Financial Mechanism and Resources

Financial Mechanism and Resources // T20: Technologies and Research
Thursday // 2.16.2023

T20 (Technologies and Research): How to Use GEF Funding

1. This page aims to provide information regarding the capacity-building and development, access to and transfer of technology, and development of and access to innovation and technical and scientific cooperation, including through South-South, North-South and triangular cooperation, 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.

2. Significant progress has been made in the generation, sharing and assessment of knowledge and data on biodiversity, with big-data aggregation, advances in modelling and artificial intelligence opening up new opportunities for improved understanding of the biosphere. However, major imbalances remain in the location and taxonomic focus of studies and monitoring. Information gaps remain in the consequences of biodiversity loss for people, and the application of biodiversity knowledge in decision making is limited. Reported actions included: Promoting education and training programmes on biodiversity; Development and promotion of scientific research programmes; Undertaking species inventories; Identifying key biodiversity areas; Increasing the amount and quality of biodiversity information; Development of national biodiversity databases, clearing-house mechanisms; Preparation of publications; Promotion of community-based monitoring.

Guidance from the Conference of the Parties

3. The Conference of the Parties has invited the Global Environment Facility to support:
  • Preparation of national assessments of technology needs for implementation of the Convention, and promotion of access to, transfer of and cooperation for joint development of technology (Decision X/24, annex, para. 4.12; X/25, para. 14; X/16, para. 3(c); XIII/21, annex II, para. 24)
  • Strengthening biodiversity information systems such as, inter alia, training, technology and processes related to the collection, organization, maintenance and updating of data and information, and building capacity for the clearing-house mechanism, such as training in information and communication technologies and web content management that enable developing countries and countries with economies in transition to fully benefit from modern communication, including the Internet (Decision X/24, annex, para. 4.13; X/25, para. 15; X/15, para. 4; XIII/21, annex II, para. 25)
  • Project components addressing targeted research which contributes to conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components including research for reversing current trends of biodiversity loss and species extinction (Decision X/24, annex, para. 4.9; XIII/21, annex II, para. 21)

4. Planning

Consider including the preparation of technology needs assessments in the revision and updating of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and identify further areas in which international or regional cooperative initiatives would support implementation of the Convention; (X/16, para. 3(a); VII/29, para. 10)

5. Conservation and Restoration

  • Assess needs for relevant technologies for protected area management involving indigenous and local communities and stakeholders such as the, research institutions, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, encourage development and use of appropriate technology, including technologies of indigenous and local communities with their participation, approval and involvement in accordance with Article 8(j) and Related Provisions, for habitat rehabilitation and restoration, resource mapping, biological inventory, and rapid assessment of biodiversity, monitoring, in situ and ex situ conservation, sustainable use, etc., promote an enabling environment for the transfer of technology to improve protected area management, and increase technology transfer and cooperation to improve protected area management; (VII/28, annex, goal 3.3; IX/18A, para. 7)
  • Promote best practices and appropriate technologies that can be productively applied to ecosystem restoration; (XI/16, para.1(d))
  • Encourage the establishment and establishment use of new technologies including geographic information system and remote sensing tools for monitoring protected areas and for assessing levels of deforestation and impacts on biodiversity; (VII/28, annex, goal 4.3; VI/22, annex, programme element 3, goal 1)

