Current Projects

Child Project 4.1 (GEF ID 9686) supports the GEF-funded UN MedProgramme, which is the first regional multi-focal area programme in the Mediterranean covering Chemicals and Waste (C&W), International Waters (IW), Biodiversity (BD) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), in terms of knowledge management.  

The objective of this Child Project (CP 4.1) is to foster programme-wide learning and dissemination of knowledge, effective portfolio coordination and synergistic interactions among Child Projects (CPs), gender mainstreaming actions and monitoring progress to impacts. It ensures coordination and monitoring of all CPs and focuses on increasing the capacity of programme stakeholders to address major environmental problems affecting the Mediterranean coastal areas and shallow marine environments such as pollution, impacts of climate change, coastal zone, and marine resources degradation. CP 4.1 is being executed by the MedProgramme Coordination Unit (MedPCU), which is hosted at the Mediterranean Action Plan of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP/MAP), Barcelona Convention Secretariat, Athens, Greece. 

UNEP/MAP is the Executing Agency of the Child Project, and its participating countries are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia (NB: Although Turkey did not endorse this Child Project, the country will be engaged through its overarching knowledge management, gender mainstreaming and coordination services to the entire portfolio). It should be noted that while the responsibility of the implementation of CP 4.1 is entirely attributed to the MedPCU, it relies entirely on the cooperation with and on the contributions from theMedProgramme’s Executing Partners (UNESCO/IHP, EIB, IUCN Med, GWP-Med, WWF Med, Plan Bleu, PAP/RAC, SCP/RAC ,and SPA/RAC), as well as the programme’s second Implementing Agency, EBRD. 

CP 4.1. has the following two components: 

• Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination 
• Coordination and Synergies 

Component 1 encompasses tools, services and activities that promote the effective use of knowledge across the MedProgramme and the dissemination of relevant information to the programme’s stakeholders.

These include:

(i) the suite of tools that comprise the Knowledge Management Platform (including a Project Management Tool, an outward-facing web portal with sub-websites for each of the CPs, databases, and data visualization tools);

(ii) a set of communication, outreach and awareness-raising products and activities, including the MedProgramme’s visual identity, promotional videos, social media campaigns, publications, awareness-raising events, knowledge exchanges, participation in global campaigns and events, and engagement with media and goodwill ambassadors; and

(iii) two Replication Atlases, intended to showcase successful/innovative practices of CPs and their potential for regional replication. 

Component 2 is dedicated to the programme-wide coordination and monitoring system that supports the implementation of all CPs ensures their consistency with the overall Programme objectives and helps capture synergies among projects and partners.

This programme-wide coordination and monitoring system includes:

(i) the MedProgramme Bulletins and regular reporting on progress and expenditures;

(ii) the Annual Stocktaking Meetings (ASM);

(iii) cooperation and synergies with the IW:LEARN  and its community;

(iv) reporting mechanisms with the Implementing Agency (IA) and the EA’s Executing Partners;

(v) the MedProgramme Gender Monitoring Framework for all gender mainstreaming activities; and

(vi) the organization of the Project Steering Committee  (PSC) meetings for the CPs implemented by UNEP. 

Brief project description: The medium-sized project Strengthening the Blue Economy: the Economic Case, Science-Informed Policy, and Transparency, is designed to tackle the features underpinning the assumption that “one can either generate wealth from the ocean or have a healthy ocean, but not both”.  

The overall project objective is that governments and businesses commit to and begin implementing policies, programmes and investments that advance the transition to the Blue Economy (a sustainable ocean economy). 

The project supports three main areas of work: 

1) The production of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) landmark 2020 report ‘Ocean Solutions that Benefit People, Nature and the Economy’;    

2) At least four ‘Blue Papers (BPs)’, commissioned by the Ocean Panel that offer a synthesis of knowledge, new thinking and perspectives, and opportunities for action that serve as inputs to the Ocean Panel’s report; and 

3) A beta version of ‘Ocean Watch’, which is a platform that will provide the data, the analyses, and the visualisations (maps, graphs, charts etc.) that are needed to support work in the spatial and integrated management of the ocean. 

