Financial Mechanism and Resources

Aquatic ecosystem projects financed by GEF

GEF Report: UNEP/CBD/COP/13/14/Add.1, 2016
Country Agency Project Name GEF Total Cofinance Total Project Cost
Djibouti UNDP Mitigating Key Sector Pressures on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity and Further Strengthening the National System of Marine Protected Areas in Djibouti 2,922,374 11,640,000 14,562,374
Regional CI The Meloy Fund: A Fund for Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in SE Asia 6,200,000 35,199,864 41,399,864

Country Project Name BD Total GEF Cofinance Total Project Cost
Kenya Food-IAP: Establishment of the Upper Tana Nairobi Water Fund (UTNWF) 0.90 7.34 61.05 68.39
Madagascar S3MR Sustainable Management of Madagascar's Marine Resources 6.28 12.71 39.96 52.67
Malaysia Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems in Malaysia (SMPEM) 2.34 9.63 47.85 57.48
Myanmar Ridge to Reef: Integrated Protected Area Land and Seascape Management in Tanintharyi 3.00 5.40 16.00 21.40
Palau Integrating Biodiversity Safeguards and Conservation into development in Palau 2.29 4.38 17.59 21.97
Regional Pacific Islands Regional Oceanscape Program (PROP) 2.74 6.30 22.17 28.47
Regional Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems in Mekong Countries 0.84 3.01 9.45 12.46
Regional Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program 54.70 113.68 682.98 796.66
Regional Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project 0.30 6.48 102.00 108.48
Seychelles Third South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Governance and Shared Growth Project (SWIOFish3) 2.65 5.43 22.00 27.43
St. Lucia Integrated Ecosystem Management and Restoration of Forests on the South East Coast of St. Lucia 1.59 4.57 25.80 30.37
Ecuador Implementation of the Strategic Plan of Ecuador Mainland Marine and Coastal Protected Areas Network 5.36 5.96 29.10 35.06
Global Implementation of the Arafura and Timor Seas Regional and National Strategic Action Programs 4.49 10.28 101.55 111.60
Global CFI: Coastal Fisheries Initiative (PROGRAM) 7.05 33.46 201.50 234.96
Zambia Zambia Lake Tanganyika Basin Sustainable Development Project 1.05 7.53 26.56 34.10


International Waters Focal Area
The International Waters focal area (IW) focal area helps countries jointly manage their transboundary surface water basins, groundwater basins, and coastal and marine systems to enable the sharing of benefits from their utilization. The GEF-6 IW strategy has three objectives to achieve its goal of promoting collective management for transboundary water systems: 1) Catalyze sustainable management of transboundary water systems by supporting multi-state cooperation through foundational capacity building, targeted research, and portfolio learning; 2) Catalyze investments to balance competing water-uses in the management of transboundary surface and groundwater and enhance multi-state cooperation; and, 3) Enhance multi-state cooperation and catalyze investments to foster sustainable fisheries, restore and protect coastal habitats, and reduce pollution of coasts and Large Marine Ecosystems. While objectives one and two of the strategy will make indirect contributions to the Aichi Targets, objective three makes a direct contribution to Aichi Target 6. Table 6 below depicts the contribution of GEF IW resources to achieving Aichi Biodiversity Target 6 as prioritized by countries.
Cumulative Distribution of GEF Resources by International Waters Focal Area Objectives and Programs for GEF 6 and contributions to achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets during the reporting period (July 1, 2014-June 30, 2016)
International Waters Objective and Program Aichi Biodiversity Targets GEF Project Grant ($ million) Cofinancing ($ million) Total resources ($ million)
IW 3 Program 7: Foster Sustainable Fisheries Target 6 54.6 418.9 473.5