6. Thematic Consideration

  • Develop regional and subregional research centres and networks for the exchange of research, information, traditional and cultural knowledge and technology concerning dry and sub-humid lands, and promote the introduction of adaptive technologies that enhance productivity of dry and sub-humid lands ecosystems; (IX/17, para. 2; V/23, annex I, activity 7(g))
  • Develop and implement mountain-to-mountain cooperation programmes for the exchange of best practices, expertise, information sharing and appropriate technologies, and promote sustainable land-use practices, techniques and technologies, including those of indigenous and local communities and community-based management systems, for the conservation and sustainable use (including pastoralism, hunting and fishing) of wild flora and fauna and agro-biodiversity in mountain ecosystems, including biological pest control; (X/30, para. 16; VII/27, annex, action 1.3.2, 1.5.4 and goal 3.6)
  • Identify environmentally appropriate technologies, such as low- cost sewage treatment and recycling of industrial water, to avoid degradation and promote restoration of inland water ecosystems; (VII/4, annex, goal 2.2; IV/4, annex I, para. 9(b)-9(c))
  • Encourage space agencies and private entities to maintain deployment of relevant sensors and to initiate design and deployment of specialized technology for shallow-oceans monitoring, develop and transfer quieter technologies to minimize the significant adverse impacts of anthropogenic underwater noise on marine biodiversity, and promote the use of the traditional, scientific, technical and technological knowledge of indigenous and local communities at the national level, with their full and effective participation, in support of marine and coastal biological diversity; (IV/5, annex, programme element 4; IX/20, para. 27; V/3, annex, A; XI/18A, para. 18(c); XII/22, para. 15; XII/23, para. 3(c))
  • Assess and identify suitable technology for conserving island biodiversity, at all scales, determine the most effective means to facilitate effective transfer of knowledge and technology to maximize their use at the local level, share information on appropriate technologies on a regional and subregional basis, establish protocols for access to and transfer of technology of benefit to island biodiversity, respect and facilitate the exchange of knowledge on indigenous island technologies among indigenous and local communities, consistent with article 8(j), and increase national and regional information networking capacity to facilitate broader access to and transfer of technology of benefit to island biodiversity; (VIII/1, annex, priority action 11.2.1, 11.2.2, 11.3.2.3)
  • Support the development of the international barcode of life network, of DNA sequence-based technology (DNA barcoding) and associated DNA barcode reference libraries for priority taxonomic groups of organisms, to promote the application of these techniques for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and train a new generation of taxonomists, able to work flexibly and collaboratively and taking stock of new and emerging technologies and tools; (XIII/31, para. 6(g); X/39, para. 15(f))
  • Monitor and assess the actual and potential impacts of existing and new agricultural technologies, and adopt, promote and enforce the use of environmentally friendly technologies that not only increase productivity, but also arrest degradation as well as reclaim, rehabilitate, restore and enhance biological diversity in all production processes; (VIII/1, annex, priority action 4.1.1.2, 4.2.3.5; XIII/3, para. 31; III/11, para. 15(a), 15(e); V/5, annex, programme element 2; VI/5, annex II, para. 2.1(c))
  • Prepare transparent impact assessments and risk analysis on the transferred technologies taking into consideration economic viability, social acceptability and environmental benefits, and promote technology transfer for the conservation and sustainable use of important species, wild relatives, neglected and under-utilized species; (IX/16B, annex II, para. 10; VIII/23A, annex, para. 3.10)
  • Promote adaptive management approaches for the development and uptake of improved soil biological management practices, technologies and policies that enhance soil health and ecosystem function, and that contribute to sustainable land use; (VIII/23B, annex, activity 2.3)
  • Promote methods of sustainable agriculture that employ management practices, technologies and policies that promote the positive and mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture on pollinator diversity, improve pesticide application practices, including technologies to reduce drift, to reduce exposure of pollinators, and establish an inventory of existing pollination and pollinators experts to serve as a pool for consultations in technology transfer, and establish an international advisory group on pollinator conservation; (XIII/15, para. 7(j)-7(n); VI/5, annex II, para. 2.2, 2.3, 3.5)
  • Develop and implement a strategy and a plan of action and facilitate transfer of technology to provide infrastructure and training in order to monitor forest biological diversity and develop associated databases, and support regional cooperation on sustainable use of timber and non-timber forest products and services, including through technology transfer and capacity-building within and between regions; (VI/22, annex, programme element 1, goal 4, objective 1(c), 4(g), programme element 2, goal 1, objective 2(i) and programme element 3, goal 4, objective 1(a))
  • Promote research and technology development on urban biodiversity, and encourage the establishment of national and regional centres of excellence in urban biodiversity, and biodiversity‑friendly city design, planning and management; (X/22, annex, D, para. (o))
  • Support capacity-building and technology transfer, as appropriate, to assist in the access, use, generation and analysis of digital sequence information on genetic resources for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and benefit-sharing; (14/20, para. 3)
  • Include research production and technology transfer relevant to access to and use of genetic resources and benefit-sharing in scientific and technical areas, provide capacity-building and technology development and transfer for the maintenance and utilization of ex situ collections, and promote partnerships and technology transfer between users and providers of genetic resources and/or associated traditional knowledge; (VII/19, annex, para. 8(e); V/26C, para. 4; 3/3, para. 9; 3/1, para. 7(g))
  • Encourage the application of technology and research and development and innovation regarding mainstreaming biodiversity in the sectors of energy and mining, infrastructure, and manufacturing and processing; (14/3, para. 13(k))
  • Develop and use environmentally-sound technologies, and support the development of research programmes and undertake impact assessments, which promote the positive and minimize or avoid the negative impacts of biofuel production and use on biodiversity and impacts on biodiversity that affect related socio-economic conditions; (X/37, para. 10; IX/2, para. 6(a))

