Download PDF-A Document - Global Environment Facility

PDF BLOCK A – Barbados
Part I – Eligibility
1. Project name:
National Capacity Self - Assessment (NCSA) for
Global Environmental Management - Barbados.
3. Country in which the project is being
implemented:
Barbados
5. GEF focal area(s) :
Multiple Focal Area
2. GEF Implementing Agency :
UNEP
4. Country eligibility:
Barbados ratified the UNCBD on 10/12/1993, the UNFCCC on
23/03/1994 and the UNCCD on 14/05/1997. Barbados meets
all other eligibility requirements for GEF funding
6. Operational program/Short-term measure:
Enabling Activities
7. Project linkage to national priorities, action plans, and programs:
Barbados is a small coral limestone island, and the most easterly of the Caribbean islands. The island is 34 km long
and 23km wide with a total land area of 432 square kilometres (166 sq. miles) and a potential Exclusive Economic
Zone of 167,000 square kilometres. The estimated population of Barbados as cited in the Population Census of 2000
is 268, 402, making it one of the most densely populated countries in the world with a density of 623 persons per
square kilometre.
Barbados, has a mild subtropical climate with a dry season from December to May and a wet season from June to
November, and is usually cited among the top fifteen water scarce countries of the world. The island is comparatively
flat, with a series of terraced tablelands. From a geological perspective the island is divided into two regions. On the
Leeward or western side of the island can be found coral limestone and the coastlines are surrounded by the turquoise
seas and beaches of white sand. The windward or eastern side of the island comprises the Scotland District, which
accounts for one-seventh (1/7) of the island; here the coral limestone cap has been removed and the terrain of the
coastline is rough and rocky.
The first Europeans arrived in Barbados in 1627, and found most of the island covered with forest. However within 30
years of colonisation, some 80% of the island was cleared primarily for agricultural purposes. Some 300 years of
monoculture (sugar cane) and a gradual growth in population has further exacerbated the loss of terrestrial habitats
and biodiversity.
The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) was prepared in 2001, and seeks to provide an overall
assessment of the biodiversity of Barbados as well as a framework for the management and sustainable use of the
resources. The NBSAP provides for the integration of biodiversity management and conservation into existing sectoral
policies which would serve to minimise overlap and increase efficiency of use of human, financial and technical
resources. In order to achieve this successfully there must be an improvement in inter-agency collaboration and coordination of environmental and natural resources planning and management activities. Barbados is currently seeking
funding to implement various activities and programmes emanating from the NBSAP. Some of the goals highlighted in
the NBSAP include conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, improved public awareness and education on
biodiversity issues, improved biodiversity research and data storage and an ongoing programme of monitoring of
species conservation. Each goal has an objective, a strategy and a set of outlined actions to achieve the specified
goal.
Barbados prepared its First National Communication to the United Nations Framework Climate Convention on Climate
Change in 2001. The document identifies and highlights the challenges which will confront the island as it seeks to
design and implement an appropriate adaptation strategy. The island’s vulnerability and adaptability to climate change
is comprehensively discussed, as is the first national greenhouse gas inventory and abatement of greenhouse gas
emissions. Policies and actions aimed at enabling Barbados to become more independent and self-reliant in catering
for its energy needs are also identified. Barbados is currently in the process of receiving funds to start Phase 2 of the
Enabling Activities.
7. cont
Barbados is currently preparing its National Action Plan in accordance with the rules and regulations of the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The National Awareness Seminar was convened in 1999, at which
stakeholders gathered to discuss a way forward to addressing the issues of land degradation and drought in Barbados.
The report of the stakeholder consultation has formed the basis for the working draft of the National Action Plan, which
identifies three specific priority areas. These are settlement, agriculture and resource use and conservation.
In addition to addressing its international obligations under the Rio Conventions, Barbados has several programmes
and policies in place to effect sustainable environmental management:
The Government of Barbados has recently prepared a Sustainable Development Policy which aims to sensitise all
persons in Barbados about the need to make wise choices daily, at the individual, household, business, community
and national level. These choices include the things which are consumed, the foods eaten, the way goods are
produced and the way in which waste is disposed. Identification of capacity needs must be undertaken in order to
achieve the aims of the Sustainable Development Policy.