The project is comprised of four components: 

Component 1: "Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy" 

This project has contributed to the research and writing of the Ocean Panel's landmark report, ‘Ocean Solutions That Benefit People, Nature & the Economy’ (or ‘Ocean Solutions’ report) commissioned by the Ocean Panel. The report, launched in December 2020 and written by SYSTEMIQ and the Ocean Panel Expert Group co-chairs, sets out a new ocean narrative. This comprehensive report contains science-based, practical solutions that governments and businesses can adopt to help achieve a sustainable ocean economy where people have more opportunities and better health, nature thrives, and resources are distributed more equitably. It focuses on the urgent need for action and sets out a roadmap on how to attain a sustainable ocean economy by 2050.  

The report was produced and released alongside the ‘Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy’, a call for international action, focusing on five key areas – ocean wealth, health, equity, knowledge and finance. This knowledge product has been endorsed by 15 Ocean Panel Heads of State and Government1. Countries are now working in earnest to translate this agenda into actionable policies and programmes domestically, and mechanisms are in development to follow progress. 

Component 2: “Blue Papers” substantiating “Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy” recommendations 

A series of 16 Blue Papers (BPs) were commissioned by the Ocean Panel - alongside three special reports - to form a comprehensive assessment of ocean science and knowledge and to inform the Ocean Solutions report and the Ocean Panel’s action agenda. The BPs provide a synthesis of the latest science and knowledge on some of the ocean’s most pressing challenges and opportunities for action. The BPs were authored by leading experts from around the world from the Ocean Panel Expert Group and beyond. Together more than 250 experts and authors representing 48 countries — 44% of whom are women – contributed to this research. The BPs are an independent input into the Ocean Panel process and do not represent the thinking of the Ocean Panel.  

The GEF funding has supported the elaboration and launch of four BPs: Ocean-Based Renewable Energy & Deep Seabed Minerals, the Human Relationship with Our Ocean, Ocean Finance and Coastal Development. Many of the 16 BPs have been adapted and released in the science journal Nature and some of its sister journals, including two funded under this project, Challenges to the Sustainability of Deep-Seabed Mining and Financing a Sustainable Ocean Economy. 

Component 3: “Ocean Watch” beta - online monitoring system to support monitoring of impacts of policies and practices.  

Launched in November 2021, Ocean Watch, an open data platform for the global ocean, supports greater integration of data into marine policy-making. This platform provides the data, analyses, and visualisations needed to support national planning entities in the integrated management of the ocean. Building upon existing datasets, Ocean Watch provides an integrated source of ocean data, uniting ocean sectors and ensuring holistic ocean management. Potential users and stakeholders’ feedback and priorities guide the platform’s development and data collection.  

This project also contributed to the development of the interactive Global Coral Reef Profile, which provides consolidated, map-based information and indicators on the value of coral reefs, the threats they are facing and factors that promote reefs resilience. Equally, the Coral Reef Data Hub, has been made available and includes 30 global data sets relevant to coral reefs. Further description and a request for feedback on the profile can be found on the International Core Reef Initiative. 

Component 4: Knowledge management and sharing 

Through tailored communications and outreach strategies, this project ensures that the outputs and knowledge products from all three components are shared widely to ensure maximum impact and visibility. Outreach is coupled with public awareness campaigns and planned activities, including, but not limited to, op-eds, blogs, podcasts, videos and social media toolkits. The project will also disseminate its knowledge products and stories via IW:LEARN and a project page on the World Resources Institute website, liaise with members of the IW:LEARN community and take part in IW conferences (if possible). 

The Executing Agency (EA) for the project is the World Resources Institute (WRI), which houses the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) as the team managing the project and serves as the Project Steering Committee (PSC)’s secretariat. WRI is well-positioned as an EA for this project, as it acts as the Secretariat for the Ocean Panel, as well as the Co-Secretariat for the Friends of Ocean Action (FOA), and the convenor of the Resource Watch partnership. The PCU oversees the daily implementation of the project, ensuring monitoring and reporting duties are carried out by liaising with component leads.  

