PROJECT DEVELOPMENT FACILITY
REQUEST FOR PIPELINE ENTRY AND PDF BLOCK B APPROVAL
AGENCY’S PROJECT ID: 3121
GEFSEC PROJECT ID:
COUNTRY: Namibia
PROJECT TITLE: Strengthening the System of National
Protected Areas
GEF AGENCY: UNDP
PROJECT EXECUTING AGENCY (IES): Ministry of
Enviroment and Tourism (MET)
DURATION: 18 months
GEF FOCAL AREA: Biodiversity
GEF OPERATIONAL PROGRAM: OP-1
GEF STRATEGIC PRIORITY: BD -1
ESTIMATED STARTING DATE: July 1, 2004
ESTIMATED WP ENTRY DATE: November, 2005
PIPELINE ENTRY DATE: N/A
RECORD OF ENDORSEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT:
Teofilus Nghitila, Date: March 18, 2004
Director: Environmental Affairs
Ministry of Environment and Tourism
This proposal has been prepared in accordance with GEF policies and procedures and meets the standards of the GEF Project Review Criteria for approval.
Yannick Glemarec Project Contact Person:
UNDP-GEF Deputy Executive Coordinator Nikhil Sekhran
UNDP-GEF Regional Coordinator
Tel: +27-12-3385396
Date: 8 April 2004 E-mail:
PART I – PROJECT CONCEPT
A - SUMMARY
1. Namibia harbours a rich and globally significant storehouse of biodiversity, acclaimed for its species richness, habitat diversity and biological distinctiveness. The Namib Desert, which is the planet’s oldest desert, extends all the way along the coast and boasts a large number of endemic species that have evolved extraordinary desert survival strategies. Namibia also has two internationally significant biodiversity hotspots; the Sperrgebiet and the Namib Escarpment. In addition, the country occupies a highly strategic location in terms of transboundary conservation, bordering biodiversity rich areas of neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola, as well as offering a refuge for endangered species such as black rhino and cheetah.
2. Although Namibia has made great strides in conserving biodiversity through its National System of Protected Areas (PA), further and greatly accelerated efforts are needed to safeguard the integrity of natural habitats. The proposed project would strengthen Namibia’s National System of PAs as a cornerstone of the nation’s efforts to protect flora and fauna in situ. This, in turn, will significantly contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal 7. In particular, this project is directly aligned with the Goal 7 indicators “% land area covered by forest,” and “Land area protected to maintain biological diversity.”
3. The project will focus on the management of the national PA network concentrating on terrestrial ecosystems. It is proposed that the project be divided into two phases, each with a five-year duration. The phasing has been carefully designed so that GEF funding for phase 2 would be contingent on key triggers being realised in phase 1. Furthermore, the project would generate sustainable global benefits in phase 1, even if phase 2 did not materialise. Benchmarks for moving from Phase 1 to Phase 2 will be drafted during the PDF-B phase and finalised at the beginning of Phase 1.
4. The first phase will focus on a) improving the policy and legal framework, institutional capacity and mechanisms concerning protected area management and financing; b) supporting current initiatives of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism concerning the improvement of planning, management and tourism development of four major parks (Namib-Naukluft Park, Etosha NP, Bwabwata NP, and the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park), the proclamation of a new park (Sperrgebiet NP), and the harmonization of management and developing functional links between parks in the Namib Desert biome, and between Etosha NP and the Skeleton Coast Park; c) identification of gaps of under-representation in the national network and options to fill these; and d) establishing long-term financial mechanisms for PAs in Namibia.
5. The second phase will build on the first and will focus on investments in the consolidation and expansion of the protected area network and the management thereof, by a) developing parks in biomes that are currently not represented in the national network; b) upgrading management planning for the remaining parks; c) expanding the smaller parks where feasible; and d) extensively testing long-term sustainable financing mechanisms for parks set up during the first phase. A strong emphasis will be placed on the progressive introduction of best practices both nationally and SADC-wide through proactive knowledge management.
6. Accordingly, the Project fits squarely with the Strategic Priority 1 in the Biodiversity Focal Area of GEF; catalyzing sustainability of protected areas. The Project will comprehensively address the four suggested types of operational activities under this priority. The Project will also directly address elements 3 and 4 of the CBD COP VII decision on Protected Areas, and the accompanying work programme (UNEP/CBD/COP/7/L.32).
B – COUNTRY OWNERSHIP
1. COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY
7. Namibia ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1997, and has taken a number of
significant steps towards realizing its commitments under the Convention, including strengthening the institutional framework for conservation and passing necessary enabling legislation. The proposed project will fulfil a number of the objectives of the Convention, including the in situ conservation of biodiversity and the enhancement of national capacities to manage natural ecosystems. More precisely, the Project addresses elements 3 and 4 of the CBD COP VII decision on Protected Areas, and accompanying work programme (UNEP/CBD/COP/7/L.32), namely by: 1) providing an enabling policy, institutional and socio-economic environment for PAS; 2) building capacity for the planning, establishment and management of PAs; 3) ensuring financial sustainability of PAs and national and regional systems of PAs 4) by evaluating and improving the effectiveness of PA management; and 5) assessing and monitor PA status and trends. Furthermore, the project is fully consistent with national policies and strategies to protect biodiversity, including those recently articulated within the NBSAP. The project is strongly supported by the Namibian authorities and has been endorsed by the GEF Operational Focal Point (see attached letter of support).
2. COUNTRY DRIVENNESS
8. The Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) is committed to protecting biodiversity. Article 95 (1) of the Constitution sets the stage for the formulation of policies and legislation that aim at safeguarding the country’s natural resource heritage for the benefit of current and future generations. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, a Green Plan was formally tabled by President Sam Nujoma, which created a national common vision for sustainable development. The Green Plan subsequently led to the development of the 12 Points Plan for Integrated and Sustainable Environmental Management, a short strategic implementation document, which was adopted by Parliament in 1993.
9. The major policy tool guiding national development in all sectors is the National Development Plan (NDP). NDP I covered the period 1995/1996 – 1999/2000, and NDP II in its turn covers the period 2001/2002 – 2005/2006. NDP II in particular fully incorporates environment and sustainable development issues both as sectoral and cross-cutting themes. It sets clear goals in terms of biodiversity conservation, committing to formulate and implement the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). In addition, the GRN is about to finalise a 30-year planning framework known as Vision 2030. It aims to provide a sound framework for sustainable development planning, creating a long-term perspective within which the future 5-year NDPs can be designed and monitored.
10. With the GEF enabling activity grant through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Namibia completed the Biodiversity Country Study in 1998, and finalized the NBSAP in 2002. The NBSAP is defined as a milestone of strategic planning on the way to 2030 so that the achievement of the essential targets for Vision 2030, NDP II and NDP III work with, and not against, the country’s natural resource base. Both the NBSAP and the NDP II view the national protected area network as the most stable, indeed the key tool, for biodiversity conservation. The NBSAP has a strategic aim to identify and fill gaps in the protected area network to conserve biodiversity, specifically including, as a high priority activity, the review of management goals, practices and capacity of the existing state protected area network. The Namibian National Biodiversity Programme is housed in the Directorate of Environmental Affairs (DEA). The National Biodiversity Task Force is represented by eight ministries and 15 departments within those ministries, two tertiary education institutions, parastatals and the private sector, 10 NGOs and Unions.
11. The country has ratified several international treaties, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Ramsar Convention, the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the World Heritage Convention.
12. Furthermore, the project specifically addresses the implementation of the following national policies, legal instruments and programmes:
· Environment Management and Assessment Bill
· Parks and Wildlife Management Bill
· National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans
· National Water Policy
· Marine Resources Act
· Inland Fisheries Bill
· Namibia’s 12 Point Plan for Integrated and Sustainable Environmental Management
· The Tourism White Paper and the Tourism Policy
· Land Use Planning Policy
· Forest Act
· National Policy on Research, Science and Technology
· Communal Land Reform Act
· Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) Policy
· Access to Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge Bill
13. The Government has taken full ownership for this GEF Project, with high level officials taking the lead in the planning process. The concept was written up jointly by the Government and the UNDP without the assistance of external consultants; a deliberate attempt on the part of the government to ensure all national priorities are fully addressed. This project is fully aligned with the existing six programmes of the MET, in particular with the Protected Area Management Programme, the Protection and Management of Key Species and Natural Resources Programme and the Improving the Economic Value of Natural Resources and Protected Areas in the MET Jurisdiction Programme. The MET is committing over US$70 million as co-financing to this project over 11.5 years and has already secured US$ 125,000 as co-financing from other donors for the preparatory phase and over US$ 4 million for the first phase. The MET is also committed to mobilising additional resources for the full phases. In order to avoid the Project Management Unit (PMU) working on its own independently from the MET, the common situation in donor funded projects, the MET is determined to internalise the project functions into the existing structure, ensuring full involvement of key personnel in relevant directorates as well as amending terms of reference of relevant staff members to ensure each member plays his/her role as core functions in this Project.
C – PROGRAM AND POLICY CONFORMITY
1. PROGRAM DESIGNATION AND CONFORMITY
14. The Project is aligned with the first Strategic Priority in the GEF Biodiversity Focal Area: Strengthening National Systems of Protected Areas. The key objective of this priority is to conserve biodiversity through the expansion, consolidation, and rationalization of national PA systems. The proposed project will address systemic, institutional and individual capacity building with a view to assuring long-term PA sustainability and will explore and demonstrate innovative financial mechanisms as well as fostering public-private partnerships. The project will also look at park resident/neighbour relationships, guided by the UNDP policy on indigenous people, promoting participation of local community and indigenous groups in parks management and ensuring that people will have tangible benefits from the PA system through tourism and other activities. The GEF would fund eligible activities under Operational Programmes 1 Arid and Semi-Arid Zone Ecosystems, covering the incremental costs of measures required to secure global conservation benefits.
2. PROJECT DESIGN
Environmental Context
15. Namibia is located in southern Africa and is bordered by Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana in the east, South Africa in the south, and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The total land area is 824,295 square km. Much of Namibia consists of a wide and flat plateau that continues north, south and east into Botswana and other neighbouring countries. However, there is great variation in altitude to the west and south, where the escarpment rises from the coast, providing magnificent landscapes and rich biodiversity.
16. Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with much of its surface area receiving less than 250mm of precipitation per year. Its harsh climatic conditions, poor soils, limited natural resource base and fragile environment are constraints in the quest for sustainable development. High rainfall variability, regular droughts and high temperatures make the country vulnerable to land degradation through anthropogenic influence. Over 65% of the land in Namibia is classified as being of moderate to very high risk of degradation. Desertification is an imminent threat to the country, and to the subsistence of the poor, given the fact that over 90% of the land is arid and 70% of the population is dependent on subsistence farming. Despite this, Namibia possesses a remarkable variety of habitats and ecosystems, ranging from deserts with less than 10 mm of rainfall per year to subtropical wetlands and savannas receiving over 600 mm of precipitation. Four major terrestrial biomes are recognized in Namibia, the classification being based on both vegetation types and climate. These are desert, Nama Karoo, Succulent Karoo, tree and shrub savannah. On a finer scale 28 different vegetation types are recorded. Many of them are wholly unique to Namibia or to this part of the African continent.
17. Namibia has a remarkable taxonomic biodiversity. It has almost 4,000 species and subspecies of higher plants and 658 species of birds have been recorded, of which approximately 30% is migrant. 217 species of mammals are found in Namibia, including unique quasi-subspecies of desert-dwelling rhino and elephant. Namibia is the only country in the world that supports “free-range” black rhino population outside protected areas and also hosts the world’s largest population of cheetah and maintains a relatively healthy gene pool. The most notable zones of high diversity occur in the south-west, north-east, in the Karstveld around Tsumeb, in highland areas in the centre of the country and in various other scattered areas of higher ground further west.
18. Namibia also boasts two globally significant “biodiversity hotspots”, namely the Sperrgebiet and Namib Escarpment. The Sperrgebiet is part of the Succulent Karoo biome, the world’s only arid hotspot that is shared with South Africa. The Sperrgebiet holds an extraordinary level of succulent plant diversity, sustained by the winter rainfall and the sea fog of the southern Namib Desert. As its name Sperrgebiet (forbidden area) suggests, it has been a large diamond mining concession for many decades and was therefore generally well protected. In 1998 a Sperrgebiet Land Use Plan was commissioned by a joint committee involving the ministries of Environment and Tourism, Mines and Energy, Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, with an aim to explore sustainable land use options and minimise opportunity costs of the short-term mining activities. It is expected that in 2004, part of the Sperrgebiet will be proclaimed as a new National Park, which will increase the area of PAs to 19% of Namibia’s total land surface.