In 1998, the Government of Barbados received a number of policy documents focusing on Environmental Management
and Land Use Planning. This was the result of a study completed under the auspices of an Inter-American
Development Bank Investment Sector Reform Programme (IADB/ISRP). The particular component of the ISRP of
significance to Barbados for assessment of biological diversity was the Environmental Management and Land Use
Planning for Sustainable Development Project. This Project which lasted 18 months had a number of outputs:a. Proposals for the institutional arrangements for environmental management;
b. Environmental and Natural Resources Management Plan;
c. National Park System Management Plan & Guidelines
d. Draft comprehensive environmental legislation;
e. Draft Physical Development Plan
The traditional agricultural practice in Barbados is sugar cane on plantation farms. Today farmers are being
encouraged to diversify their production. Diversification efforts aim to preserve and enhance agro-biodiversity and as
such there is a strong move towards the use of plant species that are indigenous to Barbados. The Agriculture Sector
Plan 1993 – 2000 outlined a number of initiatives, which have been made towards ensuring the sustainability of the
agricultural sector. It places strong emphasis on farmer education programmes. There is training in water
conservation and alternative crops and cultivation practices to highlight a few. In an effort to strengthen the capabilities
of local communities and individual farmers to encourage the implementation of sustainable farming practices, the ASP
proposed the re-distribution of agricultural land in order to encourage the productivity and sustainability of the small
farming sector. The Land for the Landless policy aims to deal with this proposal.
The allocation of land to various uses as well as the development of land is guided by the Physical Development Plan
(PDP). The PDP was revised in 1998 and is intended to co-ordinate public and private development initiatives in
Barbados to the year 2010 within a framework of sustainable development.
Other relevant programmes include the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan, the Barbados Tourism
Development Plan and the National Tourism Policy. The Ministry of Social Transformation is also preparing a Poverty
Alleviation Strategy and Action Plan.
8. GEF national operational focal point and date of country endorsement:
Dr. Leonard Nurse
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Housing, Lands and the Environment
1st Flr S.P. Musson Bldg
Hincks Street
BRIDGETOWN
Date of Endorsement: 25 February 2004
(see letter of endorsement at Annex 1)
9. Project rationale and objectives :
Like most other developing countries in the Caribbean, Barbados has evolved a fragmented institutional environmental
management system that is exhibited through various sectoral entities in government. One of the consequences of this
approach is that there is increased potential for overlapping jurisdictions, to the point that sometimes enforcement of
the said laws in compromised.
Barbados does not yet have legislation to address specifically the Convention on Biological Diversity, however there
are existing pieces of legislation, such as the Trees Preservation Act, which protect some biodiversity. The
Government is currently preparing legislation on Alien and Exotic Species and Zoos. There is currently no legislation
specific to Protected Areas, but this is in the pipelines. The NBSAP identifies some institutional constraints, which
inhibits the Ministry from effectively carrying out its tasks such as inadequate staffing, a deficiency in training and a lack
of a structured information database or library for technical material.
In the Climate Change programme, Vulnerability and Adaptation is the number one priority area for Barbados. The
Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change (CPACC) Project has provided initial capacity building in the
area of vulnerability and climate change. The First National Communications of Barbados recognises the need for the
downscaling of the global climate models or the development of regional models, which would allow a more insular and
comprehensive understanding of how changing climate will impact Barbados and other countries in the region. It is
anticipated that the Regional Climate Change Centre will aid in furthering much of the initial work of CPACC, to better
ensure that climate change activities become integrated into development activities of countries.
The initial national communication of Barbados has not addressed the area of climate change and health, and the
socio-economic impacts of climate change, as there is a dearth of research in these areas. This indicates the urgent
need for capacity building and funding to allow in depth studies of these components in addressing climate change
issues.
A changing climate could potentially damage every major sector of the Barbados economy. With most of the tourism
infrastructure located on the coast any rise in sea level could prove disastrous for this industry. In addition, other
sectors such as water resources, agriculture and fisheries could be affected. Thus there is a need to examine in a
comprehensive manner; the capacity needs in Barbados with respect to climate change.
With respect to land degradation in Barbados, there is no stated and specific policy to address the issue. A number of
plans and policies address the issue. These include but are not limited to the Draft Physical Development Plan, the
Area Development Plan, the Trees Preservation Act and the Environment and Natural Resources Management Plan.
