SECTION III: PROJECT DESCRIPTION LOCAL CONTEXT AND PROBLEMS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE PROJECT
Please describe the context and challenges (including threats to biodiversity) in the area. You are welcome to attach supporting documents.
Geographical and natural context The project takes place in the Amazon biome, a region widely recognized for its strategic importance in protecting biodiversity, in global climate regulation and in providing livelihood benefits to millions of people. The biome covers 6.7 million Km2, spans across eight countries and one overseas territory. It contains the largest remaining contiguous tropical rainforest on earth with an unparalleled diversity of species and habitats (more than 10% of the world’s known species, including more than 100.000 invertebrates, 40.000 plants and trees, and 3.000 fish), with (macro) species new to science appearing almost every day. Almost 20% of the world’s surface freshwater that reaches the oceans flows through the Amazon basin whose hydrological cycle plays a major role in stabilizing the regional and global climate. The Amazon biome significantly contributes to maintaining critical ecosystem functions and provides ecological services that are crucial to society. It is home to more than 380 indigenous groups and its rich natural resources base provides a source of livelihoods for more than 44 million people. Role of Protected Areas Systems of Protected Areas are recognized as fundamental tools in the articulation and implementation of sustainable development and conservation strategies. They are also an essential part of the global response to climate change and other global change drivers. Protected areas (PAs) store 15% of terrestrial carbon and help address the cause of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By maintaining and supplying essential services upon which people depend – water supply, food and public health – they also contribute towards enhanced community-based adaptation in the face of climate change and play an important role in disaster risk reduction. In line with the above, through the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA) signed through Decision VII/28 at CBD COP 7, Parties have agreed to support the creation and maintenance of comprehensive national and regional systems of protected areas, effectively managed and ecologically representative that contribute to achieving the CBD objectives and to reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss. Additionally, the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, agreed in Nagoya Japan at the 10th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity, calls for the halt of biodiversity loss and includes 20 explicit targets (Aichi Targets) in which to measure progress. Several (if not all) of these targets require protected areas in order to be achieved. In particular, Aichi Target 11 requires a systematic approach to protected area design, management, monitoring and benefit sharing. In the Amazon Region, the essential function of PAs is well recognized and the Amazon biome contains today 2.16 % of all PAs worldwide. 78% of PAs that were established in the world between 2003 and 2009 are to be found in the Amazon biome. The National System of Protected Areas in Brazil and the Brazilian Program of Protected Areas for the Amazon Region (ARPA)1 in particular are widely recognized as successful examples. Project Building Based on the model offered by ARPA and the major opportunities presented by the CBD PoWPA, the Latin-American Network for Technical Cooperation in National Parks, other Protected Areas, Wild Flora and Fauna, otherwise known as REDPARQUES2, in partnership with the CBD Secretariat, WWF and IUCN, and with the support and participation of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the Community of Andean of Nations (CAN), led the development of an Ecosystem Based Vision of Conservation of Biological and Cultural Diversity of the Amazon Biome to contribute to the effective administration and management of protected areas systems and the maintenance of goods and services, integrity, functionality and resilience of the Biome against the effects of natural and anthropogenic pressures and in the context of climate change. This work began in August 2008 in Bogota (Colombia), where directors and technicians of the systems of protected areas of the Amazon countries came together and put forth some elements of the vision and agreed a program of work to assess progress in implementing elements of PoWPA at a regional level. A series of workshop bringing together various stakeholders was subsequently organised, including inter alia workshops on a) Regional opportunities of conservation in the Amazon biome, b) Integration of the vision of indigenous and local communities in this initiative c) analysis of the effectiveness of protected area management, and d) review of financing strategies for protected areas. These events contributed towards the articulation of a joint regional conservation vision with four key areas of intervention (priority issues) and one cross cutting issue, and the articulation of its related 2010–2020 Action Plan, mentioned herewith:
Conservation opportunities - Directing actions to plan, select, create, strengthen and manage the national and regional systems and sites of protected areas.
Governance, participation, equity and benefit sharing.
Financial sustainability.
Management effectiveness: standards, assessments and monitoring of protected areas.
Ecosystem services and climate change was identified as a cross cutting theme.
