Republic of Latvia
Proposal for Additional Funding of Biodiversity Enabling Activity
Country Latvia
Project Title Priority Capacity Building for Biodiversity
and Establishment of CHM Structures.
Country Eligibility CBD ratified in August 31, 1995
GEF Financing 206,600$
Government Contribution In-kind
Estimated Total Budget 206,600$
GEF Implementing Agency UNDP
National Executing Agency Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
GEF Operational Focal Point Mrs. Ingrida Apene, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
CBD Operational Focal Point Mrs. Ilona Jepsena, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
CHM Focal Point Mrs. Mara Plotniece, Latvian Environment Agency
Estimated Starting Date April 2001
Project Duration 9 months
A brief review of the current status of the EA
In 1998, Latvia received assistance from GEF/UNDP to carry out the project “Enabling Activity National Biodiversity Strategy, Action Plan and Country Report to the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biodiversity” (LAT/97/G32). The project was deemed a success as it was timely executed and its recommendations counted with broad support from local policy makers. On May 16th, 2000 the Government of Latvia adopted the National Biodiversity Program, which is a synthesis of the Strategy and the Action Plan as defined by LAT/97/G32.
The Action Plan is a comprehensive documents and includes a number of priority areas: Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga, beach and dunes, rivers and lakes, forests, mires, crop fields, meadows and pastures, exposed sedimentary bedrock and caves, karst sink-holes, urban ecosystems, species protection, protection of crop and livestock breed, instruments and prerequisites for environmental policy. The Action Plan covers the period of 2000-2006. Many of the actions planned for this period will support implementation/adoption of EU Directives and international commitments (Helsinki Convention, Rio de Janeiro Convention, HELCOM recommendations, Bern Convention, Ramsar Convention, Bonn Convention, and others). The implementation will be supported by funds from the Latvian Environmental Protection Funds, bilateral donors and multilateral financing institutions.
Since the adoption of the National Biodiversity Program, the Government of Latvia has undertaken several measures towards the full implementation of the BSAP. In the field of legislation more than 30 legislative acts directly related to the goal of the Strategy and Action Plan have been adopted or are at different stages of preparation. Other measures stated as high priority in the Action Plan have also been carried out such as the development of the management Plan for the Lake Lubana and other critical protected areas. Implementation of these management plans is at an early stage.
The Government and the Ministry incorporated into the budget for 2001 several actions recommended by BSAP, allocating for these activities about 48,000 USD:
· Preparation of the management plans for the North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve, Kemeri national Park and other protected areas;
· Development of recommendations on management of different privately owned territories for land owners,
· Preparation of different types of information materials, handbooks, educational books and other educational materials on biodiversity related issues.
In addition to the above, the Environmental Protection fund will finance a number of inventories and studies. These inventories form part of the actions recommended by BSAP and include studies of grey dunes and dune meadows, location of protected plant and animal species, forest key habitats, mires and meadows. It is not possible to specify now the precise amount that the Environmental Protection Fund will contribute since at the time this request for EA II funds is being prepared, the fund has not yet taken a decision on the specific inventories and studies that it will support. However, based on the amount allocated in the previous year, the total resources expected for disbursement would be approximately 210,000 USD.
In the field of international cooperation, the Ministry is now firmly ensuring that the objectives of project proposals submitted to international funding agencies closely follow the priorities set by BSAP. Several donors are helping Latvia to meet the goals of BSAP, among them the Danish EPA, the Swedish EPA, the International Co-operation Agency of Japan, the Ministry of Environment of Finland, the Government of the Netherlands, and also UNDP/GEF.
However, the CHM structures have not been yet established in Latvia though a CHM focal point has been appointed.
Project objectives
This add-on request consists of three main components or blocks of activities. The first component comprises an assessment of capacity building needs in the areas of (a) Initial Assessment and Monitoring Programs, and (b) Incentive measures. The second component is the establishment of the Clearing House Mechanism. The third component is the undertaking of consultations towards preparation of the Second National Report, which will be submitted to the CBD.
This proposal has been designed taking fully into account the existing operational criteria for expedited financing of biodiversity enabling activities. The United Nations Development Programme, in its role as the GEF implementing agency, and the GEF operational focal point have satisfied themselves in this regard.
The following sections will describe (a) the process by which the selection of topics was carried out, (b) the specific priorities for each of the mentioned components, (c) the sequence of activities to determine capacity building needs and (d) the consultation process for the preparation of the second national report.
Priorities for Assessing Capacity Building Needs
An initial process of prioritization of capacity building needs was carried out in May 2000 as part of the response to the questionnaire received from UNDP/GEF Executive Coordinator within the framework of the “UNDP/GEF Capacity Developing Initiative”. The questionnaire was answered by a joint effort of the former BSAP informal Core Group, which includes specialists from the Department of Nature Protection, Investment Department, Latvian Environment Agency of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (MEPRD), and in close co-operation with representatives of key environmental NGOs.
The consultations with the BSAP Project Director and the informal Core Group resulted in the selection of eight main areas in which assessment of capacity building needs was considered a priority. Once these areas were identified, the MEPRD together with the Latvian Environment Agency proceeded to rank them according to their perceived relevance in view of the current situation in Latvia. It was agreed to concentrate efforts on the two most important areas for an assessment of capacity building needs. The description of these areas and their justification for inclusion has been summarized in Table 1 below.
Sequencing of Activities – Identification of capacity building needs
The process of identifying the capacity building needs in the chosen areas plus the establishment of the CHM will last 9 months. The establishment of the project unit and Steering Mechanism will take approximately 2 months and will include the development of TORs, the public announcement of the post of project coordinator and the three posts of national experts, and a transparent selection process.