COP12: UNEP/CBD/COP/12/14/ADD1, 16 July 2014 (Report of the Global Environment Facility)
Country Agency Title GEF Grant ($) Cofinance ($) Total ($)
Argentina FAO Governance Strengthening for the Management and Protection of Coastal- Marine Biodiversity in Key Ecological Areas and the Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) 3,534,786 17,813,206 21,347,992
Cameroon UNEP Participative Integrated Ecosystem Services Management Plans for Bakassi Post Conflict Ecosystems PINESMAP BPCE 2,739,726 10,500,000 13,239,726
China FAO A New Green Line: Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation Objectives and Practices into China’s Water Resources Management Policy and Planning Practice 2,639,726 25,975,000 28,614,726
Colombia IADB Sustainable Management and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Magdalena River Basin 6,543,636 25,000,000 31,543,636
Colombia FAO Implementing the Socio-Ecosystem Connectivity Approach to Conserve and Sustainable Use Biodiversity in the Caribbean Region of Colombia 6,052,114 20,370,350 26,422,464
Dominican Republic UNDP Conserving Biodiversity in Coastal Areas Threatened by Rapid Tourism and Physical Infrastructure Development 2,915,930 13,684,525 16,600,455
El Salvador UNDP Conservation, Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, and Maintenance of Ecosystem Services in Protected Wetlands of International Importance 2,191,781 8,791,000 10,982,781
India UNEP Integrated Management of Wetland Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Water and Food Security 4,246,575 20,217,000 24,463,575
Indonesia ADB CTI: Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Program-Coral Triangle Initiative, Phase III (COREMAP-CTI III) 8,200,000 56,000,000 64,200,000
Indonesia FAO Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use into Inland Fisheries Practices in Freshwater Ecosystems of High Conservation Value 6,192,694 31,106,000 37,298,694
China UNDP Payment for Watershed Services in the Chishui River Basin for the Conservation of Globally Significant Biodiversity 2,009,133 16,000,000 18,009,133
Congo UNEP Creation of Loungo Bay Marine Protected Area to Support Turtles Conservation in Congo 767,124 2,600,000 3,367,124
Liberia CI Improve Sustainability of Mangrove Forests and Coastal Mangrove Areas in Liberia through Protection, Planning and Livelihood Creation- as a Building Block Towards Liberia’s Marine and Costal Protected Areas 963,994 3,500,000 4,463,994
Malaysia UNDP Mainstreaming of Biodiversity Conservation into River Management 1,464,000 7,530,000 8,994,000
Senegal AfDB Project for the Restoration and Strengthening the Resilience of the Lake de Guiers Wetland Ecosystems (PRRELAG) 1,315,525 22,090,000 23,405,525


Country Title Bio-focal area GEF Grant ($) Cofinance ($) Total ($)
Chile Protecting Biodiversity and Multiple Ecosystem Services in Biological Mountain Corridors in Chile’s Mediterranean Ecosystem 2,739,726 5,807,201 19,350,000 25,157,201
Cook Islands R2R: Conserving Biodiversity and Enhancing Ecosystem Functions through a “Ridge to Reef” Approach 1,963,303 4,417,431 14,293,673 18,711,104
Fiji R2R: Implementing a “Ridge to Reef” Approach to Preserve Ecosystem Services, Sequester Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods 3,633,028 7,637,614 30,221,812 37,859,426
Gabon Sustainable Management of Critical Wetlands Ecosystems Project 4,623,000 7,671,000 33,740,000 41,411,000
Grenada Implementing a “Ridge to Reef” Approach to Protecting Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions within and Around Protected Areas 1,363,636 3,131,666 15,426,822 18,558,488
Haiti Increasing Resilience of Ecosystems and Vulnerable Communities to CC and Anthropic Threats Through a Ridge to Reef Approach to BD Conservation and Watershed Management 3,835,616 9,315,068 43,000,000 52,315,068
Haiti Ecosystem Approach to Haiti Cote Sud 327,554 6,416,000 21,050,000 27,466,000
Kiribati R2R Resilient Islands, Resilient Communities 1,706,460 4,870,030 12,250,000 17,120,030
Mauritius Mainstreaming Biodiversity into the Management of the Coastal Zone in the Republic of Mauritius 4,018,265 4,794,521 20,400,000 25,194,521
Micronesia R2R Implementing an Integrated Ridge to Reef Approach to Enhance Ecosystem Services, to Conserve Globally Important Biodiversity and to Sustain Local Livelihoods in the FSM 2,734,311 4,839,815 17,861,500 22,701,315
Nauru R2R: Implementing a “Ridge to Reef” Approach to Protecting Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions in Nauru (R2R Nauru) 1,376,147 2,729,358 6,353,000 9,082,358
Niue R2R Application of Ridge to Reef Concept for Biodiversity Conservation, and for the Enhancement of Ecosystem Service and Cultural Heritage 1,376,147 4,303,751 12,430,000 16,733,751
Palau R2R: Advancing Sustainable Resources Management to Improve Livelihoods and Protect Biodiversity in Palau 2,541,293 3,857,806 15,729,915 19,587,721
Papua New Guinea R2R Strengthening the Management Effectiveness of the National System of Protected Areas 10,385,320 11,229,358 42,600,000 53,829,358
Regional R2R Pacific Islands Ridge-to-Reef National Priorities –Integrated Water, Land, Forest and Coastal Management to Preserve Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods 2,596,331 18,519,050 333,046,794 351,565,844
St. Lucia Iyanola Natural Resource Management of the NE Coast 1,409,091 2,494,545 8,914,483 11,409,028
Tonga R2R Integrated Land and Agroecosystem Management Systems 174,715 2,444,954 5,400,000 7,844,954
Tunisia Oases Ecosystems and Livelihoods Project 1,148,858 5,760,730 59,048,000 64,808,730
Tuvalu R2R Implementing a Ridge to Reef Approach to Protect Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions 1,376,147 3,912,844 10,225,000 14,137,844
Vanuatu R2R: Integrated Sustainable Land and Coastal Management 1,691,377 4,740,680 14,000,000 18,740,680
Yemen Support to the Integrated Program for the Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Socotra Archipelago 5,004,566 17,562,520 22,567,086
Global FAO - ABNJ: Strengthening Global Capacity to Effectively Manage Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) 506,227 1,000,000 4,599,000 5,599,000
Tonga UNDP- R2R Integrated Land and Agroecosystem Management Systems 174,715 2,444,954 5,400,000 7,844,954