The Action Plan was built under a timeline of ten (10) years (2010-2020), which draws a set of actions on the short (1-4 years), medium (5-7 years) and long (7-10 years) term in order to achieve the PoWPA objectives and goals. Such conservation initiatives have been already recognized at high level meetings such as the CDB COP10 and by the Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, from the CDB Secretariat. Threats to biodiversity The Amazon today is increasingly threatened mainly due to the rapidly expanding global markets, the imminent realization of large-scale infrastructure projects coupled with poor planning, weak governance and lack of an integrated vision of sustainable development for the Amazon. These threats are contributing to significant deforestation and increased pressure on the natural resources and environmental services upon which millions of people depend. Over the past 30 years, the Amazon has lost more than 520.000 Km2 of forest. This has continued since 1990 at an annual rate of up to 27.000 Km2 (an area nearly the size of Belgium). It is estimated that deforestation, including the burning of natural vegetation, is responsible for up to 20% of all global CO2 emissions. The Amazon’s forests store 90-140 billion tons of carbon and releasing even a portion of this would accelerate global warming significantly. In addition, the combined effects of deforestation and climate change are predicted to result in severe impacts on the Amazon biome/region, such as increased fire incidence, habitat degradation, droughts and river flow changes leading to major shifts in hydrological systems, with potentially catastrophic consequences for local people, their forest resources and the whole region. Challenges The future of the region depends on maintaining the integrity of ecosystems, ecological processes, and the regional clime dynamic to be able to resist the threats and pressures from climate change and land use change from the demand for natural resources and economic development. Therefore, the challenge that the involved actors have while building an Ecosystem Based Vision of Conservation of Biological and Cultural Diversity of the Amazon Biome, is to build an efficient long term strategy based on well-articulated national action plans, that focus on the sharing of information and expertise (monitoring, build capacity for, and assist with reporting) to achieve regional implementation of POWPA and those related Aichi Targets that
Please provide a brief description of each objective and, if possible, estimate of funding required for each, as well as the overall expected results. Please add or delete rows for objectives, as needed.
OBJECTIVES
MEASURABLE RESULTS
FUNDING NEEDED*
1. To strengthen and consolidate a shared Ecosystem Vision of Conservation of Biological and Cultural Diversity of the Amazon Biome, that contributes to the effective administration and management of protected area systems and the maintenance of goods and services, integrity, functionality and resilience of the Biome against the effects of natural and anthropogenic pressures and in the context of climate change. This objective is directly related to the Aichi Target number 10.
Development of operational thematic teams on the topics of conservation opportunities, financial sustainability, and management effectiveness.
Development of Regional coordination units for the implementation of the Action Plans.
$2.211.677,125
2. To integrate protected areas into wider landscapes and seascapes in order to maintain ecological structure and function. This objective is directly related to the Aichi Target number 11.
A portfolio with priority on regional sites and conservation validated by the national protected area systems authorities of the involved Amazon countries, based on a priority conservation areas gap analysis already undertaken
A set of regionally agreed priority criteria based upon threatened ecosystems, ecosystem services (including freshwater production, carbon storage, ecotourism potential, etc.), climate change and socioeconomic aspects that strengthen the priority sites portfolio from a regional perspective.
$2.388.620,10
3. To create and strengthen regional networks, cross border protected areas (TBPAs) and collaboration between adjoining protected areas across national boundaries. This objective is directly related to the Aichi Target number 11.
Implement pilot processes for selected sites (conservation corridors, trans-boundary PA, etc.) using best practice approaches.
$2.388.620,10
4. To prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of major threats to protected areas through improved regional processes of analysis, modelling, prevention and mitigation of impacts caused on PAs by extractive activities, infrastructure, climate change, agricultural expansion and other development activities. This objective is directly related to Aichi Target number 15.
One system of impact measurement tools at protected areas on key drivers and threats such as infrastructure, climate change, agriculture and mining. These tools will help to set cross sectoral strategies to mitigate impact of development activities inside and around protected areas.
Training programs in impact assessment, monitoring plans, mitigation and strategic environmental assessment.
A regional monitoring structure will be planned, designed, and launched (based on the ARPA model in Brazil).
A regional analysis on ecosystem services and the role of PA for adaptation and mitigation and inform decision making.
Pilot case studies on valuation of regional systems of PA and their contribution to livelihoods and to the national economies (TEEB).
Pilot case studies that recognize the role of PAs for adaptation and mitigation through ecosystem-based adaptation and REDD.
