The Global Mechanism's Complementary Role with GEF: Opportunities and New Directions

1. THE GLOBAL MECHANISM’S COMPLEMENTARY ROLE WITH GEF:OPPORTUNITIES AND NEW DIRECTIONS Presentation to the GEF Expanded Constituency Workshop Cape-Town, 01/11/2011

2. Presentation Outline • About the UNCCD and the Global Mechanism • GM and GEF complementarities • Opportunities and Entry Points for GM • Way Forward and next steps

3. UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) • One of the three Rio Conventions - came into effect in 1996 and presently ratified by 193 countries • First international treaty to link poverty and land degradation/desertification. It addresses development through the promotion of sustainable land management • Implementation of convention is through a broad range of global partnerships (e.g. New 10-year strategy (2008-18) • Through the UNCCD/SLM agenda, countries will build synergies between UNCCD, CDB, UNFCCC etc and contribute to poverty eradication and national development

4. Mandate of the Global Mechanism (GM) • Established by Article 21 of the UNCCD, “---- to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of existing financial mechanisms, … and to promote actions leading to the mobilisation and channelling of substantial financial resources, … to affected developing country parties.” • The GM is a subsidiary body of the UNCCD. • The GM is not a Fund. Its core mandate is to support affected Country Parties to mobilize resources for implementation of the Convention. • The cross-cutting nature of the UNCCD/SLM implies multi-source financing (e.g. through Integrated Financing Strategies, Partnership Building, Mainstreaming etc).

5. The GM: Approach to Resource Mobilization • The cross-cutting nature of the UNCCD/SLM implies multi-source financing • National budget (ODA + domestic revenue) • Non-budget resources (including innovative financing) • GEF STAR and other OPs • Private sector • Civil society (NGOs, CBOs, foundations etc.) • Innovative financing mechanisms (e.g. carbon trading, climate related funds, incentive and market-based instruments (PES), remittances, micro finance, weather based index insurance schemes, risk-based insurance schemes etc) • Development of Integrated Investment Frameworks and accompanying Financing Strategy to assist governments mobilize resources; • Partnership building; mainstreaming; and engaging in targeted policy processes • Provision of catalytic resources to facilitate actions that will trigger resource allocation/mobilization (multiplier-effect)

6. GM/GEF Complementarity Context • Designation of GEF as a financial mechanism of the UNCCD • UNCCD COP Decisions • UNCCD Ten-year Strategic Plan and Framework • GM’s strategy for engaging the GEF • GEF Council Decisions • GEF land degradation strategy • UNCCD/GEF Joint Action Plan (JAP)

7. GM/GEF Complementarity: An Imperative • GM and GEF are both financing mechanisms of the UNCCD • Need to complement each other’s work • Conducting joint resource mobilization activities (e.g. support to GEF replenishment processes together with UNCCD Secretariat) • Need to work together to support capacity building to optimise the use of existing under (e.g. GEF 5) and to advocate for more resources in GEF 6 and beyond

8. OPPORTUNITES AND ENTRY POINTS 10 YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS GLOBAL MECHANISM/GEF COMPLEMENTARITY CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVES UNCCD/GEF JOINT ACTION PLAN PROGRAMMATIC APPROACHES

9. Opportunities and Entry Points for GM • A. UNCCD 10-year strategic plan ---Implementation of convention is through a broad range of global partnerships. New 10-year strategy (2008-18) • Support Countries to develop Integrated Investment Frameworks: Position GEF in broader investment frameworks and country strategies (e.g. CSIFs under TerrAfrica) • Alignment and Reporting processes: GEF enabling activities

10. Opportunities and Entry Points for GM • B. UNCCD and GEF Joint action plan (JAP)implementation---JAP focuses on awareness building, policy, country programming, project appraisal, monitoring and assessment of implementation: • (e.g. awareness building): • Participation and contribution to the GEF Expanded Constituency workshops • Facilitating meetings between UNCCD and the GEF Focal points during country missions; • Capacity building on rationalization and use of existing financial resources (including through GEF); • Knowledge and sharing tools (e.g. DIFS workshops etc)

11. Opportunities and Entry Points for GM • UNCCD and GEF Joint action plan (con’t): • (e.g. country programming) • Strategically targeting IFS to GEF (e.g. include STAR and build linkages with other financing instruments. • Supporting the identification base line investments and complementary sources of financing (e.g. through elements from IFS stocktaking and other diagnostic work and similar processes) • Participation in national development processes to prioritize key development issues (e.g. NPFE);

12. Opportunities and Entry Points for GM C. Engaging in programmatic approaches (e.g. through TerrAfrica) D. Capacity Building Initiatives E. Building strategic partnerships:key development partners including with GEF implementing agencies, UNCT

13. Opportunities and Entry Points for GM F. Strengthening co-operation with the UNCCD Secretariat through JAP implementation. Note; COP.9 decisions: • “Invites the secretariat and the Global Mechanism to strengthen coordinated approaches to exploring opportunities for accessing funding through the Global Environment Facility and other funding mechanisms for relevant initiatives on DLDD”. • “Requests the Executive Secretary to ensure that the two-year joint work programme of the secretariat and the Global Mechanism gives due attention to coordination and liaison with the Global Environment Facility with the aim of establishing exchanges as regards preferred policy approaches that lead to resource mobilization.

14. THANK YOU!