EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND UNEP ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP TO CATALYZE GREEN ECONOMY

Support for Kenya's Mau Forest Restoration Project Spotlighted
26th Session of UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum 21-24 February
Nairobi, 23 February 2011 - A wide-ranging new partnership aimed at furthering sustainable development in the 21st century was announced today by the European Union's (EU) Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potocnik and UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

It builds on an existing partnership signed in 2004 which over the past three years has provided UNEP and the Multilateral Environmental Agreements - including those covering chemicals to biodiversity and for which UNEP provides the secretariat-over 50 million Euros for implementing close to 60 projects world-wide under the EU's specific fund for the environment.

Today's new cooperative statement, outlining a strategic partnership covering European Union funding from the European Commission (EC) to UNEP up to 2013, identifies key areas of joint activities including under the European Union's "Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources including Energy".

It also reflects the EU 2020 strategy on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth that dovetails with UNEP's work on the Green Economy, the International Panel on Sustainable Resource Management and The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), of which the EU is a long standing supporter.

Mau Forest - Support for a Green Economy in Kenya

As part of this cooperation, a multi-million Euro project to assist in the restoration of the north western part of the Mau forest complex in Kenya was also announced by the EU, UNEP and the Government of Kenya.

The project, supporting the strategy of the Government of Kenya to rehabilitate one of Sub-Saharan Africa's largest closed canopy forests, will contribute to maintaining nature-based assets worth an estimated US$1.5 billion a year to the Kenyan economy.

The project, details of which were unveiled during the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum, will secure services generated by the flows of the Yala and Nyando rivers.

These rivers, which feed Lake Victoria and are important for drinking water, also support 5,000 hectares of rice production important for local food security and the Kenyan economy.

Mr. Potocnik said today: "The EU and UNEP share many common priorities - from climate change and sustainable energy to environment and development. Sustainable management of natural resources, sustainable consumption and production and the Green Economy are among those key priorities".

"Today we are also announcing support to the Government of Kenya, through UNEP, towards rehabilitation and restoring one of Kenya's and East Africa's key pieces of natural infrastructure. The Mau forest complex is a living example of where economy and environment intersect and reflects not only our cooperative work with UNEP, but the EU's overall vision for a sustainable 21st century at home and abroad," he added.

Mr. Steiner said: "The Government of Kenya has embarked on a remarkable transformation of its economy in which renewable energy and improved management of its nature-based assets are at the core of its sustainable, 2030 Vision, development path. Realizing that vision however requires the support of committed partners - and I would like to thank the Environment Commissioner for the EC's commitment in the UNEP-Kenya partnership in support of conserving and restoring Kenya's vital water towers".

"The Mau forest complex is emblematic of the challenges, but also the opportunities being faced by countries across the globe. The new strategic cooperation between the EC and UNEP with funding from the EU will allow us to better meet the genuine aspirations of more and more nations towards their transition to a Green Economy," he added.

Over the coming months the EU and UNEP will discuss and announce the precise funding arrangements and potential projects to be started under the new strategic cooperative partnership announced today.

 

The EU/UNEP/Government of Kenya Project

The new, over 2 million Euro project for the Mau forest complex is being funded out of the existing agreement. It will support world-wide efforts as part of the UN's International Year of Forests.

It will cover the north west of the Mau forest where significant degradation of the indigenous forest, leading to conversion into grassland, has occurred due to unsustainable use of forest resources. Part of the project will tackle this issue through the establishment of wood lots for local peoples' cooking needs

Meanwhile, industrial forest plantations in the area are also currently poorly managed.

The loss and degradation of forest in this part of the Mau complex is endangering a range of businesses, development initiatives and biologically important sites.

The area is the upper catchment of the Yala and Nyando rivers that both flow into Lake Victoria and provide water for rice production with a market price in excess of one billion Kenyan shillings.

The moisture and micro climate made possible by this portion of the forest are also critical for the important tea industry in the Nandi Highlands.

The area also supports river flows that are central to the success of a UNEP-Global Environment Facility funded project to reduce the electricity costs, boost power supply availability and cut greenhouse gas emissions linked with the tea industry.

The estimated micro-hydropower generation potential in the Nandi tea growing areas alone is estimated at 9.5 Megawatts.

The Yala and Nyando rivers also support key conservation areas, including those designated Important Bird Areas. Bird watching is a key part of the Kenyan tourism industry.

The Yala for example supports the health of the Kakamega forest and the Nyando the health of the Kusa Swamp.

