Key Lessons from UNDP-GEF biodiversity conservation projects in the Asia Pacific Region

1. Key Lessons from UNDP-GEF biodiversity conservation projects in the Asia Pacific Region Sameer Karki Regional Technical Adviser UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok for Asia and the Pacific

2. Presentation Outline • Background to UNDP-GEF Biodiversity Portfolio in the Asia-Pacific • Project Ratings • Progress towards achieving objectives • Implementation • Lessons Learnt on: • Project implementation • Protected Areas’ Management • Mainstreaming Biodiversity

3. Background to UNDP-GEF Portfolio in the Asia Pacific Region • Lessons based on annual report for the period July 2008 - June 2009 • Include 29 ongoing projects in 16 countries: •  18 are on mainstreaming biodiversity • 10 are on catalyzing the sustainability of protected areas • 1 on safeguarding biodiversity. •  Projects are from GEF2, GEF3 and GEF4 funding •  Total US$ 97.81 million GEF funding and US$ 178.43 million in co-financing.

4. Project Ratings Progress towards meeting project objectives: • 1 Highly Satisfactory: 522 Malaysia: Tropical peat swamp forest and wetlands • 22 projects: Satisfactory • 5 projects : Marginally Satisfactory Implementation ratings • 1 project Highly Satisfactory: 2177 Cambodia: Establishing Conservation Areas Landscape Management • 20 projects: Satisfactory • 8 projects Marginally Satisfactory

5. Lessons Learned: Project Implementation Critical elements highlighted by project staff for success: • A qualified and motivated project team • Strong local community engagement • Incentive-based biodiversity conservation for meaningful and lasting impacts at the site level. • Strong partnerships at all levels

6. Lessons Learned: Project Implementation (2) • Capacity building of conservation partners (government, communities and other sectors) should be undertaken within the context of a supportive enabling environment and organizational development • Innovations in the geographic or spatial scope of biodiversity conservation – e.g. landscape level could lead to better results as the impacts of human activities • Critical milestones in project design such as new laws, regulations and institutions should consider complex political process and be realistic • Changes in project’s scope should consider available resources and be built on f lessons from implementation. • Project inception is a critical phase of project implementation and should be well-organized and with sufficient in duration.

7. Lessons from Strategic Objective 1: Protected Areas’ Projects • 11 projects in 8 countries : Cambodia, India (2), Iran (2), Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam (2). • Projects impact approximately 8.4 million hectares of protected area, including: • 11 new PAs established, totalling 2.4 million hectares; • 4 PAs are in the process of being established (0.7 million hectares) • 24 existing PAs being strengthened (5.3 million hectares)

8. PA Management Project Lessons • Marine, coastal and wetland protected areas need to be designed with clear understanding on institutional complexities and seasonality impacts • Decentralization of PA management to local governments and communities should take into account their capacities • PA management should anticipate emerging problems such as climate change and institute adaptation measures • Financial sustainability should be a primary component of exit strategies of projects • Communications through constructive dialogues is instrumental in containing threats from illegal activities within protected areas. • Protected areas authorities can play a role in mainstreaming biodiversity concerns into the wider landscape – such as in local community activities and local development plans, their mandates and capacities need to be strengthened to fulfill on such roles

9. Lessons related to Biodiversity Mainstreaming Projects • 18 SO2 projects in 13 countries : Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China (3); India; Iran; Korea; Malaysia (2); Maldives; Mongolia; Nepal (2); Pakistan (2); Vanuatu. • Demonstration activities cover 4.4 million ha in terms • Key sectors covered—tourism, agri-business (agricultural biodiversity), fisheries, and forestry.

10. Lessons from Biodiversity Mainstreaming Projects • Risks and uncertainty in multi-year, multi-stakeholder and geographically expansive projects should be anticipated and addressed to avoid costly delays. • Inclusive and participatory management should be encouraged particularly at the highest level of project management. • In mainstreaming projects, policy-related outcomes and outputs are common. However, the intricacies of the policy processes should be recognized in formulating project frameworks. • Mainstreaming into decision-making can proceeds at a different pace at the local, national and policy-making levels. Hence progress in different project components will often vary, resulting in disconnects between change at the national level and at the local level

11. For further information Sameer.karki@undp.org