2 December 2010
GEF Endorses Projects on Biodiversity, Climate Change, International Waters and POPs
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The projects include biodiversity conservation in Venezuela, Lao PDR and Ecuador, addressing climate change in Chile, and removal of HCFCs in the Russian Federation.

November 2010: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) gave a final green light to a series of full-sized projects during the month of November, which allows their final approval by implementing agencies to commence activities, including on: biodiversity conservation in Venezuela, Lao PDR and Ecuador; climate change in Chile; and removal of HCFCs in the Russian Federation.

Regarding climate change, a project in the Russian Federation, under the Poznan program on technology transfer, supports the redesign and conversions required to phase-out HCFCs and at the same provide the technical assistance and technology transfer required to enhance the energy efficiency of the equipment being manufactured. By enhancing the synergy between these two activities, the programme maximizes the global ozone and climate benefits. Another climate change project seeks to encourage and consolidate an energy service market in Chile.

Biodiversity projects include: one to manage sustainably mountain ecosystems in Chimborazo, Ecuador, promoting sustainable management practices, compensation for ecosystem services and reforestation with native species; one on mainstreaming biodiversity into agriculture and land management policies in Lao PDR; and one to strengthen the marine and coastal protected area system in Venezuela.

Projects on international waters include a US$9.7 million project for several small island developing States (SIDS), namely: Cape Verde, Comoros, Maldives, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, and Seychelles to promote integrated water resource and wastewater management in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans; and a global project to strengthen global portfolio experience sharing, learning and replication to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of GEF international waters projects in delivering tangible results.

Two projects on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), were also approved: one in Tunisia to demonstrate and promote best techniques and practices for managing healthcare waste and PCBs; and another to dispose of POPs wastes and obsolete pesticides in Mozambique. [GEF Full Sized Projects]

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