Notes to Editors

The EC-UNEP joint statement signals a new approach for more strategic international programming, rather than on an individual project/case-by-case basis. The EC's new approach is a pilot test for environmental funding where the EC will pass a financial envelope to UNEP. An agreement should be reached by mid-year as to the amount. The joint statement is intended to cover the 2011-2013 period.

The EU funding referred to in this new document concerns one particular source of EU funds, namely the 'Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources including Energy or "ENRTP". Other UNEP projects are also EU-funded through different mechanisms.

For more information on the overall restoration of the Mau forest complex, please visit: www.maurestoration.go.ke

UNEP has partnered with the Government of Kenya since 2008 to bring awareness of the status of the Mau ecosystem.

The Government is institutionalizing management of the Mau and other critical water towers-aiming to establish a Water Tower Oversight Authority and a Water Tower Fund

The Government has initiated strong measures to halt the deforestation and illegal settlements in the Mau forest since July 2008.

Security and law enforcement around the Mau Forest has improved significantly

Two major donor consultative meetings were organized by UNEP in 2009 and 2010 and chaired by the Prime Minister of Kenya and the UNEP Executive Director

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is now financing project interventions along the Mau Mara river catchment ( total cost about US$6.9 million)

The Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) through two Kenyan institutions has undertaken a detailed livelihoods survey among the indigenous people of the Mau Forest (Mau Ogieks)

The EU-funded Community Development Trust Fund implements two community based natural resources projects in the South East Mau.

The Finnish Government is supporting the institutional strengthening of the Kenya Forest Service.

By last year, support to the rehabilitation of the Mau Forest and other water catchments areas in Kenya was proposed in a review of the EU 10th EDF Country Strategy Paper, with an indicative funding of 20 million Euros.

Kenya became an observer country to the UN-Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation programme (UN-REDD) in 2010. Kenya has also successfully completed a REDD Readiness Preparation plan (RPP) under the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of theWorld Bank for the purposes of preparing a National REDD Strategy. The up coming EU- funded project in Northern Mau will complement these REDD actions by contributing scientific data for the Mau carbon baseline and other REDD related assessments.

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
www.teebweb.org

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Forest Conservation Groups in Nepal and Guatemala Win 2011 UNEP Sasakawa Prize

2010-11 Sasakawa Prize winners bring Forest Management and Sustainable Development to Rural Communities in Latin America and Asia

Nairobi (Kenya), 23 February 2011 - Two projects conserving forests and promoting sustainable development in remote rural communities of Latin America and Asia are the laureates of the 2010-11 UNEP Sasakawa Prize, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today.

The Asociación Forestal Integral San Andrés, Petén (AFISAP) in Guatemala and the Manahari Development Institute in Nepal (MDI-Nepal) are the co-winners of this year's award around the theme "Forests for People, Forests for Green Growth" in support of the 2010-11 International Year of the Forests.

The theme highlights the central role of forests in the pursuit of a global Green Economy as key economic resources whose real value has all too often been excluded in national accounts of profit and loss. Estimates from The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) indicate that deforestation and forest degradation are likely costing the global economy between US$2.5 and US$4.5 trillion a year, more than the losses of the recent and ongoing financial crisis.

Both co-winners met a majority of the criteria outlined by the theme. Specifically:

Promoting the conservation and sustainable management of forests;
Contributing to a meaningful reduction in carbon emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation;
Maintaining forest ecosystems to improve resilience to climate change;
Supporting pro-poor development, especially among forest-dependent communities;
Conserving biodiversity and helping secure ecosystem services.

AFISAP, which was founded in 1999, is focused on preserving the forests on a 52,000-hectare concession within the Mayan Biosphere Reserve in the San Andres area which plays a critical role in regional conservation. According to an AFISAP study that used remote cameras, the Mayan Reserve has the highest-density of jaguars ever reported in the world (11 jaguars/100 km2).

The organization, which has distinguished itself as one of the most successful community groups in Guatemala, has also introduced projects to extract the lucrative xate, the popular foliage used for floral arrangements worldwide. Xate, which has been used for 40 years and is exported, has brought enormous economic benefits for the rural communities in the area.

Forests also provide homes, security and livelihoods for forest-dependent populations. In 2006, the World Bank estimated that 60 million indigenous people depend directly on forests for their survival. Indeed, forests sustain nearly half of the population in the developing world, providing wood for fuel as well as non-timber products like nuts, rubber and medicines. For many of the poor in rural settings, ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain are their primary assets and source of livelihoods.