Key to working with the partners involved was effective communication and feedback mechanisms, for instance with SYSTEMIQ for the Ocean Solutions report updates, as well as meetings with Expert Group Co-chairs and authors to discuss all Blue Paper progress. Similarly, Ocean Watch technical staff and development leads provide updates at monthly programme meetings involving PCU staff and Ocean Watch technical staff.

The GEF project “Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach in the Adriatic Sea through Marine Spatial Planning” (GEF Adriatic Project) is a sub-regional project, implemented in Albania and Montenegro, which aims to restore the ecological balance of the Adriatic Sea through the implementation of the Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP). 

The specific objectives of the Project are to: 

• Increase the level of knowledge in participating countries to achieve joint assessment, protection and sustainable use of marine areas (Outcome 1: Science-based consensus among sub-regional countries on Good Environmental Status of the Adriatic Sea; and Outcome 2: Programme on integrated observation and monitoring is agreed among Adriatic countries, including a set of regionally agreed common indicators). 

• Strengthen participating countries' capacity for sub-regional marine management through targeted demonstration of successful tools and practices (Outcome 3: Marine Spatial Planning demonstrates how environmental status of all Adriatic countries could be improved) 

• Share knowledge and experiences to secure successful participation of stakeholders (Outcome 4: Increased national and regional awareness of the usefulness of the ecosystem approach and marine spatial planning). 

The project has three main components. 

Component 1: Consolidating common knowledge to utilize Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) as applied by UNEP/MAP and Blue Growth in the Adriatic sub-region 

Component 1 aims to consolidate the knowledge that already exists in the two beneficiary countries (Albania and Montenegro) with regard to the implementation of the EcAp in this part of the Adriatic sub-region. In addition, through this component, new data will be collected with the aim to assess the current situation regarding the ecological status. The respective assessment will facilitate implementation of the MSP. 

Component 2: Integrating Marine Spatial Planning into planning process and capacity building for improved sub-regional environmental marine management 

The main objectives of Component 2 are to: 

• Develop a methodology for integrating EcAp and MSP; 

• Test the methodology by developing a Marine Spatial Plan for a designated zone using inputs from implementation of IMAP/EcAp in the Adriatic; 

• Build capacities of beneficiary countries for the application of MSP integrated with EcAp. 

This Component is also a specific added value of the project as it is providing integration of two key governance frameworks developed under the Barcelona System – Ecosystem Approach and Marine Spatial Planning that is a practical novelty within the System, but also beyond it as well. 

Component 3: Knowledge management, Stakeholder involvement and Communication Strategy 

This component aims at building support for the project's implementation with a view to increasing its chances for success. In addition, it aims at increasing local and regional awareness of the usefulness of the ecosystem approach and marine spatial planning.

The objective of the INMS project is to improve the understanding of the global nitrogen cycle towards the establishment of an International Nitrogen Management System using targeted research. INMS is executed by the International Nitrogen Initiative, hosted by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). 

Component 1: Tools to apply methods for understanding Nitrogen Cycle 

This component is developing the necessary tools and approaches that form the basis for improving understanding and quantification of the global nitrogen cycle, and hence a foundation for developing the necessary interventions at global and regional scales.  Component 1 focuses on establishing methods, models and indicators, considering especially the datasets that are required.   

Component 2: Regional / global quantification of N use, flows, impacts and the quantitative benefits of applying best management practices 

The aim of this component is to apply tools, methods and data to synthesize knowledge on nitrogen flows, threats and benefits in the context of the global nitrogen cycle.  It is applying key inputs in the form of tools and methods developed in Component 1, together with outcomes from the regional demonstration activities of Component 3, to analyze the current status of N flows, threats and benefits.  

Component 3: Regional demonstration of Full Nitrogen Approach 

This component establishes targeted research demonstrations on the nitrogen cycle at a regional scale for each of the main world regions. The approach is to demonstrate how a joined up approach to nitrogen management can catalyze stronger action for a cleaner environment (water, air, greenhouse gas, ecosystems, soils) and improved food and energy production simultaneously. The choice of regional scale reflects the need to link between local and global scales, to share regionally specific lessons and to work in partnership with regional intergovernmental and other international processes.  

