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“Turning Policy into Reality from the Ground Up” was the theme of the civil society forum held in Cape Town on August 28. The Forum’s themes included the impact of land degradation on people’s livelihoods and the environment; the climate and energy challenge; and biodiversity conservation. The forum had two objectives: • Provide an opportunity for NGOs, indigenous people’s groups and rural and urban grassroots communities to participate and contribute their knowledge and expertise to discussions on the global environment, sustainable livelihoods, and poverty eradication
• Bring to the attention of governments and regional organizations, the capacity and contributions of these groups to address global environmental challenges and offering recommendations on how best to incorporate their perspectives into policies and strategies that make a difference at the local level
Dorothy Manuel, Central Focal Point for the GEF-NGO Network and Executive Director, ZERO Regional Environment Organization welcomed delegates from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and host nation South Africa. She briefed participants about the NGO Forum’s role in ensuring the centrality of civil society in the GEF.
In her opening remarks, newly elected GEF CEO, Monique Barbut, noted that this was the first GEF Assembly to be held on the African continent, and that it coincided with the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Acknowledging that Africa faced enormous challenges with respect to its climate, soil fertility, water and biodiversity, she noted that development and environment were inextricably interlinked. Ms. Barbut also outlined the implementation of the new Resource Allocation Framework (RAF), and urged delegates to help make it “work for the best and not for the worst.”
In his speech, Forum moderator Ambassador Rex Horoi underscored his wish to see GEF funding reaching those for whom it was intended as well as the need for grassroots’ communities to be engaged in policymaking. The media, he observed, played a critical role not only in helping achieve civil society goals but changing the mindset of the donor community.
A highlight of the Forum was a presentation by Fatima Jibrell, Executive Director, Horn Relief, on combating desertification in the Horn of Africa. Speaking from first-hand experience, she spoke about the impacts of charcoal production and export on desertification in Somalia; the low levels of international awareness about drought and pastoralism in Somalia; and the deleterious impacts of the international arms trade on the Somali people. Ms. Jibrell is a winner of the Goldman Environment Prize. Noel Maxwell Oettle, Environmental Monitoring Group, emphasized the need for being creative and taking into account local knowledge when addressing land management issues. Hubertus Samangun, Indigenous Peoples' Network, expressed hope that the needs of indigenous peoples will be addressed by the Third GEF Assembly.
In the session on climate and the energy challenge, Richard Worthington, Earthlife Africa, discussed South Africa's future energy options. He demonstrated that investing in clean energy sources not only reduces carbon pollution, but also creates jobs and reduces poverty while being cost-effective.
Emad Adly of the Arab Network for Environment and Development described lessons learned from Egypt's experience with the GEF Small Grants Programme. He noted the importance dialogue between policy-makers and grassroots organizations, the need for localized "win-win" approaches to global issues; capacity building; and private sector engagement. Questioning whether GEF grants will provide social and economic justice, Annie Sugrue, Citizens United for Renewable Energy and Sustainability, highlighted the disconnect between political and financial will in South Africa for developing renewable energy programs.
In the discussion on biodiversity—moving from debate to action, Professor Van Riet of Peace Parks-South Africa illustrated how transfrontier conservation areas (TFCAs) seek to manage environmental and cultural resources across borders while fostering sustainable economic development, regional peace and stability. Participants also discussed whether the focus on energy efficiency was successful; the role of inadequate domestic capacity in hindering access to GEF resources under the RAF; the extent of collaboration with the private sector; and the need for technology transfer modalities. Participants reflected on the successes and challenges of the last decade. There was a general consensus that although much had been achieved and learned, significant challenges remain. But perhaps the strongest sentiment to emerge from the Forum was the need for partnership. However, some participants expressed discomfort at the GEF new funding mechanism as embodied in the RAF, while others felt the GEF was pushing NGOs into “forced marriages” with the private sector.
Ending the forum on a hugely positive note, Achim Steiner, the newly appointed Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), noted that it was close to 15 years since the idea of a Global Environment Facility (GEF) was first mooted, as a social contract between the North and South. And now that the GEF’s coffers had been replenished, it was time to celebrate. He urged civil society to remain engaged in the international environmental discourse, reassess its future role in the GEF and other international processes, and to develop new ways of think about existing dilemmas. |
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