months from January to June 1997. It
was undertaken through wide, collaborative and informal participatory approach
involving national experts, steering committee members, representatives from other
ministries and conservation agencies, non-governmental organizations and local people’s
representatives. It was finally prepared and approved by the RGoB in 1998 and submitted
as a first national report on biodiversity to the CoP/CBD.
The BAP has recommended several immediate capacity building issues/gaps to ensure
biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, natural resource management and
sustainable development in Bhutan. These gaps include insufficient capacity in
biosystematics to study the status and content of biodiversity resources based on
recognized scientific criteria and international standards, insufficient capacity for
monitoring biodiversity and unclear roles, responsibilities, description of mechanisms,
institutional structures and ToRs for relevant stakeholders in biodiversity conservation
and in the implementation of the CBD and the BAP.
2
II
1.
ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN PHASE 2:
Objectives
1. Assist the Royal Government of Bhutan (MoA/NCD)1 in further assessing capacity
building needs, identifying specific priorities for Bhutan, analyzing institutional and
functional capabilities and determining capacity building actions necessary to protect
national biodiversity in accordance with the BAP2 document, and the GEF and
CoP/CBD guidelines; and
2. Enable the MoA to undertake the necessary consultative process required to submit
the Second National Report on biodiversity in line with the decision V/19 of the CoP.
3. Establish a Clearing House Mechanism Unit
4. Implement a country driven CHM project.
2. Country Specific Priorities for Capacity Building Needs
(i)
Assess needs, identify priorities, on the implementation of general measures
for in-situ and ex-situ conservation and sustainable use;
The Kingdom of Bhutan for its size is extremely rich in plant and animal species due to a
combination of its humid climate, wide range in altitude and location at the meeting point
of several biogeographic zones. Bhutan is blessed with especially rich bio-diversity, with
165 species of mammals, 770 species of birds, 7000 species of vascular plants and 50
species of rhododendrons and more than 500 species of orchids. The country has forest
cover of 72.5%, which is one of the highest in Asia. The Protected Areas Network
consists of 26.23% and an additional 9% has been declared as “Biological Corridors” in
1999 making it a total of more than 35% of the country under protection. Further the
government is committed to maintaining at least 60% forest cover for all times to come.
Although government has initiated sound conservation policies for the protection and
management of our rich natural resources there are lot of problems/gaps for actual
implementation in the field. Thus there is a need to assess the capabilities of the
concerned institutions and identify capacity building gaps that need to be addressed.
The BAP document has identified in-situ conservation and management of protected
areas as one of the key priority options recommended for further assessment and support.
The current add-on project will provide an opportunity for a team of biodiversity experts
to form a consultative working group to undertake participatory evaluation of
institutional capacities related to protected areas management to determine roles and
responsibilities of stakeholder agencies, organizational structure of biodiversity
conservation units within MoA and other conservation agencies and overall professional
capacity and training needs of individuals.
1
2
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation Division (MoA/NCD)
Biodiversity Action Plan
3
The working group will meet with various stakeholders groups including the BAP
steering committee, the government and non-government sectors, and will consult the
reports on biodiversity and BAP document to compile an assessment report outlining
options, strategies and actions responding to capacity building constraints in protected
areas management. The kind of capacity development activities, roles and responsibilities
of stakeholder groups, human resources and training needed to effectively manage and
monitor protected areas will be suggested. A comprehensive national assessment
framework, which articulates the different aspects of capacities, needed for
implementation of the convention of Biological Diversity and BAP especially in the
context of in-situ conservation and sustainable use will be established. A national
workshop will be convened towards the end of the project to present/discuss the working
group outcomes, results and recommendations.
(ii)
Assess needs to evaluate and mitigate specific threats to components of
biological diversity
The threats to biodiversity in Bhutan are mainly from over exploitation of natural
resources, land conversion, forest fires, overgrazing, competition from domestic/exotic
species and poaching of wild animals. The unsustainable harvesting of medicinal plants
for commercial use and reliance on wood for fuel also are eminent threats to the
biological diversity in the country.
The current add on proposal will allow a working group of biodiversity experts to
undertake a collaborative participatory assessment of capacity building needs to address
threats and underlying causes affecting native and globally important biological diversity
in the country. Several working group discussions will be organized with representatives
from the various sectors and local communities to articulate the sort of capacity building
efforts and mechanisms needed for mitigating threats and root causes to biodiversity. A
final assessment report with agreed inputs, actions and recommendations will be
developed and presented in a national workshop to discuss the outcomes of the working
group.
(iii)
Assessment of capacity building needs in biodiversity monitoring including
taxonomy
Institutional capacities pertaining to biodiversity knowledge management and
biodiversity expertise is weak in Bhutan. A biodiversity monitoring and management
program focusing at the dynamics of biodiversity components in Bhutan is another
priority area and needs further assessment.