There exists a lack of co-ordination and no one agency has the mandate to harmonise all these efforts and their
differing impacts, thus, the policy framework remains fragmented and therefore weak. Equally, there is no stated policy
on the retention of the best arable lands for food production. Specific policies such as the agricultural sectoral plan
continue to present a challenge. In order to meet the competing demands for land while ensuring conservation of land
resources, the Government has instituted a land use zoning policy with restrictions on use determined by the location
of underground water resources. This has not, however, reduced the pressure exerted on prime agricultural lands by
competing issues such as residential and commercial uses. In fact, the economic policies and sectoral policies often
contradict other policies, which seek to arrest land degradation.
The Government of Barbados is currently in the process of elaborating its National Action Plan, which is a requirement
under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. Barbados is also ear-marked to commence a project
entitled “Harmonisation of Public Policies” which will seek to rationalise all existing plans, policies and laws on land
degradation.
The objective of the NCSA process will be to identify through a country-driven consultative process, the priorities,
needs and constraints for capacity building to protect global environment as Barbados aims to meet its obligations
under the Rio Conventions and other related international instruments. Lack of enforcement is one of the main
reasons why Small Island Developing States such as Barbados have problems effectively implementing MEAs, it is
envisaged that the NCSA process can assist in identifying ways in which this issue can be addressed. A key element
will be to address synergies between thematic areas. The Environmental Management and Land Use Planning Study,
which was conducted in 1998, has already identified a number of capacity needs and these will be explored further
under the NCSA.
10 Expected outcomes:
The establishment of a national consultative process for a full capacity needs assessment covering biodiversity,
climate change and land degradation issues. The NCSA document to be prepared will identify priority issues, capacity
constraints, opportunities for capacity building and how these can be integrated into the implementation of the three
Rio Conventions in line with national sustainable development goals.
11. Planned activities to achieve outcomes:To achieve the above outcomes, at minimum the following activities will be carried out:
o Preparation of a consultative mechanism to be used in each thematic area;
o Initial workshop to launch the capacity-self-assessment process;
o Identification of criteria to prioritise the capacity needs within each thematic area;
o Listing of existing potential capacity and capacity gaps in each of the three thematic areas and prioritising;
o Identification and harmonization of the convergence and complementary capacity gaps in the three thematic
area and prioritising;
o Conducting national workshops to present and agree on the identified potential/gaps/weaknesses capacities;
o Identification and evaluation of the capacity constraints for priority needs identified;
o Identification and evaluation of the opportunities for capacity building to address the identified capacity
constraints;
o Identification of opportunities and constraints for joint implementation of the three Rio Conventions;
o National workshop to present and validate the assessment capacity constraints report;
o Elaboration of strategy for joint implementation of the three Rio Conventions.
12. Stakeholders involved in project:
The stakeholders will include the full range of government agencies, representatives of civil society, NGOs, private
sectors etc that have direct or indirect roles in environmental management through their activities. A provisional list of
stakeholders is included at Annex 2.
PART II – INFORMATION ON BLOCK A PDF ACTIVITIES
13. Activities to be financed by the PDF:
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Reviewing the formal proposal criteria and other related documentation prepared by the GEF Secretariat
Identifying and consulting with the key government authorities and other stakeholders that are likely to
participate in the NCSA process
Identifying and reviewing relevant action plans, strategies, or assessments completed in the past three years
Identifying and consulting with any relevant ongoing activities and programmes
Agreeing on appropriate institutional arrangements for a cross-sectoral integrated assessment
Designing, in a highly participative and consultative fashion, an NCSA process
Preparing a proposal to obtain GEF funding to support the NCSA process
Convene a workshop to present and discuss the proposal to be submitted to GEF with relevant stakeholders.
14. Expected outputs and completion dates of the PDF A:
An adequate and appropriate National Capacity Self-Assessment proposal that conforms to all of the requirements set
forth by the GEF Secretariat, and is in accordance with the relevant GEF Council decisions, to be submitted via UNEP
within four months of receipt of PDF-A funds.