Component 4: Awareness raising and knowledge sharing 

The purpose of this component is to support internal and external communication and knowledge exchange in the project. Key to the success of this targeted research activity is the uptake of emerging results by other partners, ongoing engagement and exchange of ideas with stakeholders to ensure that tools and products are fit for purpose and communication of all results in the most effective way. 

Project description:

There is a broad scientific consensus in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region that the critical coastal and marine ecosystems, mainly mangroves, seagrass beds, estuaries/rivers and coral reefs will continue to be degraded by the impacts of land-based sources and activities without significant conservation interventions that cut across the region.

The Project entitled ‘Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the protection of the Western Indian Ocean from land-based sources and activities’ (WIOSAP) is intended ‘to reduce impacts from land-based sources and activities and sustainably manage critical coastal and marine ecosystems through the implementation of the agreed WIO-SAP priorities with the support of partnerships at national and regional levels’.

The WIOSAP project is largely based on the WIO-LaB Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the protection of the WIO Region from land-based sources and activities that were developed as part of the UNEP-GEF WIO-LaB Project that was implemented in the WIO Region in the period 2004 - 2010.

The WIOSAP project is thus a response to a request made by the Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention and it presents an opportunity for the governments in the region and their conservation partners to jointly implement strategies for protecting the coastal and marine ecosystems from land-based sources and activities to provide essential goods and services on a sustainable basis.

Without such an intervention, the degradation of the region’s valuable coastal and marine resources will continue unabated with a likelihood of reversing gains made by governments and conservation organizations in the region.

Benefits: The project recognizes that concerted management efforts will contribute substantially to poverty alleviation and gender equality, through sustainable livelihoods and economic development.

The project will build on the national and regional conservation initiatives being undertaken by all participating countries' governments and conservation organizations involved in the project at the local, national and regional levels.

Threats: The project addresses the main threats to the critical coastal and marine ecosystems of the WIO Region as identified in the TDA developed under the concluded WIOLaB Project that focused on addressing land-based activities and sources of degradation of the coastal and marine ecosystems;

1. including physical alteration and destruction of habitats;
2. water and sediment quality deterioration due to pollution; and
3. the alteration of river freshwater flows and sediment loads.

Components: The project addresses cross-cutting issues of governance and awareness which are important in the sustainable management of the coastal and marine ecosystems in the region. To address these main threats, the project has four main components:

• Component A: Sustainable management of critical habitats focuses on the protection, restoration and management of critical coastal habitats and ecosystems recognizing the enormous value of healthy critical coastal and marine habitats for the future well-being of people in the WIO region.
• Component B: Improved water quality focuses on the need for the WIO Region’s water quality to attain international standards by the year 2035.
• Component C: Sustainable management of river flows aims at promoting wise management of river basins in the region through the implementation of a suite of activities aimed at building the capacity for environmental flows assessment and application in river basins of the region.
• Component D: Governance and regional collaboration focus on strengthening governance and awareness in the WIO region with a view to facilitating sustainable management of critical coastal ecosystems and habitats.

The project responds to the GEF Corporate Goals 1 and 4: ‘Global natural resources’ and ‘Building national and regional capacities and enabling conditions for addressing transboundary systems’ respectively, and more specifically to the GEF Strategic programme objectives for international waters ‘catalyze multi-state cooperation to rebuild marine fisheries and reduce pollution of coasts and Large Marine Ecosystems’.

The project contributes to Sub-programme

• 3 of the UNEP Programme of Work on “Ecosystem management” and particularly expected accomplishments 3(a), (b), and (c) with the aim to contribute to countries increasingly being able to practice integrated management of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems and mainstreaming cross-sectoral and integrated ecosystem management principles in their development and planning processes (Expected outcome (a) and expected accomplishment (b).
• 4 Services and benefits derived from ecosystems will be increasingly integrated into national development planning and accounting (expected accomplishment c). The project contributes to the WIO region’s priorities for addressing the impacts of climate change and also supports core human and institutional capacity building in line with other GEF-IW strategic objectives.