MDI-Nepal, a non-governmental organization founded in 2001, has introduced agroforestry to help improve crop productivity and water irrigation systems as well as reduce soil erosion on the forested hills and mountainous areas. Apart from making up most of the country's land mass, the slopes also are home to 18 million of the 24 million total population. These agrofestry measures have significantly improved food security and living standards of the rural communities living on the steep slopes of Nepal. With the involvement of the indigenous community, MDI-Nepal has delivered economic and social benefits to more than 2,000 households by improving the productivity of marginal lands with the planting of various fruit crops.

The UNEP Sasakawa Prize, worth US$200,000, is given out each year to sustainable and replicable grassroots projects around the planet and recognizes the most innovative, groundbreaking and sustainable grassroots environmental initiatives in emerging and developing countries.

The co-winners, who were selected through a two-tier selection process of an Expert Panel and a Jury that includes Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and UN Messenger of Peace Wangari Maathai, will receive US$100,000 each in order to expand and develop their grassroots projects.

Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director and UN Under-Secretary-General who is a member of the Jury Panel, said: "This year's Sasakawa Prize winners underline how the green shoots of a Green Economy are emerging across the globe and in rich and poor communities alike. The two winners are acting on the fundamental fact that the sustainable management of forests is key to securing crucial services from water and soil stabilization to the recycling of nutrients essential for agriculture. In doing so they are tackling not only poverty but forging a different development path for themselves, their families and their nations."

"They are also conserving and enhancing natural assets that serve the world-as a result of the role healthy forests have in combating global climate change. I hope our two winners, from separate corners of the globe, can unite others to similar actions. This would be a fitting tribute to our winners' work; an inspiring legacy for the UN's International Year of Forests and one way of accelerating the achievement of the UN's Millennium Development Goals".

The co-winners will receive the prestigious Prize at an Award Ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya, where UNEP is holding its 26th UNEP Governing Council / Global Ministerial Environment Forum.

Last year's winners were Nuru Design, a company bringing rechargeable lights to villages in Rwanda, Kenya and India; and Trees, Water and People (TWP), an organization that collaborates with local NGOs to distribute fuel-efficient cook stoves to communities in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Haiti.

Notes to Editors:

UNEP Sasakawa Prize

The UNEP Sasakawa Prize is sponsored by the Japan-based Nippon Foundation, an independent, non-profit grant-making organization that supports both Japanese and international philanthropic projects. The UNEP Sasakawa Prize was originally created in 1982 by the late Ryoichi Sasakawa. The Prize was re-launched in its current format in 2005, and is currently chaired by Mr. Sasakawa's son, Yohei Sasakawa.

The four members of the 2010-11 UNEP Sasakawa Prize jury are UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and UN Messenger of Peace Prof. Wangari Maathai, Nobel chemistry Laureate and 1999 Sasakawa Winner Prof. Mario Molina, and Ms. Wakako Hironaka, former Environment Minister of Japan.

UNEP Sasakawa Prize Trophy

The striking winner's trophy incorporates sustainable design elements such as wood from an old dhow and recycled glass.

International Year of the Forests

Forests are an issue with essential links to livelihoods, addressing climate change and other environmental challenges; the UN's Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development as a whole. This is in part why forests are a key sector within UNEP's Green Economy work - a landmark report which will be launched at the upcoming Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GC/GMEF) - as we work to strengthen all three pillars of sustainable development on the Road to Rio+20 taking place in May next year.

2010-11 is a special year both for forests and sustainable forestry work. UNEP's involvement in forests and forest ecosystems dates back many years and includes some 100 forest projects in the last decade. For more information see: www.unep.org/forests

The logo can be downloaded at

www.unep.org/downloads/IYF/iyf-logo.zip or at www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011. Getting involved in the Billion Tree Campaign is also just a click away at: www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign
75% of World's Coral Reefs Currently Under Threat, New Analysis Finds

"Reefs at Risk Revisited" report presents comprehensive analysis of threats to coral reefs

Washington D.C./London, 23 February 2011 - A new comprehensive analysis finds that 75 percent of the world's coral reefs are currently threatened by local and global pressures. For the first time, the analysis includes threats from climate change, including warming seas and rising ocean acidification. The report shows that local pressures - such as overfishing, coastal development and pollution - pose the most immediate and direct risks, threatening more than 60 percent of coral reefs today.

"Reefs at Risk Revisited," the most detailed assessment of threats to coral reefs ever undertaken, is being released by the World Resources Institute, along with the Nature Conservancy, the WorldFish Center, the International Coral Reef Action Network, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center, along with a network of more than 25 organizations. Launches also took place in Australia, Caribbean, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States and other locations around the world.

"This report serves as a wake-up call for policy-makers, business leaders, ocean managers, and others about the urgent need for greater protection for coral reefs," said Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator. "As the report makes clear, local and global threats, including climate change, are already having significant impacts on coral reefs, putting the future of these beautiful and valuable ecosystems at risk."