The International Waters (IW) focal area helps countries work together to secure a wide range of economic, political, and environmental benefits from shared surface water, groundwater, and marine systems. The goal of the IW focal area is the promotion of collective management for transboundary water systems and subsequent implementation of the full range of policy, legal, and institutional reforms and investments contributing to sustainable use and maintenance of ecosystem services.
Through the international waters focal area, the GEF approved 23 projects, benefiting 96 countries, for an amount totaling $195.71 million that supported directly or indirectly the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity during the reporting period. An additional $1.55 billion was leveraged as cofinancing for these international waters projects. One global project, “Targeted Research for Improving Understanding of the Global Nitrogen Cycle towards the Establishment of an International Nutrient Management System” has the potential to benefit all GEF-eligible countries and advance implementation of Aichi Target 8.

International Waters Projects Funded During the Reporting Period that Contribute to the Objectives of the CBD
Countries Agency Title GEF Co-finance
China UNDP Implementation of the Yellow Sea LME Strategic Action Programme for Adaptive Ecosystem-Based Management 8,243,049 225,881,766
Central African Republic, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria, Chad UNDP Improving Lake Chad Management through Building Climate Change Resilience and Reducing Ecosystem Stress through Implementation of the SAP 6,712,350 33,484,250
Kenya, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tanzania, South Africa UNEP Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Protection of the Western Indian Ocean from Land-based Sources and Activities 12,046,680 66,710,000
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia World Bank Adriatic Sea Environmental Pollution Control Project (I) 7,413,150 23,198,000
Costa Rica, Ecuador, Indonesia, Philippines UNDP Global Sustainable Supply Chains for Marine Commodities 6,186,750 34,590,000
Ecuador, Peru UNDP Integrated Water Resources Management in the Puyango-Tumbes, Catamayo-Chira and Zarumilla Transboundary Aquifers and River Basins 4,500,450 20,375,773
Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago FAO Sustainable Management of Bycatch in Latin America and Caribbean Trawl Fisheries (REBYC-II LAC) 6,570,000 17,062,500
Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam UNDP Sustainable Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the West Pacific and East Asian Seas 2,500,000 19,859,525
Global UNEP Targeted Research for Improving Understanding of the Global Nitrogen Cycle towards the Establishment of an International Nutrient Management System INMS 6,734,250 47,622,900
Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam UNEP Establishment and Operation of a Regional System of Fisheries Refugia in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand 3,394,500 12,000,000
China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Philippines, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam UNDP Scaling up the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia 11,056,951 157,265,467
Kenya, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, South Africa UNDP Western Indian Ocean LMEs Strategic Action Programme Policy Harmonization and Institutional Reforms SAPPHIRE Project 12,291,811 68,802,000
Angola, Botswana, Namibia UNDP Support to the Cubango-Okavango River Basin Strategic Action Programme Implementation 6,898,500 60,700,000
Burkina Faso, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Chad UNDP/UNEP Improving IWRM, Knowledge based Management and Governance of the Niger Basin and the Iullemeden Taoudeni Tanezrouft Aquifer System (ITTAS) 14,960,250 77,956,945
China, Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam UNEP Implementing the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea 16,350,000 56,060,000
Antigua And Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts And Nevis, St. Lucia, Mexico, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and Grenadines UNDP Catalysing Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Sustainable Management of Shared Living Marine Resources in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems (CMLE+) 13,952,000 110,854,059
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia World Bank West Balkans Drina River Basin Management 11,037,500 93,459,721
Uganda, Congo DR AfDB Lakes Edward and Albert Integrated Fisheries and Water Resources Management Project 5,000,000 99,700,000.00
Bolivia, Peru UNDP Integrated Water Resources Management in the Titicaca-Desaguadero-Poopo-Salar de Coipasa (TDPS) System 9,088,500 26,885,000
Angola, Namibia, South Africa UNDP Realizing the Inclusive and Sustainable Development in the BCLME Region through the Improved Ocean Governance and the Integrated Management of Ocean Use and Marine Resources 7,187,306 33,460,000
Cook Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Samoa UNDP Testing the Integration of Water, Land, Forest & Coastal Management to Preserve Ecosystem Services, Store Carbon, Improve Climate Resilience and Sustain Livelihoods in Pacific Island Countries 11,881,000 174,387,580
Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico WWF Integrated Transboundary Ridges-to-Reef Management of the Mesoamerican Reef 9,830,000 69,457,826
Indonesia, Timor Leste FAO Enabling Transboundary Cooperation for Sustainable Management of the Indonesian Seas 4,380,000 15,500,000