GEF Projects on Snow Leopard and its Habitat Conservation
Today, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) joins the partners in celebrating the International Snow Leopard Day.
The GEF is a key partner of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Program (GSLEP) with diverse partners. The Global Forum on Snow Leopard was held in Nov 2013, under the leadership of the President of Kyrgyz Republic and minister/leaders of 12 snow leopard range countries. Building on the national plans and strategies, the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Program (GSLEP) was developed and launched at this forum.
The GEF has a long history in supporting conservation of snow leopard and its habitat. The GEF project portfolio related to snow leopard extends to total of 22 projects, with GEF grant of approximately $100 million. A few additional national projects are also under development.
Following the Global Forum in 2013, conservation of this iconic flagship species is a key focus of several sustainable land, forest, wildlife management projects that are planned in Central, South, and East Asia countries. These multi-focal area projects address the key drivers and threats of environmental degradation, including mining, grazing, and agriculture, in the fragile mountain ecosystem.
In June 2014, the GEF Regional Project on Transboundary Cooperation on Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Conservation Project was approved to enhance coordination among the 10 related national GEF projects that are recently approved with GEF-5 and 6 financial resources. The Regional Project ties together and provides a common framework among the national level GEF projects to collectively secure the 23 key snow leopard landscapes.
GEF Projects related to conservation of snow leopard and its habitat (22 projects, total $95 million)
GEF 5 and GEF 6
1) Regional: PMIS 5886 Transboundary Cooperation for Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Conservation (GEF Grant $1m, Cofinance $4.5m, GEF Agency: UNDP)
2) Afghanistan: PMIS 4839 Establishing Integrated Models for Protected Areas and their Co-management (GEF Grant $6.6m, GEF Agency: UNDP)
3) China: PMIS 4653 Strengthening the Management Effectiveness of the Protected Area Landscape in Altai Mountains and Wetlands (GEF Grant $3.6m, Cofinancing $22m, GEF Agency: UNDP)
4) India: PMIS Securing Himalaya (part of program), (GEF Grant $10m, GEF Agency: UNDP)
5) Kyrgyz Republic: PMIS 6958 Conservation of Globally Important Biodiversity and Association Land and Forest Resources of Western Tian Shan Forest Mountain Ecosystems and Support to Sustainable Livelihoods (GEF Grant $4m, Cofinance $16.5m, GEF Agency: UNDP)
6) Russia: PMIS 5559 Conservation of Big Cats (GEF Grant $12m, GEF Agency: WWF)
7) Tajikistan: PMIS 6949 Conservation and Sustainable Use of Pamir Alay and Tian Shan Ecosystems for Snow Leopard Protection and Sustainable Community Livelihoods (GEF Grant $ 4.3m, Cofinance $19m, GEF Agency: UNDP)
8) Uzbekistan: PMIS 8031 Sustainable Natural Resource and Forest Management in Key Mountainous Areas Important for Globally Significant Biodiversity (GEF Grant $6m, Cofinance $24m (Gov’t, UNDP, Panthera), GEF Agency: UNDP)
Past GEF Projects
9) Bhutan: Linking Protected Areas (LINKPA), GEF $0.8m (UNDP)
10) China: Protected Area system in Quinhai Province, GEF $5.3m (UNDP)
11) Kazakhstan: Altai-Sayan Mountain Ecoregion Project, GEF $2.4m (UNDP)
12) Mongolia: Altai-Sayan Ecoregion Conservation Project, GEF $3m (UNDP)
13) Russia: Altai-Sayan Ecoregion Conservation Project, $3.8m (UNDP)
14) Kazakhstan: Mountain Agrobiodiversity Project (Altau National Park), GEF $3m (UNDP)
15) Kyrgyz Republic: Protected Area Management in Tian Shan Mountain, GEF $1m (UNDP)
16) Mongolia: Ecosystem based Adaptation Project, GEF $5.5m (UNDP)
17) Mongolia::Strengthening Protected Area Network, GEF $1.3m (UNDP)
18) Nepal: Biodiversity Conservation, GEF $3.8m (UNDP)
19) Pakistan: Mountain Area Conservation Project (Northern), GEF $10.6m (UNDP)
20) Pakistan: Mountains and Market, GEF $1.8m (UNDP)
21) Tajikistan: Strengthening Protected Area Management, GEF $1m (UNDP)
22) Uzbekistan: Strengthening Protected Area Management, GEF $1m (UNDP)