The project will be implemented and executed through a “Partnerships Approach” with the Nairobi Convention Secretariat being the executing agency.

The participating countries include Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia and South Africa. 

The objective of this project is to operate and expand the network of fisheries refugia in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand for the improved management of fisheries and critical marine habitats linkages to achieve the medium and longer-term goals of the fisheries component of the Strategic Action Programme for the South China Sea.

The project is executed regionally by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in partnership with the government agencies responsible for fisheries in the six participating countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Activities are clustered into four major components:  

Component 1: Identification and management of fisheries and critical habitat linkages at priority fisheries refugia;  

Component 2: Improving the management of critical habitats for fish stocks of transboundary significance via national and regional actions;  

Component 3: Information Management and Dissemination; and 

Component 4: National and regional cooperation and coordination for integrated fish stock and critical habitat management.  

The project is relevant to the waterbody-based Operational Program focusing on international waters with relevance to biological diversity. 

The Child Project 2.2 (GEF ID 9685) is promoting the Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystems Nexus approach and is catalyzing action for its adoption and implementation in the Mediterranean area.  

Given that water, food, energy, and ecosystems are essential for human well-being, poverty reduction, and sustainable development and that they are interlinked through a Nexus of natural, institutional, economic, and social frameworks, the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus (a.k.a Nexus) approach aims to facilitate the enhancement of water, energy,, and food security, while preserving ecosystems and their functions and increasing climate resilience, by reducing trade-offs, shifting towards more sustainable consumption patterns and improving demand management towards efficiency, building synergies and improving governance across sectors. 

The Nexus approach is based on inter-sectoral management, enhanced science-based technical assessment, policy dialogue, governance improvements, mobilization of financing, replicable applications, collaboration, and coordination among involved players and stakeholders. 

The Project focuses on producing benefits for the coastal and the marine area. Particularly related to water, by addressing the Nexus, the Project recognizes the relevance of the entire spectrum of competing water needs, stressing the explicit role, interests, and leadership of other sectoral stakeholders beyond the water sector. 

In three selected coastal areas, Albania, Lebanon, and Morocco using the Nexus approach, the Project seeks to: 

• Understand the interlinkages among the Nexus sectors and related issues;

• Identify solutions in response to challenges for fostering water-food-energy security, reduction of land-based nutrient pollution and other pressures, protection of coastal habitats and biodiversity, and enhanced climate change resilience; 

• Support the development of Nexus Strategies and/or Action Plans as parts of existing or in-the-making ICZM plans and strategies; 

• Identify and test novel approaches for addressing management issues and work to upscale these; 

• Develop project proposals enabling priority solutions/interventions to address pressing issues identified. 

UNEP/MAP is the Executing Agency of the Child Project, the Executing Partner is GWP Med and the participating countries are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco, and Tunisia. 

This Child Project is composed of four Components: 

• Component 1: Institutional strengthening 

• Component 2: Addressing Nexus issues affecting priority coastal zones of the Mediterranean LME. 

• Component 3: Testing and upscaling Nexus solutions 

• Component 4: Consultation and outreach 

The actions of Component 1 are aimed at creating, at the regional level, the enabling conditions for implementing the key feature of the Nexus approach: the integration among the most important sectors for the society and economy as well as the environment. 

This Component is expected to: 

• Identify the level of integration among Nexus sectors in each interested country and inform the possible development of a Nexus Regional strategic document describing orientations, partners, capacities, and steps for the introduction of the Nexus approach in the natural resources management frameworks. 

• Raise awareness, increase understanding and enhance capacities of institutions and stakeholders, through knowledge exchange and cross-fertilization regarding the Nexus approach. 

Component 2 is the key component of the Project. The Nexus approach will be applied in three countries to foster integrated policy-making and management: Albania; at the country level; Lebanon: at the country level; and in occo: in the Tangiers Tetouan region. 