$2.388.620,10
5. To strengthen the participation of indigenous and local communities and other relevant stakeholders and increase the equity and participation in benefits. This objective is directly related to Aichi Target number 18.
Experiences on sustainable use and management of biodiversity goods and services in protected areas and conservation areas to improve the standards of living of their populations.
Capacity building of institutions, indigenous, Afro-American and local communities in cross border protected areas.
Initiatives for sustainable use and management of goods and services derived from biodiversity (ethnic tourism, ecotourism, etc.) and driven by indigenous and local communities in the PAs.
Processes for strengthening local and institutional capacities for joint administration and management of protected areas.
$2.949.149,60
6. To improve the financial sustainability of protected areas and national regional systems. This objective is directly related to Aichi Target number 20.
A standard regional protocol and regional systematization of information for financial sustainability analysis.
Donors’ roundtables both at the national and regional levels, to strengthen the articulation of mechanism and regional coordination for the implementation of the Amazon vision action plan.
Pilot experiences of PES and REDD+ mechanisms that can contribute to the consolidation of the protected areas systems and social and environmental safeguards.
$2.701.638,35
7. To assess and improve the effectiveness of PA management on the basis of advances in the learning processes, concepts, information exchanges and systematization of the management effectiveness assessments’ results analysis at different scales. This objective is directly related to Aichi Target number 19.
Capacity building activities through a regional cooperation platform to institutionalize the analyses of management effectiveness of PA in all 9 Amazon countries. This platform will allow a regional approach of management effectiveness through information exchange.
A standardized protocol for sharing information on evaluation of management effectiveness of protected areas.
*Please provide amounts in USD or Euros and specify the currency.
TIMEFRAME
Please indicate the estimated number of years required to implement the project, ranging from 1 to 5 years.
The Ecosystem Based Vision of Biodiversity Conservation for the Amazon Biome is linked directly to the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and is therefore planned for that entire time period. However, this LifeWeb Expression of Interest is to address only the priority issues mentioned on page 8 (Conservation opportunities; Governance, participation, equity and benefit sharing; Financial sustainability; Management effectiveness; Ecosystem services and climate change). These priority issues are meant to be implemented during the first four (4) years of the project, but are going to be followed by a set of actions on the medium (5-7 years) and long (7-10 years) term in order to achieve the PoWPA objectives and goals. The timeframe is therefore 4 years, starting on the date in which funding is secured.
Consistent with decision X/31, please indicate the relevance between this submission and the following national planning processes. Please be specific and attach supporting documents in Section 5. National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and action plans for implementing the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA)
The Ecosystem Based Vision of Conservation of Biological and Cultural Diversity of the Amazon Biome and its Action Plan were presented by the directors of protected areas and politically supported by the Ministers of the Environment of the Amazon countries, during the 10th CBD Conference of the Parties (CBD COP 10) in Nagoya, Japan in 2010. Additionally, the innovative nature of the approach was recognized by the CBD secretariat in the Decision X/31 approved in Nagoya, regarding the Program of Work of Protected Areas (PoWPA), as an example on the implementation of the Action Plan of Protected Areas regionally. Furthermore, it was highlighted the role played under the leadership of regional technical networks such as REDPARQUES at this specific initiatives, in order to coordinate funds, technical support, exchange of experiences, and strengthening of capacities in order to implement the PoWPA. The presentation of the Action Plan 2010-2020 for the Amazon Biome was a joint effort done together with the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, and it is considered as one of the main results from the COP 10 in terms of the development of joint actions for the biodiversity conservation in the last decade.
Other national planning strategies (e.g. Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSPs), National Climate Change Strategies, REDD+ strategies, National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs), economic and sustainable development plans, infrastructure plans, land use plans, strategies for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, etc.)
This proposal is very much linked with the National Biodiversity Action Plans, national REDD programs and with some strategies to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. This project will also complement the development of the Protected Areas Regional Program of the ACTO, the Biodiversity Regional Strategy for the Andean tropic countries (CAN – Decision 523/2002), and the Amazon initiative of WWF in order to conserve the Amazon Biome. All the countries are included as part of the progress in the protected areas national reports and the development of the conservation vision. REDPARQUES will facilitate and coordinate the exchange of experiences of the progress made by the countries in their work plans for protected areas in the Amazon region.