Local pressures - especially overfishing and destructive fishing - are causing many reefs to be degraded. Global pressures are leading to coral bleaching from rising sea temperatures and increasing ocean acidification from carbon dioxide pollution. According to the new analysis, if left unchecked, more than 90 percent of reefs will be threatened by 2030 and nearly all reefs will be at risk by 2050.

"Coral reefs are valuable resources for millions of people worldwide. Despite the dire situation for many reefs, there is reason for hope," said Lauretta Burke, senior associate at the World Resources Institute (WRI) and a lead author of the report. "Reefs are resilient, and by reducing the local pressures we can buy time as we find global solutions to preserve reefs for future generations."

The report includes multiple recommendations to better protect and manage reefs, including through marine protected areas. The analysis shows that more than one-quarter of reefs are already encompassed in a range of parks and reserves, more than any other marine habitat. However, only six percent of reefs are in protected areas that are effectively managed.

"Well managed marine protected areas are one of the best tools to safeguard reefs," said Mark Spalding, senior marine scientist at the Nature Conservancy and also a lead author of the report. "At their core, reefs are about people as well as nature: ensuring stable food supplies, promoting recovery from coral bleaching, and acting as a magnet for tourist dollars. We need to apply the knowledge we have to shore up existing protected areas, as well as to designate new sites where threats are highest, such as the populous hearts of the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, East Africa and the Middle East," he added.

Reefs offer multiple benefits to people and the economy - providing food, sustaining livelihoods, supporting tourism, protecting coasts, and even helping to prevent disease. According the report, more than 275 million people live in the direct vicinity (30 km/18 miles) of coral reefs. In more than 100 countries and territories, coral reefs protect 150,000 km (over 93,000 miles) of shorelines, helping defend coastal communities and infrastructure against storms and erosion.

For the first time, the report identifies the 27 nations most socially and economically vulnerable to coral reef degradation and loss. Among these, the nine most vulnerable countries are: Haiti, Grenada, Philippines, Comoros, Vanuatu, Tanzania, Kiribati, Fiji, and Indonesia.

"The people at greatest risk are those who depend heavily on threatened reefs, and who have limited capacity to adapt to the loss of the valuable resources and services reefs provide," said Allison Perry, project scientist at the WorldFish Center and a lead author. "For highly vulnerable nations - including many island nations - there is a pressing need for development efforts to reduce dependence on reefs and build adaptive capacity, in addition to protecting reefs from threats."

The report is an update of "Reefs at Risk," released by WRI in 1998, which served as an important resource for policymakers to understand and address the threats of reefs. The new report uses the latest data and satellite information to map coral reefs - including a reef map with a resolution 64 times higher than the original report.

"Through new technology and improved data, this study provides valuable tools and information for decision makers from national leaders to local marine managers," said Katie Reytar, research associate at WRI and a lead author. "In order to maximize the benefits of these tools, we need policymakers to commit to greater action to address the growing threats to coral reefs."

 

Find out more at:

www.wri.org/reefs
Online resources, including maps, data, regional fact sheets, videos, and more, available at:
www.wri.org/reefs

For more information, please contact:
United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is an internationally recognized center for the synthesis, analysis, and dissemination of global biodiversity knowledge. UNEP-WCMC provides authoritative, strategic, and timely information on critical marine and coastal habitats for conventions, countries, organizations, and companies to use in the development and implementation of their policies and decisions. (www.unep-wcmc.org )

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global environmental think tank that goes beyond research to put ideas into action. We work with governments, companies, and civil society to build solutions to urgent environmental challenges. (www.wri.org)

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than one million members have protected more than 480,000 sq km of land and engage in more than100 marine conservation projects. The Conservancy is actively working on coral reef conservation in 24 countries, including the Caribbean and the Coral Triangle. (www.nature.org)

WorldFish Center is an international, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture. Working in partnership with a wide range of agencies and research institutions, WorldFish carries out research to improve small-scale fisheries and aquaculture. Its work on coral reefs includes ReefBase, the global information system on coral reefs. (www.worldfishcenter.org)

International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) is a global network of coral reef science and conservation organizations working together and with local stakeholders to improve the management of coral reef ecosystems. ICRAN facilitates the exchange and replication of good practices in coral reef management throughout the world's major coral reef regions. (www.icran.org)

Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is an operational unit of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) charged with coordinating research and monitoring of coral reefs. The network, with many partners, reports on ecological and socioeconomic monitoring and produces Status of Coral Reefs of the World reports covering more than 80 countries and states. (www.gcrmn.org)