This will be done by developing a Nexus Assessment and Nexus Policy Dialogues. 

In each of the countries, actions under this Component will be used to: 

• Identify linkages/benefits/trade-offs among sectors, define priorities and assess the trends under different scenarios leading to concrete suggestions for synergic action in the field of policymaking, and management of natural resources. 

• Identify concrete actions for the application of the solutions identified through the Nexus assessments and policy dialogues as well as for the incorporation of the Nexus approach in national policy formulation and decision-making for natural resources management. 

• Identify priority Nexus-related interventions. 

Component 3 is dedicated to the identification, funding, and pilot implementation of up to four Nexus solutions in the Partner Countries while Component 4 is dedicated to stakeholder involvement and the promotion of the results of the project. 

Child Project 2.1 (GEF ID 9687) addresses Mediterranean coastal zones where the most pressing climate-related and sustainability concerns are concentrated, and where most marine degradation originates. It is aimed at achieving positive impacts in the following domains: 

• Sustainability of the coastal zone resources in beneficiary countries through the expanded compliance with the ICZM Protocol, the adoption of national ICZM strategies, coastal plans and instruments, and improved gender equality; 

• Resilience to climatic variability and change and water security of coastal populations through improved sustainability of services provided by coastal aquifers and by groundwater-related coastal habitats; and 

• Effectiveness, long-term sustainability, and replication potential of project results by sharing experiences and lessons learned in and among countries, and full integration of gender considerations.  

The project's purpose is to assist countries, in particular coastal zone managers and populations, in adapting to evolving climatic conditions threatening the sustainability of the freshwater supply and introducing land use policies and development practices respectful of the diverse Mediterranean coastal zones characteristics: intrinsic vulnerabilities, natural and cultural functions, freshwater-seawater interactions; and geological processes. By promoting gender equality principles in coastal zone management practices and policies, and mainstreaming gender considerations in all of its activities, the project will improve the effectiveness and sustainability of integrated coastal zone management in the Mediterranean region. 

UNEP/MAP is the Executing Agency of this Child Project, and its participating countries are Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Montenegro, Morocco and Tunisia. The Executing Partners are UNESCO/IHP, GWP-Med, Plan Bleu and PAP/RAC. 

This Child Project is composed of two Components: 

• Component 1: Coastal Zone Management 

• Component 2: Management of Coastal Aquifers and Related Ecosystems 

Component 1 extends to the spatial components of the Source-to-Sea continuum: basins/aquifers, coastal and marine zones.  Planning documents, like National ICZM Strategies and ICZM Plans, will be developed four countries: Egypt, Lebanon, Montenegro, and Morocco. In the remaining five countries of the project, activities supporting ratification and implementation of the ICZM Protocol, implementation of the national ICZM strategies and launching of Coastal plans, including awareness-raising and capacity-building activities will be implemented.   

Component 1 will support the implementation of comprehensive ICZM approaches, including:  

• Preparation, adoption and support to the implementation of gender-sensitive National ICZM Strategies, or coastal plans, informed by the participatory Climagine foresight methodology; marine spatial plans and plans focused on coastal resilience to Climate Variability and Change adopting the Integrative Methodological Framework (IMF),   

• Translation of intrinsic environmental vulnerabilities (ecosystems, climate, and groundwater) into Coastal Zone Use Capability or suitability maps and related guidance;  

• Use of ICZM tools and instruments;  

• Capacity building activities for ICZM, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and adaptation to climate variability and change (all project countries) and  

• Awareness-raising activities on coastal resilience, coastal aquifers and women in coastal management. 

