WWF Global Environment Facility Projects

Coastal Fisheries Initiative: Indonesia

Eco-system Approach to Fisheries Managament (EAFM) in Eastern Indonesia (Fisheries Management Area (FMA) – 715, 717 & 718)

Indonesia’s coast is home to over 600 species of reef-building corals, 2,000 species of reef fish, and more than 120 million coastal people who depend on these waters for their protein and/or livelihoods. In partnership with Conservation International, the GEF-funded project, “Eco-system Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) in Eastern Indonesia,” protects Indonesia’s coastal fisheries from overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and damaging terrestrial practices. The project will help improve the management of 5.5 million hectares of seascape, and move 400,000 tons of over-exploited fisheries to more sustainable levels. These project impacts contribute to the broader Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI) Program, which also works to improve global coastal fisheries governance with other geographic focuses in Latin America and West Africa.

Taking Deforestation out of Commodity Supply Chains

Generating Responsible Demand for Reduced Deforestation Commodities

Forests are home to many of the world’s plants and animals; they are vital carbon sinks; and they offer a range of ecosystem services. Despite their importance, these biomes are increasingly threatened. Demand for beef, palm oil, and soy currently drives nearly 70% of deforestation globally. The GEF project “Generating Responsible Demand for Reduced-Deforestation Commodities” safeguards the world’s forests and biodiversity by minimizing demand for commodities linked to deforestation. The project will engage the private sector, consumers, and policy makers in this effort. In addition, project activities will link to the wider program, “Taking Deforestation out of Commodity Supply Chains,” specifically its efforts to promote responsible production and transactions practices. Through these partnerships and linkages, the project—in line with the larger program—will contribute to the improved management of 23 million hectares of forest and grassland and mitigate 117.5 million tons of C02.

Integrated Ridge-to-Reef Management of the Mesoamerican Reef

The Mesoamerican reef is home to diverse coral reefs and over 500 fish species. Inland, the landscape supports important freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. These landscapes face numerous threats: tourism and broader development are driving mangrove clearance, leading to sedimentation; overfishing and climate change are negatively affecting the health of the region’s coral ecosystems. The GEF-funded project, “Integrated Ridge to Reef Management of the Mesoamerican Reef,” supports Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico conserve their freshwater, coastal, and marine resources at a regional level. In addition, the project supports active engagement with private sector actors, including Coca Cola to strengthen water funds. Through the project, improved management will be in place for 1,699,512 ha of watersheds and 157,800 hectares of coastal and marine ecosystems.

Sustainable Land Management in the Churia Range, Nepal

The Churia Range of Southern Nepal is home to Asian elephants, one-horned rhinos, and Bengal tigers. It is also an important source of community livelihoods. To protect this area’s valuable resources from land degradation, the GEF-funded project, “Sustainable Land Management in Churia Range, Nepal,” has brought together four technical ministries for the first time. The project promotes sustainable land and forest management practices alongside local community groups, working to improve the management of 7,500 ha of agro-pastoral and mixed forest land areas.

Integrated Landscape Management to Secure Nepal’s Protected Areas and Critical Corridors

The GEF project “Integrated Landscape Management to Secure Nepal’s Protected Areas and Critical Corridors” is focused on the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL). The project is based on a landscape management approach to ensure that buffer zones around Protected Areas, and corridors that connect Protected Areas, are managed and conserved for the region’s globally significant large ranging mammals, including tigers, rhinos, and elephants. The project expects to improve the management of approximately 2.5 million hectares, and mitigate over 1 million tons of C02 emissions.

Sustainable Management of Madagascar's Marine Resources

Expanding and consolidating Madagascar’s marine protected areas network

Madagascar supports rich coral diversity and numerous marine and coastal species. Fish stocks support local livelihoods, and also represent an important sector within the national economy. To conserve Madagascar’s marine resources from threats that include habitat destruction and unsustainable fishing practices, the president of Madagascar committed to tripling the number of marine protected areas at the IUCN Park Congress in Sydney—thereby contributing to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Aichi Target #11. The GEF project “Expanding and Consolidating Madagascar’s Marine Protected Areas Network” is working to fulfill this commitment and strengthen the management of the country’s Marine Protected Areas and fisheries resources. Ministries are coming together to support the project and its goals. Through this cooperation and strong interest from the president, the project will safeguard Madagascar’s marine resources into the future.

Improving Mangrove Conservation across the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape (ETPS) through Coordinated Regional and National Strategy Development and Implementation

In partnership with Conservation International, the GEF-funded project “Improving Mangrove Conservation across the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape (ETPS) through Coordinated Regional and National Strategy Development and Implementation” works to conserve mangroves in the Eastern Tropical Pacific countries of Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. Mangroves provide many benefits to the region: they protect and stabilize coastlines, sequester carbon, and are a critical source of food security. With these mangroves threatened by coastal development, aquaculture, and felled for wood products, local governments are taking action and have agreed to a regional initiative for “ridge to reef” mangrove management. Through this project, each country will implement national policies and plans to help protect 736,000 hectares of mangroves in the region.

Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program

Securing the Future of Peru's Protected Areas

The Peruvian Amazon sustains some of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth. However, deforestation and land degradation from infrastructure development, mining, agricultural expansion, logging, and weak management represent significant threats to these areas. To ensure Peru’s protected areas have adequate funding to manage these threats, the GEF-funded project, “Securing the Future of Peru´s Protected Areas,” is working on an innovative financial model that will provide long-term financial sustainability to Peru’s Amazon protected areas. In addition to sustainable conservation, the project will ensure these funds strengthen effective management of protected areas—creating an overall governance structure conducive to the protection of over 15 million hectares of Peruvian Amazon and forest biodiversity. As such, this project contributes to the larger “Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program,” which will bring a total of 73,117,000 hectares under improved management.