An initial assessment of capacity building need has already been carried out in Latvia (see section above ”Priorities for Assessing Capacity Building Needs”). The EA II will continue this process by developing specific, target group based and goal oriented actions in capacity building for the two identified areas – monitoring and incentive systems. The initial assessment of capacity building needs will take approximately three months and will draw on extensive consultations. Prior to launching this phase, the Project Coordinator, the Project Manager and the national experts will work together with international experts to define and standardize the assessment method and reporting needs. International experts may also be required to assist the local teams during the final assessment process.
At the end of the third month, each expert will produce a report of existing capacities and specific capacity building needs in academia, NGOs, national, regional and local government units relevant to the respective areas of work (monitoring and incentive systems). The reports will include detailed proposals for capacity building programs to be executed after the end of the project. These proposals should specify institutions/target groups, issues to be covered, timing, number of people to be involved and costs.
These findings will be discussed in two separate workshops that will count with the participation of relevant stakeholders from the academia, government, NGO, and other sectors as appropriate. The purpose of the workshops is to ensure that the development of capacity building programs reflects the interests of relevant stakeholders. The results of the workshops will be used as inputs in the process leading to the final reports and development of actions plans for capacity building.
After the completion of the two workshops there will be a period of approximately one month in which the national experts will produce their final reports on capacity building programs and monitoring equipment requirements. In each respective area of work, international experts will assist the national experts in specifying the particular capacity building needs, the particular targets for capacity building (government units, NGOs, other civil associations, other stakeholders), the financial resources required, time frames, identification of foreign universities, think tanks, or organizations in which the required expertise is available, and links and/or synergies with existing or planned biodiversity protection projects financed either by the government or the international community.
The final reports will be ready by month 7 and their findings will be formally presented to representatives of the government and donor agencies.
Table 1: Priority issues for assessment of capacity building needs
Priority / Reasons for Priority / Work to be done / Product expectedInitial Assessment and monitoring programs / Latvia lacks a functioning biodiversity monitoring system. Conceptual difficulties in designing monitoring systems, including selection of indicators, insufficiently trained personnel and insufficient monitoring equipment hinder the establishment of a proper and well-coordinated system.
In addition, several institutions are involved in biodiversity monitoring but lack of coordination and standardization of data gathering severely limit the usefulness of their efforts in integrated analyses. / To finalize the assessment of the capacity building needs in the areas of information management, information sharing, maintenance of databases, sampling, and community involvement as well as training plans in the field of monitoring. / Assessment report on capacity building needs and training programs within governmental units and other relevant stakeholders on monitoring programs, establishment and maintenance of databases, information sharing, and technical capacities needs in the field of biodiversity monitoring. Particular attention shall be paid to formulation of biodiversity monitoring systems that allow to perform integrated analysis for decision makers.
An action plan for the establishment of a biodiversity monitoring system, including a system of biodiversity indicators for Latvia.
Assessment of the needs for monitoring equipment for the main implementing institutions.
Incentive measures / Proper incentive measures for biodiversity conservation are critical for Latvia. A new decentralized system of government has emerged in the last 10 years but the regulatory framework has not been yet adequately adapted to the new rules of the game, particularly to the new land ownership patterns. To a great extent, the selection of regulatory instruments is still dominated by a “command and control” approach. Latvia lacks skilled human resources to design and manage an incentive system for conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. / To produce an assessment of the capacity buildings needs
To design an action plan to ensure proper local capacity in designing and implementing incentive systems for the conservation of biodiversity. / Action plan to ensure that local human capacities are able to design and manage incentive systems for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, including capacities to develop innovative funding approaches for incentive measures.
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Establishment of Clearing House Mechanism Structures
This component of the project will include basic assistance in terms of software, hardware, internet connection and technical staff training. It will form an essential basis for decision making and monitoring of actions undertaken to implement the BSAP. The support to establishing CHM structures in Latvia is a strategic activity that will complement current government efforts to establishing a monitoring and biodiversity database.
The establishment of the CHM will be implemented in accordance with standard GEF support to the National CHM Focal Point utilizing Option A (Direct Assistance). The following activities are envisaged:
· Identification of national CHM stakeholders and mechanisms for maintenance and use;
· Identification of the possibilities of partnership between governmental organizations and NGO’s for data maintenance and upgrade;
· Training of technical staff on Internet web site design and data maintenance;
· Design and launching of Latvian CHM web site;
· Awareness raising on existence and use of CHM in Latvia.
Consultations for the preparation of the Second National Report
This add-on request for enabling activities will undertake several rounds of consultations as part of the work towards the preparation of the Second National Report to the CBD in pursuance of decision V/19 of the Conference of the Parties. In view of time constraints, the process of consultations will begin in parallel to establishing the project unit and the Steering Committee. The MPRD will organize the process of consultations. Once appointed, the project coordinator and the project manager will take over the responsibility for completing the round of consultations. The project Coordinator will also be responsible for producing a report describing the process of consultations, the specific stakeholders consulted and the feedback obtained. This report will form constitutive part of the document submitted as the Second National Report to the CBD.
Project Implementation/Institutional Framework
The MEPRD and its subordinated institution – Latvian Environmental Agency (formerly – Environmental Consultation and Monitoring Center and the Environmental Data Center) will be entrusted with project execution and implementation.
The United Nations Development Program will be the GEF implementing agency and its local office will provide project support. The project will be implemented following the standard UNDP National Execution Guidelines. Under the supervision of UNDP, the MEPRD through the project coordinator will be responsible inter alia for:
· Recruitment of International and National Consultants, including candidate search/selection, preparation of TORs, supervision;