7. Clearing-House Mechanisms

  • Promote collaborative partnerships for technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer on a thematic, cross-cutting and/or regional basis, and develop regional clearing-house mechanisms to further promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation and the exchange of information on technology transfer at the regional and national levels; (VII/23A, para. 5; XII/2B, para. 10, 11(c); XIII/23, para. 6)
  • Carry out activities for the enhancement of the clearing-house mechanism as a key mechanism in technology transfer and technological and scientific cooperation, and develop means to provide access to translation services for scientific and technical information, including by identifying sources of free translation and/or by finding funding for translation; (VIII/12, para. 10; VII/29, para. 8)
  • Promote open access to biodiversity-related research results, assessments, maps and databases that facilitates capacity-building as well as technical and scientific cooperation; (14/24B, para. 2; XI/2B, para. 1; VIII/11, para. 3)
  • Support the further development of national clearing-house mechanisms to provide effective information services to facilitate the implementation of the national biodiversity strategies and action plans; (14/25, para. 2, 3; XIII/23, para. 6, 12; XII/2B, para. 14-17; XI/2C, para. 19; X/15, para. 2(a) and annex, goal 2; IX/20, para. 2(b)-2(j); III/4, para. 16; IV/2, para. 6)
  • Develop regional clearing-house mechanisms to further promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation and the exchange of information on technology transfer at the regional and national levels; (XII/2B, para. 10; III/4, para. 15; XIII/23, para. 13; IX/20, para. 2(a); VII/23A, para. 3(a), 5; X/15, para. 2(b))

8. Funding

Remove any unnecessary impediments to funding of multi-country initiatives for technology transfer and for scientific and technical cooperation; (VII/29, para. 14; IX/14, para. 13))

9. Partnership and Collaboration

  • Encourage and support the engagement of relevant national or regional institutions, including scientific, technical and policy institutes, the Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity, and indigenous peoples and local communities to contribute to technical and scientific cooperation; (XIII/23, para. 7, 9)
  • Foster collaboration with the private sector to mainstream biodiversity in their work to develop specific capacity-building programmes; (XIII/23, para. 8)
  • Promote synergies with other conventions and international organizations, when facilitating and implementing capacity-building activities; (XIII/23, para. 16)
  • Promote collaborative partnerships for technical and scientific cooperation and technology transfer on a thematic, cross-cutting and/or regional basis; (XII/2B, para. 11(c))

10. South-South Cooperation

  • Establish multi-stakeholder collaborative South-South and triangular cooperation partnerships, including regional and subregional cooperation agreements and associated activities, at subregional and regional levels to address biodiversity concerns at regional, subregional, national and subnational levels, and facilitate projects and programmes aimed at joint conservation and sustainable use of cross border ecosystems to further contribute towards halting biodiversity loss; (IX/25, para. 2, 3 and 5; X/23, para. 3; XI/8D, para. 1, objective 1-3)
  • Engage in South-South technology transfer and cooperation on science, technology and innovation, explore alternative models for triangular, regional or multilateral cooperation, as complementary mechanisms to North-South activities, and develop innovative approaches and means of technology transfer and cooperation; (IX/14, para. 13; VII/29, para. 9; IX/11A, para. 5; XII/3, annex IV, para. 12)

Financial support of the Global Environment Facility

All IPs through their regional or global coordination platforms.

Potential implementation/project partners

Related references