Financial Mechanism and Resources

T1(Spatial Planning): How to Use GEF Funding

This page aims to provide information regarding participatory integrated biodiversity inclusive spatial planning and/or effective management processes addressing land and sea use change for recipient Parties and relevant stakeholders, including how to access funding of the Global Environment Facility in this regard. It is a work in progress and will be updated as necessary.

Financial support of the Global Environment Facility

GEF-financed projects related to spatial planning

• Food Systems
• Amazon, Congo, and Critical Forest Biomes
• Greening Transportation Infrastructure Development
• Blue Green Islands
• Wildlife Conservation for Development
• Net Zero Nature Positive Accelerator
• BDFA: Objective One
• IWFA: Objective One
• CCFA: Objective 1.4
• LDFA: Objective Three

Guidance to Parties

Integration

• Integrate biodiversity targets into spatial planning processes, such as through the revised and updated national biodiversity strategies and action plans, applying the ecosystem approach; (X/2, para. 3(d); X/29, para. 15; XI/15, para. 2; XIII/9, para. 3(e))
• Integrate biodiversity and ecosystems functions and services in spatial planning across cities, landscapes – including inland waters – and seascapes, to conserve, enhance, restore and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services; (XII/9, para. 3; XII/19, para. 4(a); 14/3, para. 13(m); Convention on Wetlands (CBD/SBI/3/6/Add.3, 16 February 2021))
• Use, whenever possible, the island as the unit for spatial planning, with due consideration to biodiversity requirements; (VIII/1, appendix, 11.3.4.1)
• Promote the application of integrated spatial planning in order to better integrate protected areas into broader land and seascapes and relevant sectors and plans, including aiming at poverty eradication, and to reduce the impacts of local stressors, especially the combined and cumulative effects of multiple stressors; (IX/18A, para. 4(a); XII/22, para. 8; XII/23, annex, para.8.4a; XII/23, annex, para. 10b; XIII/9, para. 3; XIII/11, annex II, para. 5.3)
• Apply marine spatial planning tools, as appropriate, in accordance with Parties’ national planning and strategies, for better integration of conservation objectives in marine and other sectoral development programmes, and in overall plans for economic development; (X/29, para. 78; XII/22, para. 8)

Sectoral guidance

• Include approaches to conserve, enhance and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services in upstream decisions on investments in the energy and mining, infrastructure, manufacturing and processing sectors, through integrated spatial planning; (14/3, para. 13(b))
• Strengthen capacities of subnational and local governments to incorporate biodiversity into urban and other spatial planning processes, such as urban, peri-urban, land-use and infrastructure planning, including “green infrastructure”; (XII/9, para. 3)
• Reducing the adverse impacts on wild migratory animals from energy installations and linear infrastructure, including roads, railways, fences, and pipelines as outlined in Resolutions 11.24 (Rev.COP13) and 11.27 (Rev.COP13) and integrate migratory wildlife considerations into any spatial planning including in strategic and environmental impact assessments; (CBD/SBI/3/6/Add.3, 16 February 2021)
• Integrate migratory wildlife considerations into any spatial planning including in strategic and environmental impact assessments to reduce the adverse impacts on wild migratory animals from energy installations and linear infrastructure, including roads, railways, fences, and pipelines; (Convention on Migratory Species (CBD/SBI/3/6/Add.3, 16 February 2021))

Pollution reduction

• Apply spatial planning in efforts to avoid, minimize and mitigate the impacts of anthropogenic pollution; (14/10, para. 6; XII/23, para. 3(n))

Participation

• Promote the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in the development and implementation of spatial planning; (XIII/9, para. 3(b))
• Engage with relevant stakeholders and sectors as well as indigenous peoples and local communities in the development and implementation of spatial planning; (XIII/9, para. 3(d))

Related references

CBD Technical Series No. 68: Marine Spatial Planning in the Context of the Convention on Biological Diversity
UNDP. 2022. Integrated Spatial Planning Workbook
UNESCO-IOC/European Commission. 2021. MSPglobal International Guide on Marine/Maritime Spatial Planning. Paris, UNESCO. (IOC Manuals and Guides no 89)
IOC-UNESCO’s key resources on marine spatial planning