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Detail of GEF Project #1618
| GEF Project ID | 1618 |
| UNDP PMIS ID | 2622 |
| Funding Source | GEF Trust Fund |
| Project Name | Towards a Convention and Action Programme for the Protection of the Caspian Sea Environment |
| Country | Regional |
| Region | Regional |
| Focal Area | International Waters |
| Operational Program | 8 |
| PDF-A Approval Date | 2002-01-24 |
| Pipeline Entry Date | 2002-09-20 |
| PDF-B Approval Date | 2002-09-20 |
| Approval Date | 2003-11-21 |
| CEO Endorsement Date | 2004-02-10 |
| GEF Agency Approval Date | 2004-04-06 |
| Project Status | IA Approved |
| GEF Agency | UNDP |
| Executing Agency | UNOPS |
| Description | The primary objective of this GEF project is consolidation and preliminary implementation of the SAP of the Caspian Sea. The TDA team identified five Environmental Quality Objectives (EQOs), which represented the region’s long-term vision for the Caspian. Against each EQO a set of targets (with timelines) was then agreed in order to achieve the objective, and for each target a listing of required baseline and incremental interventions was developed. The full set of EQOs realted to transboundary priorities, targets and interventions appears in annex 4 and is presented in the TDA as the provisional SAP. Early targets include interventions to undertake further strategic investigations to determine the relative priority and root causes of the perceived priority transboundary threats. Early targets also include policy, legal, regulatory, capacity-building, and institutional reform to address pervasive root causes identified in the causal chain analyses. The alternative scenario includes continued intervention by GEF and other international partners as catalysts to change. The work of the CEP would continue as a transitional mechanism towards a Convention and permanent secretariat. Under the stewardship of UNEP, UNDP, and EU/Tacis, the countries would proceed towards signing the Framework Convention, agreeing institutional arrangements, and negotiating key regional protocols and agreements (Biodiversity, Invasive Species, Oil Spill Contingency planning, Fisheries Management, and others). And beginning implementation on several key transboundary concerns. International partner support to assist the countries with upgrading their policy and legal bases, strengthening their institutional arrangements, improvement of compliance with existing national legislation, and implementation of multi-lateral and international environmental agreements will provide a firm basis for future protection of the Caspian environment. Through the CEP, the importance and value of the Caspian can be advocated effectively at the international, national, and, importantly, the regional administrative levels. Assistance from the international partners towards implementation of the SAP will provide impetus and momentum to the National Governments to implement their own endorsed NCAPs. The resulting clear assessment of the environmental status of the Sea will allow them to prioritise their national needs and better target their limited resources. The CEP will provide a nucleus around which support from other international organisations can be mobilized. Specifially, the CEP can encourage the oil and gas sector to provide comprehensive and coordinated support towards the environment. More open and complete private sector involvement will also assist the region to develop a sustainable mechanism for their alternative scenario. Continued attention to regional cooperation in public awareness and participation, perhaps through strengthened regional NGOs, strengthened communication, a regional EIA process, and more open environmental decision-making processes will continue to be a role of the international donors. |
| Implementation Status | Draft Water Level Management Plan has come to its finalization. New version of web based Biodiversity Information System has become functional. POPs reduction pilot projects in Iran, Azerbaijan is being implemented. Russian POPs project completed after being re-designed. Project participated in a World Bank/UNIDO POPs projects identification/training mission to Iran. NCAPs updates completed in Russia and Azerbaijan. Work nearly finalized in Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. Project Identification Format (PIF) for CEP III has been developed and shared with countries for endorsement. Project participated in the Caspian Pollution Meeting in Astana in July, in the GEF Meeting in Cape Town in August and in Caspian Environment and Security meeting in Ashgabat in September. CEP E-Bulletin launched on monthly basis. Dialogue with BP (British Petrol) continued for an Environmental Partnership for Caspian. Preparations are being made to organize Convention Action Plan and Protocols Harmonization Meetings. Work on Fisheries Scoping Paper has begun. Book published on Caspian environmental grants awarded by project.. |
| PDF A Amount | 25,000 USD |
| PDF B Amount | 397,440 USD |
| GEF Project Grant | 6,026,400 USD |
| GEF Grant | 6,448,840 USD |
| Cofinancing Total | 25,802,000 USD |
| Project Cost | 32,250,800 USD |
| GEF Agency Fees | 474,000 USD |
| GEF Project (CEO Endo.) | 6,026,400 USD |
| Cofinancing Total (CEO Endo.) | 25,802,000 USD |
| Project Cost (CEO Endo.) | 32,250,800 USD |
| Project Documents |
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