The add on proposal will provide an opportunity for a national working group to review
national capacity building needs in plants and animal taxonomy and biodiversity
monitoring. The working group will consult with the BAP steering committee, and meet
with all relevant organizations, agencies and Institutions before articulating
comprehensive assessment report. A capacity building plan demonstrating availability,
4
strengths and weaknesses in human resource capacities and national priority needs in
plant and animal taxonomy will be developed and presented in a workshop.
2.
Enable the Royal Government of Bhutan to undertake consultative process
required to endorse and submit the 2nd National Report on Biodiversity
In line with the article 26 of the CBD, Bhutan has submitted its first National Report on
Biodiversity to the CoP/CBD in 1999. Although the May 2001 deadline is past, Bhutan
plans to submit the second National Report on Biodiversity to CoP/CBD in 2002. Nature
Conservation Division is the responsible lead government agency in implementing the
BAP and in undertaking further capacity building assessment in priority areas.
Through this add-on project the Nature Conservation Division, will conduct a series of
consultations and meetings. A national level workshop for a period of 3 days will be
conducted with all the relevant stakeholders. The Second National Report would be
endorsed by the government and submitted to CoP/CBD in 2002. Copies of the Second
National Report would also be circulated to all relevant agencies and the Dzongkhags
(districts), as the country’s 9 Five Year Plan commencing from 2002 would be
decentralized.
3. Clearing House Mechanism Project:
Bhutan has previously not received GEF support to establish a CHM. The additional
support of $5,000 will enable purchase of hardware, software, recurrent Internet service
provider costs as well as technician set up and training of the CHM focal point in Internet
usage.
4. Country driven project for participation in the clearing house mechanism
Goal: To improve availability and sharing of biodiversity information for decision
makers and the public.
Activity 1.
Designing and creation of national biodiversity website
The BAP identified the need for better dissemination of information on national
biodiversity, and the need to promote and facilitate the implementation of BAP within
relevant ministries, agencies, and institutions and general public as well as other countries
and international institutions and keep all informed on the ongoing actions of the
government in the area of biodiversity.
Internet technology has been recognized as an effective and efficient tool for the
dissemination of information and awareness building. Currently, many government
ministries, agencies, institutions and many Bhutanese people have access to Internet.
However, till date, Bhutan is yet to develop a national biodiversity website to take full
advantage of this technology. Setting up a national biodiversity website would serve as a
window to make available information on biodiversity, protected area management and
5
conservation efforts. It is thus a priority to develop a national biodiversity website.
Technical assistance for a period of minimum one month would be required to undertake
this task along with the support of the GIS section of the NCD.
Activity 2. Establishment of meta data standards for information collection and
protocols for information sharing between Biodiversity Agencies
The Nature Conservation Division is only responsible for the conservation and
management of the nine protected areas, which constitutes 26.23% of the total area in the
country. It is also essential for the Nature Conservation Division to share information
with other agencies related to biodiversity like the National Biodiversity Centre (NBC),
National Environmental Commission (NEC), Institute of Traditional Medicines Services
(ITMS), Renewal of Natural Resources Research Centres (RNR-RCs), the Royal Society
for the Protection of Nature (RSPN) as well as other Government Ministries. To
facilitate sharing of information, common meta-data standards will be developed and
protocols and mechanisms for sharing information freely will be agreed upon.
5. Project Implementation/Institutional Framework:
The Ministry of Agriculture will be the national executing agency of the add-on project.
The Project will also be overseen by the national steering committee that was established
during phase one of the biodiversity-enabling project. The steering committee has been
comprised of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and Education, Ministry of
Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, National Environment
Commission, National Institute of Traditional Medicine, Bhutan Chamber of Commerce
and Industries, Department of Tourism, Royal Society for Protection of Nature and the
UNDP.
The Nature Conservation Division who served as the focal point for enabling project
coordination will continue to serve project implementation and daily operations.
UNDP will provide overall technical backstopping to the project, and monitor project
implementation as per regular UNDP rules and procedures.
The Nature Conservation Division will be responsible for the daily management and
coordination of project activities including organization of meetings and workshops,
synthesizing assessment reports and submission of reports to the government for
endorsement. It will also form working groups from among relevant agencies and
steering committee members and prepare ToRs for the working groups and consultants to
be recruited by the project and will elaborate detailed workplans for implementation.