Danube River Basin Hydromorphology and River Restoration (DYNA)

This $4.4 million GEF project aims to strengthen integrated and harmonized approaches for river restoration and aquatic biodiversity conservation in the Danube River Basin (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine). The project is being led by the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), with the participation of The International Sava River Basin Commission (ISRBC/ “Sava Commission”), National governments, WWF Danube-Carpathian Programme, and the WWF GEF Agency as GEF Partner Agency (Implementing Agency). The project has four components: (1) Regional Danube River Basin and Flood Risk Management Plans Implementation; (2) Strengthening country-level efforts for implementation of Danube River Basin and Flood Risk Management Plans; (3) Demonstration pilot projects for improved country-level and regional capacity; and (4) Knowledge management and effective project Monitoring and Evaluation.

Land Degradation Neutrality Fund Technical Assistance Facility

The five-year global GEF project titled, “Land Degradation Neutrality Fund Technical Assistance Facility,” led by Mirova in collaboration with the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and other partners will support the Technical Assistance Facility to provide project preparedness and technical assistance services to build a strong portfolio of transformative projects for the UNCCD Land Degradation Neutrality Fund (LDNF). With $2 million in GEF Financing and $4.9 million in cofinancing, the project will support projects seeking investment from the LDN Fund. The TAF will provide the necessary level of support due to the highly complex nature of the sector and will ensure a solid continuum knowledge management approach through process and tools for pre-selection of projects, technical assistance services to projects and for permanent adaptation management of the TAF itself. This will be achieved through the following components: 1) Improving technical and operational processes, advising on agronomy, forestry, sustainable land management services and enhancing financial structures of LDN-eligible projects for improved agricultural practices and raise land productivity, profitability, and/or sustainability; and, 2) Knowledge management and effective project Monitoring and Evaluation.

Securing a Living Amazon through Landscape Connectivity in Central Guyana

Part of a geological formation known as the Guiana Shield, Guyana is home to unique ecosystems and biodiversity, with approximately 8,000 species of plants, 224 mammals, 815 birds, 309 herps and 922 freshwater fishes. However, Guyana’s forests are experiencing degradation, fragmentation, and unsustainable exploitation of forest resources due to unplanned land-use expansion and unsustainable land/water use from logging and mining sectors, new infrastructure (e.g. roads and trails), and wildlife harvesting. Under the Amazon Sustainable Landscape Impact Program (GEF 7), Guyana’s Child Project will aim at strengthening and improving landscape connectivity through the establishment of conservation areas (800,000 ha) and the management of productive areas (400,000 ha) within the eastern half of central Guyana. Through these strategies, the project will contribute to the ASL program’s vision of long-term conservation of globally important biodiversity and connectivity of key Amazon landscapes.

Strengthening Conservation and Resilience of Globally Significant Wild Cat Landscapes through a Focus on Small Cat and Leopard Conservation

Wild cat populations in India are declining due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and due to poaching for wildlife trade and as human-wildlife conflict retaliation. The project aims to secure wild cat populations and habitats in priority landscapes of India. The project will work in and around Ranthambore National Park, Gir National Park, Manas Tiger Reserve, and Dadhwa National Park to engage government and communities in wild cat conservation, including: site-based interventions (improvement of wild cat habitat and prey base) and front line staff capacity; landscape strategies and land use planning to improve landscape connectivity; site-specific guidelines for wild cats; community capacity and incentives for wild cat protection; and investment in human wild cat conflict-avoidance and mitigation.

Cameroon – Integrated Management of Cameroon’s Forest Landscapes in the Congo Basin

The child project of the Congo Basin Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program (CBSL IP) aims to strengthen the integrated management of Cameroon’s globally important forest landscapes in the Congo Basin to secure its biological integrity and increase economic opportunities and livelihoods for forest-dependent people.

Promoting Dryland Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity Conservation in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia

The child project of the Sustainable Forest Management Impact Program on Drylands aims to reverse and prevent dryland ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss through an inclusive, integrated landscape and value chain approach securing multiple environmental benefits and sustainable, resilient livelihoods in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia..

Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration in Tanzania’s Forest Landscapes

Tanzania is currently the 2nd largest rice producer in South-Eastern Africa (growing at 7% per year), while coffee and tobacco remain the country’s foremost export crops. Expansion of soy, sugarcane and other globally-significant export crops are being heavily promoted. The Kilombero district and target landscapes in Zanzibar have been prioritized by Government for agricultural expansion. The Project is aligned with the FOLUR IP through its 4 interconnected components – (1) Development of integrated landscape management (ILM) systems, (2) Promotion of sustainable food production practices and responsible value chains, (3) Conservation and restoration of natural habitats, (4) Project Coordination and M&E. The project components will contribute to the preservation of ecosystem services in some of Tanzania’s key agricultural growth areas. More specifically, the project will contribute to 1,052,430 ha under improved practices and 1,419,430 under improved management.

Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Two Priority Landscapes in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region

TThe Ecuadorian Amazon is at high risk of deforestation and degradation, with pressure on forest ecosystems increasing as competing land uses from extractive and agricultural activities continue to rise. The project will work at both regional and local levels. At the regional level, the project will strengthen the institutional framework for the integrated management of the Circunscripcion Territorial Amazonica de Ecuador (CTEA). At the local level, the project will work in the priority landscapes of Putumayo-Aguarico (North) and Palora-Pastaza (South) to improve ecological connectivity, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable forest-friendly productive activities for local populations, with an integrated landscape management approach.