Component 2 will implement sustainable management policies and practices in the five coastal aquifers considered of priority importance by the countries and in the coastal ecosystems related to them while conducting sub-regional training and national dialogues on the conjunctive surface and groundwater management solutions in coastal areas. These aquifers are: 

• Albania and Montenegro – Buna-Bojana transboundary coastal aquifer 

• Egypt – North West coastal aquifer  

• Lebanon – Damour coastal aquifer 

• Morocco – Rhiss-Nekkor coastal aquifer 

• Tunisia – Ras Jebel coastal aquifer (as per the decision of the PSC in May 2022) 

The actions that the project will implement under Component 2 will include the further  characterization and management improvement of coastal aquifers through the following activities:  

• Aquifer assessments, the assessment of seawater intrusion and aquifer salinization, mapping of water and land use and inventorying wells, estimating abstractions and related energy consumption, and conducting sex-disaggregated data collection and gender analyses, amongst others; 

• The identification of major submarine groundwater discharge zones (all project countries), and assessment of flows and contaminant loads for the five priority coastal aquifers ;  

• Integrated assessment including a systematic mapping of groundwater vulnerability in the coastal zone of the five priority aquifers;  

• The assessment and diagnosis of coastal ecosystems related to priority aquifers, and the strengthening of management capacity related to ecosystem services and their evolution trends; 

• Improvement of stakeholder involvement through capacity building and participating in workshops and consultations; 

• The preparation for the adoption of management plans for the five priority coastal aquifers; and the design and testing on the ground of modern multi-purpose monitoring networks for the five priority coastal aquifers.

Project Objective:

To implement innovative technical small-scale solutions in the Wider Caribbean Region using an integrated water and wastewater management approach building on sustainable financing mechanisms piloted through the Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management.

Project Components:

Component 1: Institutional, policy, legislative and regulatory reforms for Integrated Water and Wastewater Management (IWWM). This component will provide capacity-building support for the development and strengthening of national legal, regulatory, policy and institutional frameworks. This will enable countries to better design and implement broader and more integrated national and community-based solutions for water and wastewater management. It will also facilitate more harmonized regional approaches in meeting agreed regional and global water and wastewater-related goals and targets. This support will be critical for countries to develop, upgrade and/or sustain their national innovative financial mechanisms for water and wastewater management. This component will finance consultants specialized in policy reforms and design, water and wastewater-related legal and regulatory issues, and costs related to training workshops.  

Component 2: Sustainable and tailor-made financing options for urban, peri-urban and rural IWWM. This component will focus on the countries’ readiness and the development of sustainable and innovative financing mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of IWWM solutions supported by the program (Component III), including guaranteeing revenue streams, payment for ecosystem goods and services, and innovative mechanisms. This component will finance consultants specialized in the financial sustainability of water and sanitation investments, and training programs for beneficiaries and local management entities.  

Component 3: Provision of innovative small-scale, local, rural, peri-urban and community-based solutions for IWWM. This component will provide information and advice to all participating countries on a range of innovative technologies appropriate for small-scale solutions, supported by technical assistance to address local and community-based projects, meeting the needs of rural or small urban communities. Selected rural and peri-urban hotspots will benefit by using innovative IWWM and sustainable watershed management practices. As innovations in wastewater treatment and reuse are being developed throughout the program, scarce water resources will be protected in order to sustain the livelihood of populations and economic activity in a given watershed. This component will finance consultancies, feasibility studies, investments in pilot projects and training workshops. 

Component 4. Knowledge Management and Advocacy on the importance of IWWM in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. This component will finance the documentation of lessons learned, experiences and good practices, and will improve awareness and understanding of implementing integrated, low-tech approaches to IWWM solutions. It will also provide communications support to internal and external partners, stakeholders and the wider public on all components and activities of the project. Activities at national and community levels will be preceded by stakeholder identification and assessment and will include best practices in stakeholder management and participation. Effective engagement will contribute to the success and long-term sustainability of the solutions implemented. Activities at regional, national and community levels will generate and disseminate IWWM knowledge products, including up-to-date information on financial options, and wastewater treatment technology, policies and practices. 

To enhance transboundary cooperation and SAP implementation through sustainable fisheries co-management, biodiversity conservation and restoration of degraded landscapes in selected key biodiversity areas of Lake Tanganyika. *Please note that the project comprises a blend of Technical Assistance and Investment. Components 1 and 4 are considered as TA in their entirety. Components 2 and 3 have both Technical Assistance and Investment elements for substantive Investment activities.