Progress report for
Achievement at a glance
The project is being financed by the 11th European Development Fund. It is running. The aim is to improve the long-term conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and natural resources in ACP regions in protected areas (PA) and surrounding communities. The project is building institutional and technical capacity at the regional, national and site levels; with access to and application of data and information related to biodiversity and PA management and governance being used to inform and strengthen policy decisions and management actions. The action is structured around the work of Regional Observatories managed by regional institutions and housing Regional Reference Information systems (RRIS) with tools and services that stakeholders can use to monitor and report on the status of biodiversity and PAs. The project will also support specific actions in priority conservation landscapes. By adopting a landscape approach, the project will contribute both to better PA management and to enhancing local livelihoods through sustainable use of the natural resources.
Today two Regional Observatories are hosted respectively by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in the Pacific region and the University of West Indies in the Caribbean region. Since the launch of the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management Programme (BIOPAMA) II mid-2017, some activities have been implemented, inter alia: Regional Inception workshops were organized in Southern and Eastern Africa, Western Africa, Central Africa, Caribbean and Pacific regions to identify regional/national priorities for enhancing the management and governance of Protected Areas. Technical studies were launched, incl. e.g. on coastal risk assessment for conservation of species. Regional training for MPAs management was organized in the Caribbean. The Pacific Islands Protected Area Portal (PIPAP) was improved.
The project is implemented by IUCN and financed by the 11th European Development Fund. It aims to improve the long-term conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and natural resources in protected areas and surrounding communities in ACP regions. The project is building institutional and technical capacity at regional, national and site levels to improve the management of protected areas by better use of scientific and technical information.
The action established five Regional Observatories for biodiversity managed by regional institutions in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries: OBAPAO (https://www.obapao.org/) in Western Africa, RRH (https://esahub.rcmrd.org/en/) in Eastern and Southern Africa, OFAC (https://www.observatoire-comifac.net/analytical_platform) in Central Africa, SPREP-PA (https://pipap.sprep.org/) in the Pacific and Caribbean Protected Area Gateway (CPAG: https://caribbeanprotectedareasgateway.com/) in the Caribbean. The Regional Observatories house Regional Reference Information systems (RRIS) with tools and services that allow stakeholders to monitor and report on the status of biodiversity and protected areas. 4 of the 5 Observatories have been selected as regional support centers for the Convention for Biological Diversity.
The project also supports specific actions in priority conservation landscapes corresponding to gaps in management effectiveness and governance: over 160 grants have been delivered to support on-the-ground action for improved PCA (Protected and Conserved Areas) management and governance activities.
By adopting a landscape approach, the project contributes to better protected areas management and enhances local livelihoods through sustainable use of the natural resources, equity and good governance. The initiative has produced key knowledge products of high value such as State of Protected and Conserved Areas reports and the State of Marine Protected Areas. Important capitalisation work has been done to make the impact of the interventions available to the wider public. (https://biopama.org/)
Challenges faced in implementation
Challenges were related to the financial and operational capacities of the grantees, which required a tight monitoring system.
Next Steps
2025 will be the last year of implementation of the programme. While the grants will be progressively closed, the IUCN will focus on the capitalisation and knowledge sharing of the achievements. Lessons learnt will be discussed and bridges built with new initiatives like the Centers of Excellence for Africa, and those for the Caribbean and Pacific. The action will culminate in the World Conservation Congress in October 2025.
Beneficiaries
National agencies leading on biodiversity conservation and protected areas management, national development agencies, local communities living in and around protected areas where interventions will be supported from the Action Component, Regional Organizations (e.g. SADC; EAC; RAPAC; OFAC; SPREP; UNEP-CEP). These targets groups have, nationally and/or regionally, the mandate and the responsibility of proposing and/or taking decisions that can influence biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Local communities are also directly involved in protected areas management through a number of governance arrangements.
National agencies leading on biodiversity conservation and protected areas management, national development agencies, grassroot civil society organisations, local communities living in and around protected areas where interventions are supported.
Regional Organisations.
Local communities are also directly involved in protected area management through a number of governance arrangements.
Actions
The project will provide tools, services and capacity development that will enable the final beneficiaries to better perform their functions and responsibilities, including those linked to the implementation of international and regional conventions and agreements. The project has identified the priorities for capacity building. It will support, in particular, the development of capacity for management and governance of protected and conserved areas in the region; for the implementation and enforcement of relevant laws and policies; for the strengthening of the knowledge base (including scientific research, monitoring and PAME assessments on biodiversity, economic and social elements) and its use and uptake; for the development of innovative finance solutions and business capacity for sustainable protected area systems; and for strengthening the involvement of local communities in the management of protected areas.
The project provides tools, services and capacity development that enable the final beneficiaries to better perform their functions and responsibilities, including those linked to the implementation of international and regional conventions and agreements. The project has identified and adapted the priorities for data-management, biodiversity knowledge and capacity- building in each region. It supports, in particular, the development of the institutions and the capacity for management and governance of protected and conserved areas in the regions, including the marine protected areas; for implementation and enforcement of relevant laws and policies; for strengthening the knowledge base (including scientific research, monitoring and Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) and Protected Area Governance and Equity (PAGE) assessments on biodiversity, economic and social elements) and its use and uptake; for developing innovative finance solutions and business capacity for sustainable protected area systems; for strengthening the involvement of local communities in the management of protected areas.
