Role of UNEP: UNEP’s role in the GEF is set out in the Instrument that governs operation of the Facility and is elaborated in the Action Plan on UNEP-GEF Complementarity adopted by UNEP’s Governing Council and the GEF Council. UNEP HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN GEF WATERS IN THE PILOT PHASE (1991-1994) AND DURING PHASES I, II and III AND PHASE II (1994 TO PRESENT).

1. UNEP/GEF INTERNATIONAL WATERS
PORTFOLIO
Third Biennial GEF International Waters Conference
20-25 June 2005, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
Vladimir Mamaev, SPO UNEP/DGEF

2. Role of UNEP
• UNEP’s role in the GEF is set out in the Instrument
that governs operation of the Facility and is elaborated
in the Action Plan on UNEP-GEF Complementarity
adopted by UNEP’s Governing Council and the GEF
Council.
• UNEP HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN GEF WATERS IN
THE PILOT PHASE (1991-1994) AND DURING
PHASES I, II and III AND PHASE II (1994 TO
PRESENT).

3. Project Environmental
assessment
and early
warning
Policy
development
and law
Policy
implementation
Technology,
industry
and
economics
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Regional
Cooperation Environmental
conventions
Mediterranean X X X X X
Sao Francisco X X X X X
Volta river X X X
Shrimp
X
Trawling
Africa Coastal
Tourism
X X
South China
Sea
X X X X X
GCLME X X X X
CCLME X X X
Russian Arctic X X
Bermejo X X X X X
GIWA X
DELTAmerica X X
IW:Learn X

4. UNEP IW Portfolio
• The first UNEP/GEF project in the International Waters focal
area was approved by the GEF Council in November 1996
(Strategic Action Programme for the Binational Basin of the
Bermejo River, Argentina and Bolivia, GEF grant $3.22 million,
total funding $5.96 million).
• As at June 2005 the UNEP IW Portfolio consist of 35 projects
with GEF grant funding of $124 million and total funding of $261
million.
• The portfolio comprises 21 full size projects, 7 medium-sized
projects and 7 projects under development with project
preparation and development (PDF) grants.
• These include six full size projects implemented jointly with one
or more of the other GEF implementing agencies.

5. Full Size Projects
approved since Dalian
• Addressing Land-based Activities in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO-LaB),
8 Countries US$ 4,511,140.
• Addressing Transboundary Concerns in the Volta River Basin and Is
Downstream Coastal Area, 6 Countries, US$ 5,719,880.
• Integrating Watershed and Coastal Areas Management in Small Island
Developing States of the Caribbean. (co-implemented: UNEP, UNDP) -
13 Countries, US$ 13,382,691 (UNEP- $7,270,450).
• Combating coastal area degradation and living resources depletion in
the Guinea Current LME through regional actions. (co-implemented:
UNDP, UNEP) –15 Countries US$ 20,812,404 ( UNEP - $9,099,699).
• Strengthening Global Capacity To Sustain Transboundary Waters: The
International Waters Learning Exchange and Resource Network
(IW:LEARN), Operational Phase. (co-implemented with UNDP and WB)
– FSP- Global, US$ 6,350,000 (UNEP–1,491,534).

6. Medium Size Project
Approved since Dalian
• Promoting Ecosystem-based Approaches to Fisheries
Conservation and LMEs, Global, US$ 995,000.
• Fostering a Global Dialogue on Oceans, Coasts, and SIDS, and
on Freshwater-Coastal-Marine Interlinkages, Global, US$
995,000.
• Dissemination of Experiences and Lessons Learned in the
water
Resources management across Latin America and the
Caribbean's (DELTA)

7. Project Concepts approved
since Dalian
• Strategic Partnership for the Mediterranean Large Marine
Ecosystem – Regional Component: Implementation of agreed
actions for the protection of the environmental resources of the
Mediterranean Sea and its coastal areas (jointly with WB).
• Atlantic and Indian Ocean SIDS Integrated Water Resource and
Wastewater Management (jointly with UNDP).
• Implementing Sustainable Integrated Water Resource and
Wastewater Management in the Pacific Island Countries (jointly
with UNDP).

8. UNEP IN GEF-IV
• The UNEP interventions in the GEF during the period 2006
-2010 will aim at achieving complementarity and synergy with
the regular work programme of UNEP.
• They will build on UNEP’s comparative advantages as well as
the success of the implementation of the UNEP GEF Action
Plan on Complementarity adopted by the 19th session of the
UNEP Governing Council as well the 13th session of the GEF
Council.

9. UNEP IN GEF-IV
• As a result of the successful completion of foundation (enabling
activity equivalent) projects during GEF 2 and GEF 3, the focal
area is now moving toward facilitating the mobilization of finance
for on-the-ground action to address the priority concerns of
these freshwater and marine transboundary systems.

10. UNEP IN GEF-IV
• The new Strategic Objectives proposed for the period 2006
-2010 do not represent a departure from this conceptual
framework. Rather, they represent an evolution reflecting
lessons of experience, the findings of the current Program
Study, draft OPS 3, STAP advice, and the GEF movement
towards integrated natural resources management and regional
collaboration needs recognized by the global community
through the MDGs and WSSD.

11. UNEP IN GEF-IV
1. To catalyse implementation of management action programs,
regional/national reforms, and stress reduction measures agreed
through TDA-SAP or equivalent processes for transboundary
water systems.
Implementation of agreed Strategic Action Programs (SAPs) that
were developed during GEF 2 and 3 for the following transboundary
water systems in LAC:
• Implementation of a Strategic Action Program (SAP) for the
Integrated Management of Water Resources of the São
Francisco River Basin and Its Coastal Zone.
• Implementation of a Strategic Action Program for the Integrated
Management of Water Resources and the Sustainable
Development of the San Juan River Basin and Its Coastal
Zone.

12. UNEP IN GEF-IV
Strategic partnership modalities will be used in two regions for
the implementation of agreed Strategic Action Programs
(SAPs), developed during GEF 3:
• Implementation of a Strategic Action Program (SAP) for the
Integrated Management of the Pantanal and Upper
Paraguay River Basin, Land/Water Strategic partnership.
• Mediterranean Sea Strategic partnership.

13. UNEP IN GEF-IV
2. Focussing on SIDS – IWRM plans.
Based on the successful experience gained during the
development of the UNEP/UNDP SIDS project in the Caribbean
and in response to the request of the countries expressed
during the Mauritius SIDS meeting in January 2005, UNEP in
partnership with UNDP is developing the following projects to
respond to SIDS needs:
• Atlantic and Indian Ocean SIDS Integrated Water Resource
and Wastewater Management, and
• Implementing Sustainable Integrated Water Resource and
Wastewater Management in the Pacific Island Countries.

14. UNEP IN GEF-IV
3. Responding to STAP advice – addressing the
transboundary issues of the coastal aquifers.
Based on the advice received from STAP, UNEP in GEF-4
will initiate several FSP and MSP to address the issues of
transboundary aquifers. The following projects are under
Development:
• Gulf of Guinea coastal aquifers.
• Caribbean Sea SIDS coastal aquifers.
• Management of Hydrological Risk in the Chad Aquifer
System.
• Management of the Basalt Aquifer shared between Jordan
and Syria.
• Joint management of the Merti aquifer shared between
Kenya and Somalia.
• Kalahari-Karoo Aquifers.

15. UNEP IN GEF-IV
4. Expanding geographical coverage of UNEP IW projects.
UNEP will start the implementation of the projects
developed during the GEF 3:
• Amur-Heilong River Basin
• Amazon River Basin
• Protection of the Canary Current LME
• African Coastal Tourism
• Rio Bravo Basin

16. UNEP IN GEF-IV
5. Undertake Innovative demonstrations.
• UNEP will continue to develop projects to address
land Based Sources of pollution and assist the
countries to implement the Global Programme of
Action.
• UNEP will initiate new projects with emphasis on
reducing persistent toxic substances, consistent with
UNEP and GEF chemicals agenda, addressing water
scarcity/competing water uses through IWRM, and
initiatives involving public-private partnerships and
innovative financing as a contribution toward the
MDGs and WSSD Targets.

17. UNEP IN GEF-IV
• UNEP will continue to expand the geographical
coverage of the transboundary water systems
through the development of new foundational
projects that will use the TDA/SAP methodology in
their implementation.

18. Partnerships
• Successful implementation of UNEP IW projects will
rely on establishing strategic partnerships with other
UN agencies with shared mandates for the
environment, international research and scientific
organisations, national and international NGOs,
development banks, the private sector, and others.
These strategic partners will be distinguished by their
potential to complement UNEP’s strengths.

19. THANK YOU
HAVE A GOOD DAY