ANÁLISIS REALIZADO EN EL RNAS

Opening Remarks by Mr. Bakhodir Burkhanov, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, at the National Awareness Workshop on GEF and POPs

3rd June 2010, Thimphu, Bhutan

Hon’ble Chief Guest – Dasho Nado Rinchen, Offtg. Secretary of the Gross National Happiness Commission, Participants, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all, let me join the previous speakers in welcoming all the participants to this important National Awareness Workshop on Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The UNDP Bhutan is pleased to be co-organizing this workshop with the Gross National Happiness Commission Secretariat – the Operational Focal Point for GEF in Bhutan. I am delighted that all the relevant agencies, NGOs and media representatives are attending this two-day workshop. I am confident that your active participation and support will go a long way towards ensuring the success of this workshop.

Established in 1991, the GEF was restructured at the Rio Earth Summit as a unique multilateral financial mechanism to provide assistance to developing countries in generating global environmental benefits. Today, the GEF is an internationally recognized financial mechanism for the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. The GEF also collaborates closely with other treaties to reach common goals on international waters and ozone.

Along with its partner agencies, including UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank, GEF has established a strong track record in catalyzing innovative approaches covering investment and technical assistance. GEF’s global portfolio from 1991 to today consist of about 2,400 projects in 165 countries. In total, GEF has provided $8.8 billion in grants, and leveraged $38.7 billion in co- financing. Through its Small Grants Programme (SGP), the GEF has also invested US$ 450 million through more than 10,000 small grants made directly to non-governmental and community organizations.

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As the world’s leading international institution dedicated to investing in the joint management, care and restoration of the planet, the GEF continues to be a change agent delivering results to the parties of the global environmental conventions, including Bhutan.

As a GEF Implementing Agency, UNDP facilitates countries’ access to GEF resources. UNDP’s share of GEF portfolio has rapidly expanded from some 27% in GEF Operational Phase I to 43% in Operational Phase IV, making UNDP the implementing agency accessing the largest share of GEF resources today.

Bhutan has benefited greatly through funding from GEF resources, mostly in the thematic areas of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Land Degradation. Since the inception of the GEF, Bhutan has mobilized, through UNDP alone, a total of $10.4 million from the GEF and leveraged $10.7 in co-financing. In addition, under the UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme, Bhutan has accessed a total of $2 million GEF resources and leveraged $1.7 million in co-financing. The Small Grants Programme has so far provided assistance to Bhutan through 78 projects in the Climate Change, Biodiversity and Land Degradation thematic areas covering 17 districts of Bhutan.

UNDP will continue to leverage its global presence, expertise in capacity development and development finance experience to help countries as a GEF partner to mainstream global environment into national development policies and investments, and to develop the necessary policy, institutional and human capacities to attract and drive investments towards sustainable human development. Building on the strategic capabilities acquired as a GEF Implementing Agency, UNDP is developing a number of finance facilities and knowledge platforms to help countries remove barriers to accessing new sources of finance to support sustainable development. UNDP is committed to assisting the Royal Government of Bhutan to fulfill its sustainable development goals and ensure a sound environment for its future generations.

During the deliberations today and tomorrow, the workshop will address the subset of issues dealing with Persistent Organic Pollutants and their effects on human health and the environment. While Bhutan is not yet a signatory to the Stockholm Convention on POPs, the discussions at this awareness workshop will set the stage for addressing this important issue, which is emerging as a serious concern globally. The problem of POPs is expected to only grow and deteriorate with

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rapidly increasing population and changing consumption patterns. Therefore, it is important to understand the potential risks and threats of these dangerous chemicals on the environment and human health, and factor these appropriately into government policies and programmes. I hope this workshop will set the tone for further discussion on the topic of POPs, and come up with interventions and measures to prevent and control the menace of these invisible, silent and omnipresent killers.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am very pleased to note the participation of several Bhutanese NGOs in this workshop. Despite being an inter-governmental organization, the GEF has worked with many international, national, and local NGOs in developing and implementing projects over the years. The GEF has developed the Small Grants Programme and the Medium-size Project window (for projects less than $1 million) specifically to make GEF resources more accessible to the NGO community. The maximum grant for the SGP is $50,000 per project. Even though these grants are small, a recent independent evaluation has shown that they are highly successful and help local communities achieve and sustain global environmental benefits. Moreover, about 50% of the GEF’s medium- size projects have been managed by civil society organizations mainly working with local communities.

The GEF also has an NGO Network bringing together about 600 accredited NGOs, who implement GEF activities, participate in GEF Council meetings and reach out to communities for project development and implementation. I hope that non-governmental and community-based organization in Bhutan will harness the tremendous opportunities available under the GEF, and help realize Bhutan’s sustainable development goals as an integral part of the GNH vision while at the same time bringing about global environmental benefits.

In conclusion, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Gross National Happiness Commission Secretariat and the Environment team at UNDP for organizing this awareness workshop. I feel that this meeting could not have come at a more opportune time, and am confident that all stakeholders will benefit from its deliberations and contribute to furthering the global sustainable development agenda.

I wish you all a fruitful two days ahead.

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