Biosafety projects financed by GEF

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/13/12/Add.1, 2016: Program 5 of the GEF-6 biodiversity strategy “Implementing the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,” provides guidance for countries to seek support on biosafety using resources from their country allocation. During the reporting period, the GEF funded one country-based project (Malaysia) in support of the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. GEF invested $1.0 million leveraging $2.0 million in co-financing. In addition, the GEF provided funding through three regional umbrella projects for the third national reports, “Support to Preparation of the Third National Biosafety Reports to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety” (Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe Africa, and Asia-Pacific) for a total GEF grant amount for the three projects of $3.96 million which leveraged an additional $3.1 million of cofinance.

GEF Report UNEP/CBD/COP/12/14/Add.1, 16 July 2014

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/11/8, 17 September 2012

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/10/6, 2 August 2010
The GEF Council approved the Program Document for GEF Support to Biosafety in GEF-4 at its April 2008 meeting. The Program shapes the GEF strategy for financing biosafety under GEF-4 and beyond, through which GEF Agencies with a comparative advantage in biosafety can provide support to countries. The GEF approved 37 projects for the Implementation of National Biosafety Frameworks (NBF) and related obligations to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which covered 46 countries totaling $35.2 million while leveraging co-financing of $43.0 million for a total of $78.2 million. The GEF also approved a project in support of the Biosafety Clearing House in strengthening the national capacities to effectively access and use of the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) in up to 50 countries: contributed $2.5 million and leveraged an additional $2.5 million in co-financing.

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/9/9, 2 May 2008
The GEF Council, at its meeting in December 2006, approved the Strategy for Financing Biosafety as an interim basis for the development of projects for implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and in September 2007, approved the biosafety strategy as part of the Biodiversity Focal Area Strategy and Strategic Programming for GEF-4. 13 projects addressing biosafety were approved under the interim approach for a total of $16.82 million of GEF resources and $ 32.17 million of co-financing.

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/8/10, 6 February 2006
The GEF Council, at its June 2005 meeting, approved an interim approach to the financing of biosafety capacity building activities, and at its meeting in November 2015, approved the elements as a basis for the development of a strategy to guide the provision of GEF assistance to support the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/7/9, 17 December 2004
Project on Development of National Biosafety Frameworks helped one hundred nineteen countries to develop drafts for their national biosafety frameworks through national surveys and in consultation with stakeholders.

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/6/9, 12 February 2002
In November, 2000, the Council approved the GEF's Initial Strategy for Assisting Countries to Prepare for the Entry into Force of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
Global: Development of National Biosafety Frameworks, UNEP, GEF grant US$26.09, total project costs US$38.43

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/5/7, 14 December 1999
Under the national component of the Pilot Biosafety Enabling Activity Project, 18 countries participated in the project and most of them have submitted their National Biosafety Frameworks. In addition, the project also catered for a global component, whereby 8 regional workshops on biosafety (2 per region) were held as follows: Latin America and the Caribbean, Central/Eastern European Region, Africa Region, Asia/Pacific Region. The project is now in its completion stage.

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/4/15, 27 February 1998
Global (Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Egypt, Kenya, Hungary, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Pakistan, Poland, Russian Federation, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia): Pilot Biosafety Enabling Activity Project (Component 1): UNEP, GEF grant US$1.98 million, total project cost US$1.98 million

Consolidated guidance on biosafety

1. Ratification and implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya–Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress;
2. Development and implementation of national biosafety frameworks, in particular biosafety legislation;
3. Identification of living modified organisms or specific traits that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health;
4. Building, consolidating and enhancing sustainable human resource capacity in risk assessment and risk management;
5. Capacity-building on socioeconomic considerations;
6. Capacity-building to take appropriate measures in cases of unintentional release of living modified organisms;
7. Enhancing capacity for public awareness, education and participation regarding the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms, including for indigenous peoples and local communities;
8. Public participation and information sharing, and use of the Biosafety Clearing-House;
9. National reports under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety