grid a ltc gec 2007 05 07

Slide1: 

Linking Tourism and Conservation - a Finance Initiative for Protected Areas

Slide2: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal’s Mission “to provide environmental information, communications and capacity building services for information management and assessment. Established to strengthen the United Nations through its Environment Programme (UNEP), our focus is to make credible, science-based knowledge understandable to the public and to decision-making for sustainable development. “

CBD objectives: 

CBD objectives Conservation of biological diversity Sustainable use of its components Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources The CBD was opened for signature in Rio in 1992 and, with 190 Parties, is the key international binding instrument covering biodiversity

Status of Biodiversity: 

Habitat loss: most pervasive threat to humans, compounded by climate change Rate of extinction 50-100 higher than normal, worse than Jurassic extinction 65 million years ago Biological and cultural diversity, two of tourism’s most prized assets, are closely linked. Status of Biodiversity Protected areas are a critical component of biodiversity and a key tourism attraction.

Slide5: 

The WCPA mission is: "To promote the establishment and effective management of a world-wide representative network of terrestrial and marine protected areas, as an integral contribution to the IUCN mission."

UNEP-DTIE: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch UNEP-DTIE Task Force on Sustainable Tourism under The “Marrakech Process” (promotion of sustainable consumption and production; WSSD-follow-up from Johannesburg)   

Slide7: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch LT&C Vision Initiating a process, which increasingly and sustainably channels money (ideally 0,5% of the worldwide tourism turnover) from the tourism sector into the management of the worldwide protected area network

Slide8: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch Fund-raising mechanisms from tourism for protected area management; 2. Identifying protected areas for funding – criteria of selection; 3. Best practices, models and opportunities; 4. Structuring and connecting to the Convention on Biodiversity - who should be involved? The Key Questions:

Slide9: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch Participants CBD Secretariat, Canada UNEP–DTIE and –WCMC; UNESCO WWF – Caucasus, Nepal, Netherlands, Arctic, International Conservation International IUCN – WCPA, Netherlands TIES (The International Ecotourism Society) Ministries – Costa Rica, Norway, North-West Russia Finance and accounting reps – banks (KfW), Verde Ventures, PWC Tour companies, organisers and expedition leaders

Slide10: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch Mechanisms Entrance/User Fees –Nepal, Costa Rica Tourism Companies in combination with NGOs - PAN Parks, Basecamp, WWF-TOI Investment Funds – Verde Ventures/CI, PWC Visitor Donations/ Travelers Philanthropy/ Sponsorship/ ”Auctions” Travel Industry Surcharges – transportation fees, hotel surcharges Adult Continuing Education Programs – USA Biodiversity offsets - Nature Air “Sister Parks”– sharing knowledge, experience as well as money

Slide11: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch 2. Criteria - Protected Areas Transparency and accountability Commercial viability – business plans, audits, governance Little or no support by others (e.g. governments) Unique / representative / critical / hot spots of biodiversity Under threat and in need of financial support for survival Participation of locals  local acceptance and support Good showcase or best practice

Slide12: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch 3. Functioning Examples / Models Costa Rica: Lapa Rios, Nature Air Basecamp Masai Mara (Kenya) PAN Parks (Europe) Svalbard Great Barrier Reef (Australia) Namibia Nepal Kenya Wildlife Service Tanzania National Parks South Africa National Parks KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Parks Ontario Provincial Parks Niagara Parks Commission

Slide13: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch 4. Structures and Frameworks Global framework - develop branding of LT&C initiative, link to CBD, IUCN-WCPA, UNWTO & UNEP “tourism” (DTIE, TOI) Web portal with ”Wikipedia”-tool , regional best practice information and linkages between projects and funding sources UNEP/WCMC – UN World List/database on protected areas to include data on LT&C, Mentorship network – link information between destinations in developed and developing countries Training programme – for guides, government agencies

Slide14: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch Set-up as proposed by SCBD SCBD: framework, technical assistance National governments: matching contributions through PA POW, IUCN WCPA, UNWTO, tourism trade associations in independent committee: guidelines, endorsement NGOs, IUCN, UN Agencies, operators (mostly outbound): “executing agencies” UNEP/GRID-Arendal, WCMC, others: database, monitoring, information management

Slide15: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch UNEP/GRID-Arendal’s Role (as articulated by workshop participants) Information broker – information exchange, resource centre Quality inspector – ensure credibility of projects Promoter of management effectiveness and assessment tools Facilitator of public-private partnerships

Slide16: 

UNEP/GRID-Arendal: Peter Prokosch Commitments PAN Parks – establish corporate club for donations Verde Ventures – invest in at least 3 tourism enterprises focusing on protected areas Norway – support of UNEP continued/increased, carbon neutral by mid-century WWF - mobilize its own network Basecamp Kenya – raise USD1mil for private PA PWC – link carbon offsets to biodiversity aspects

Slide17: 

UNEP/GRID Arendal: Peter Prokosch What will be Your LT&C-Input ? Identify and initiate more concrete examples of LT&C Find/provide funds for good initiatives and framework Disseminate the message Link more strategic partners to LT&C Help this initiative to gain momentum Message from Arendal to Oslo: