Challenges, Success and Benefits of Regional Projects: The Central Asia Transboundary Biodiversity Project

1. Challenges, Success and Benefits of Regional Projects: The Central Asia Transboundary Biodiversity Project Emilia Battaglini, The World Bank GEF Focal Point Sub-regional Workshop, Belgrade April 1-2, 2008

2. Project Basics • Started in 1999, through 2006 • Total project cost: $13.6 m, including a GEF grant of $10.2 m • Area: the Western Tien Shan territory (KAZ, KIR, UZB), a recognized protected area, and home to 3,000 species of fauna and flora, and endangered wildlife. • Project highly relevant for global environment

3. Primary Objectives • Support the protection of vulnerable and unique biological communities within the West Tien Shan • Strengthen and coordinate national polices, regulations and institutional arrangements for biodiversity protection  Regional approach: expand and improve management of protected areas overlapping the boundaries of three countries.

4. Associated Objectives • Strengthen and expand strict nature reserves in the West Tien Shan to conserve unique plant and animal communities, including wild relatives of domesticated species • Identify alternative and sustainable income-generating activities for local communities and other stakeholders to reduce pressure on the nature reserves and their biological resources

5. Associated Objectives • Strengthen local and national capacity through education and training and raise public awareness of biodiversity values and increase participation in biodiversity conservation • Establish regional cooperation mechanisms for biodiversity conservation activities to strengthen protected areas management and wildlife protection and prevent the fragmentation of habitat corridors.

6. Program Success and Benefits (1) • Fauna and flora restoration: successful creation and extension of protected areas, incl. four new nature reserves, protected areas increased from 4% to 8% of Western Tien Shan • Harmonized laws and improved policies and institutions and monitoring • Strengthened protected areas management with a bioregional plan developed for each protected area using a common methodology and scientifically justified recommendations for long-term biodiversity conservation

7. Success and Benefits (2) • All participating countries given equitable voice and roles, even though the sizes of countries differed markedly • Financial sustainability: self-generating resources, national budget support and follow-on project financing • Evaluated very high in helping to build country commitment and regional cooperation with well-articulated governance mandate • Program focused on an initial set of interventions designed in accordance with country and regional capacities, leaving more demanding activities for later stages.

8. Success and Benefits(3) • Regional scientific work and training • Aims well matched to institutional capacities at both the national and regional levels, first steps focused on just four geographical areas with further expansion of protected areas • A good practice example of cross-sector cooperation where representation on the national and regional steering committees included government, academia, and NGOs

9. Success and Benefits(4) Conservation: Monitoring occurrence of protected species in PAs confirms increase in biodiversity

10. Challenges (1) • Enactment of all parts of the new law. A tripartite agreement for the Western Tien Shan Biosphere not yet reached • Important component to enhance public participation in conservation activities near protected reserves was limited because participating countries failed to deliver their financial commitments • Government contribution and co-financing less than planned • Small Grant Program could have been bigger to stimulate public participation (was smaller than planned)

11. Challenges (2) • Compliance with environmental and social safeguards (e.g. compensation issues related to the involuntary resettlement of peoples living in the Karatau NR) • More attention should have been given to country issues identified in CAS • More realistic timeframe and project indicators • Cost effectiveness of small grant program (higher transaction costs in UZ • High project management costs (25% of budget)

12. Lessons from Regional Programs Review • More effective when clear delineation and coordination of roles of national and regional institutions • Adequate contribution from all countries: strengthen regional supervisory body • Sustain ownership and commitment from all countries: harmonize legislation across countries

13. Menzbier’s Marmot Marmota menzbieri - Vulnerable species according to the IUCN red book (last assessed in 1996) Taxonomy Kingdom: ANIMALIA Phylum: CHORDATA Class: MAMMALIA Order: RODENTIA Family: SCIURIDAE Common Name/s: MENZBIER'S MARMOT (Eng) Species Authority: (Kashkarov, 1925) Assessment Information Red List Category & Criteria: VU B1+2c ver 2.3 (1994) Year Assessed: 1996

14. Siberian Ibex Capra sibrica – Lower Risk Taxonomy Kingdom: ANIMALIA Phylum: CHORDATA Class: MAMMALIA Order: ARTIODACTYLA Family: BOVIDAE Common Name/s: ASIATIC IBEX (Eng) SIBERIAN IBEX (Eng) Species Authority: Pallas, 1776 Assessment Information Red List Category & Criteria: LR/lc ver 2.3 (1994) Year Assessed: 1996

15. Snow Leopard Uncia uncia – Endangered Taxonomy Kingdom: ANIMALIA Phylum: CHORDATA Class: MAMMALIA Order: CARNIVORA Family: FELIDAE Common Name/s: OUNCE (Eng) SNOW LEOPARD (Eng) Species Authority: (Schreber, 1775) Assessment Information Red List Category & Criteria: EN C2a(i) ver 3.1 (2001) Year Assessed: 2002

16. Thank You