GEF Full Sized Project (Vlasic)

GEF Full Sized Project

‘Strengthening the institutional and financial sustainability of the national protected area

system’

The project context

• June 2012: the project concept is summarised in a Project Information Form (PIF), approved into the pipeline of the fifth funding cycle of GEF (‘GEF 5’)

• December 2013: the project is cleared by the GEF and endorsed for an amount of US$4,953,000 grant to Croatia

The project context

• GEF has provided funding, through a Project Preparation Grant, to develop the project documentation.

• A team of consultants (3 national and one international) have been contracted to support UNDP and the Ministry in the drafting of the project documentation

• The full project will be implemented over a period of four years 2014-2017

Submission file: prodoc of 100 pages, 15 additional files...

The project is activity-focused around two key areas of support to national protected areas:

Key area 1: increase efficiency of management- Reform the institutional framework and strengthen systemic and institutional management capacities

Key area 2: increase financial efficiency- Improve the financial sustainablity of the network of national protected areas

Strategic approach to project design

The project is spatially focused on the network of ‘national protected areas’ (National Parks and Nature Parks)

Strategic approach to project design

Component 1:

• improve the current institutional framework• address it’s key weaknesses• build on the strong sides of the system

[19 public institutions, weak coordination; limited performance accountability; duplication of functions]

Project structure - two components

Component 1 - outputsOutput 1.1: National planning framework for PA system

Output 1.2: Financial management capacity of PA institutions

Output 1.3: Shared Service Centre (SSC) for national PAs

Output 1.4: Feasibility assessment – CBA and ranking of different options for establishing a ‘park agency’

Component 2:

• improve the financial sustainability of the national protected areas• ensure that they have adequate financial resources to cover the full costs of their management

[cost-inefficiencies; inequitable distribution of funds; funding gap for optimal management]

Project structure - two components

Component 2 - outputs

Output 2.1: Reduce transaction costs of user-pay systems in national protected areas

Output 2.2: Develop integrated tourism services in national protected areas

Output 2.3: Improve the productive efficiency of national protected areas

Full project budgetGEF funding GEF (USD)

Component 1 (including M&E) 1,762,000

Component 2 2,842,000

Project management 349,000

TOTAL (GEF) 4,953,000

Co-financing GEF (USD)

UNDP (project management) 500,000

National PIs (Vransko jazero; Papuk; Ucka; Telascica; Risnjak)

811,116

MENP 16,700,000

TOTAL (Co-financing) 18,011,116

Implementation arrangementsUNDPResponsible to GEF for monitoring of project implementation

- Provide administrative and financial support services to project (procurement, accounting services, contracting services, etc.)

Ministry of Environment and Nature ProtectionResponsible to UNDP for national implementation of project- Appoint a National Project Director (NPD) to

provide strategic oversight and guidance to project implementation

Implementation arrangementsProject Board (PB)Responsible for project co-ordination and decision-making.

Representation may include:- MENP (Chair)- UNDP- SINP- MRD&EU Funds- MF- National PIs

Implementation arrangementsProject management staffDay-to-day administration of project- Project Manager- Project Associate (administrative and

technical support)

Protected area institutions (SINP + PIs)Responsible for implementing pre-designated project outputs and activities

Parks: for people and nature toghether!

[email protected]