15. Other possible contributors/donors and amounts: The Government of Barbados shall provide in kind
contribution to the effective implementation of the Study. This has been estimated at USD10,000 and includes
costs such as Staff Salary, Office Space, and logistical support (secretarial, telephone, internet, photocopying and
fax)
16. Total estimated project budget and information on how costs will be met:
Budget Item/Activities
GEF
Identifying and consulting with the key government authorities and other
stakeholders that are likely to participate in the NCSA process
Identifying and reviewing relevant action plans, strategies or assessment
completed in the past four years
Identifying and consulting with any relevant ongoing activities and
programmes
Agreeing appropriate institutional arrangements for a cross-sectoral
integrated assessment
Designing, in highly participative and consultative fashion, an NCSA
process
Preparing a proposal to obtain GEF funding to support the NCSA process
Total
PART III - INFORMATION ON THE APPLICANT INSTITUTION
17. Name: Ministry of Housing, Lands and the
Environment
Environment Division
1st Floor S.P. Musson Building
Hincks Street
BRIDGETOWN
Governm
ent
2,000
10,000
7,000
4,000
2,000
7,000
3,000
25,000
18. Date of establishment, membership, and leadership:
The Environment Division of the Ministry of Housing, Lands
and the Environment was established in 1990. The Minister
is the Hon. H. Elizabeth Thompson and the Permanent
Secretary is Dr. Leonard Nurse. The Environment Division
is Focal Point for GEF, UNFCCC, UNCBD, UNCCD,
CITES, Ramsar and the Biosafety Protocol.
19. Mandate/terms of reference: The Environment 20. Sources of revenue:
Division is the major policy development and
Government budgetary appropriations in addition to funding
public awareness department of the Ministry and through bilateral and multilateral donors.
has a mandate to:
I. Co-ordinate the national sustainable
development programme, as well as to
measure and monitor human well-being via
a Sustainable Development Indicators
Programme;
II. Create and oversee the management of
Barbados’ biodiversity;
III. Develop a public awareness and public
education campaign;
IV. Co-ordinate the national implementation of
the various environmental conventions and
protocols such as Climate Change, Ozone,
Desertification, Biodiverity, Biosafety,
Ramsar and CITES
21. Recent activities/programs, in particular those relevant to the GEF:
The following GEF projects are under implementation or in the pipeline:
Development of National Biosafety Framework for Barbados
Integrated Watershed and Coastal Area Management
Biodiversity Enabling Activities
PART IV – INFORMATION TO BE COMPLETED BY IMPLEMENTING AGENCY
22. Project identification number:
23. Implementing Agency contact person:
Abdul-Majeid Haddad, UNEP/GEF NCSA Task Manager ([email protected]), Nairobi, Tel: +254 20 624088
24. Project linkage to Implementing Agency program(s):
UNEP has a mandate to assist countries with all aspects of environmental management and sustainable
development. UNEP is the host organisation for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and also has
established links with the UNFCCC and UNCCD. UNEP has established programmes of support to countries for
Biodiversity Enabling Activities, Climate Change Enabling Activities and also has an active programme of work on
land degradation – all of these programmes involve support to capacity building. The National Capacity Needs Self
Assessment (NCSA) process will provide an obvious extension of this work, especially in the light of the recent
work, led by UNEP, to harmonise obligations under a range of biodiversity-related multilateral environmental
agreements.
Annex 1
Annex 2
Provisional List of Stakeholders
Public Sector Agencies
Ministry for Housing, Lands and the Environment
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in particular also its Soil Conservation Unit
Ministry of Energy and Public Utilities
National Council of Science and Technology
Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs
Ministry of Tourism and International Transport
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
An array of working groups, and relevant commissions including:National Commission on Sustainable Development
National Climate Change Committee,
National Committee to Combat Desertification
Working Group on Biodiveristy
Trade and Environment Working Group
Convention Focal Points
CBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD, POPs, CITES, SADC, RAMSAR, Montreal Protocol, Cartagena
Private Sector
Barbados Wildlife Reserve
Barbados Chamber of Commerce
Small Business Association
Barbados Manufacture’s Association
Non-Governmental Organizations
National:
Barbados National Trust
Caribbean Youth Environmental Network – Barbados Arm
Bawdens Environmental Group
Organic Farmers Association
Regional
Caribbean Conservation Association
Academia
University of the West Indies