6
Table 1. Country Specific Priorities for Capacity Building Needs
Priority
Assess needs, identify
priorities,
on
the
implementation of general
measures for in-situ and exsitu
conservation
and
sustainable use
Reasons for Priority
Weak capacity for in situ and ex situ
conservation of biodiversity and
protected areas management
Work to be done
A team of experts will undertake
participatory evaluation of existing
capacity including institutional capacities
on protected areas management to
determine roles of stakeholder agencies,
set-up and structure of biodiversity units
within MoA, NGO, etc., and overall
technical capacity of individuals. The team
will prepare recommendations for capacity
building needs.
Product expected
An assessment report outlining options,
strategies and actions responding to capacity
building gaps in protected areas management.
The sort of capacity development activities,
human resources and training needed to
effectively manage and monitor protected
areas will be suggested. A framework
articulating different aspects of capacities
needed for implementation of the CBD and
the BAP also will be established.
Assess needs to evaluate
and mitigate specific threats
to components of biological
diversity
Urgency on the need to assess
And raise capacity both at the
national and community level to
address overall biodiversity loss in
the country
A team of national experts together with
community representatives will assess
threats to biodiversity, their root causes,
will reach consensus on the needed
capacity, financing, and responsibility
sharing.
An assessment report outlining capacity
building needs within national and community
level stakeholders covering training, human
resources, finances, and responsibility sharing
Assessment of capacity
building
needs
in
biodiversity
monitoring
including taxonomy
Poor institutional capacity for
biodiversity monitoring including
taxonomy and poor biodiversity
information management
An assessment report highlighting strengths
and capacity building needs in biodiversity
data collection, processing, management, and
networking among relevant biodiversity
agencies, and financing necessary for it.
Consultative
process
required to endorse and
submit 2nd National Report
on Biodiversity
2nd National Report on Biodiversity
to be submitted to the COP/CBD in
2002
A team of experts will assess national
capacity in biodiversity monitoring
including taxonomy, data collection
processing, management and networking
among relevant biodiversity agencies. The
team will prepare an outline of priority
options for collecting and managing
biodiversity knowledge.
Broad based stakeholder consultations;
meetings and a national level workshop
would be undertaken for the 2nd National
Report on Biodiversity. The report would
be finally submitted to COP6 after
receiving endorsement by the Steering
Committee.
2nd National Report on Biodiversity endorsed
and submitted to the COP/CBD in 2002
7
Table 2. Cost Estimates For Additional Enabling Activities (USD)
ACTIVITY
APPROVED EARLIER
PRODUCT
PROCESS
Original enabling activity
$ TOTAL
116,546.00
ADDITIONAL REQUEST
Assessment of capacity building
needs for:
1. implementation
of 10,000
general measures for insitu
and
ex-situ
conservation
and
sustainable use
2. evaluate and mitigate 10,000
specific
threats
to
components
of
biological diversity
3. biodiversity monitoring 10,000
including taxonomy
2nd National
Biodiversity
Report
40,000
20,000
30,000
20,000
30,000
25,000
25,000
1,400
5,000
25,000
35,000
on
3,600
CHM
Support for country
project for clearing
mechanism
20,000
driven 10,000
house
Total
165,000
Grand
TOTAL
approved + Add on)
(previously
281,546
Budget for CHM Add-on
Option A
Item
Hardware
Software
US $
2000
500
8
Modem
Recurrent access costs to Internet Service Provider including
storing of national CHM web site on server
Technician Set Up Fees
Internet and E-mail Training
Total
100
1000
300
1100
5000
Table 3. Time frame to implement the activities.
Months from year 2001 – 2002
Activity
1.
Nov
Country
Specific
Priorities for Capacity
Building Needs
i. Hire of Consultant
ii. Informal consultations
with working groups and
stakeholders
iii. Organizing workshops
Dec
Jan
x
x
Feb
Consultative Process for
the 2nd National Report on
Biodiversity
i. Organizing workshops
ii.
Endorsement
Government
by
iii. Submission
National Report
2nd
of
Establishment of CHM
Apr
x
x
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
x
x
x
iv. Finalizing reports
2.
Mar
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
3.
4.
Country driven project
for CHM
i. Design and creation of
national
biodiversity
website
ii. Establishment of meta
data
standards
for
information collection and
protocols for information
sharing
between
Biodiversity Agencies
9
Sep
Oct
Annex 1
ORGANIZATION CHART of NATURE CONSERVATION DIVISION
Head/Joint Director
Nature Conservation Division
Pheasant Farm
Data & Inventory
Section
Biological
Corridor Project
Office Support Staff
Mgmt. Planning & ICDP
Section
PA Mgmt.
Planning Unit
ICDP Unit
Monitoring & Spp. Conservation
Section
Tiger Conservation
Program
Monitoring &
Research Unit
Data & Mapping
Unit
Anti-poaching
Program
Species
Conservation Unit
Biodiversity
Inventory Unit
10