Communities in Action Through Peoples Efforts, Sri Lanka
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Global Environment Facility- Small Grants Programme United Nations Development Programme 202-204, Bauddhaloka Mawatha Colombo 07, Sri Lanka www.gefsgpsl.org ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION THROUGH PEOPLE’S EFFORTS, SRI LANKA COMMUNITIES IN ACTION ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION THROUGH PEOPLE’S EFFORTS, SRI LANKA © 2017 Global Environment Facility- Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP, UNDP), Sri Lanka All rights reserved. Published in December, 2017 ISBN: 978-955-1031-58-9 Communities in Action Environment Conservation through People’s Efforts, Sri Lanka 1. Bio Diversity 2. Climate Change 3. Land Degradation 4. Persistent Organic Pollutants 5. Knowledge Management 6. Capacity Development 7. Chemicals 8. International Waters I. Global Environment Facility- Small Grants Programme, UNDP This book was prepared by GEF-SGP UNDP Sri Lanka. The views expressed in this publication are those of management and consultants of Knowledge management and capacity building partners of GEF-SGP UNDP Sri Lanka and do not necessarily reflect the views of GEF-SGP UNDP Sri Lanka. Neither of Knowledge management and capacity building partners nor the GEF-SGP UNDP Sri Lanka guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this publication and/ or accepts responsibility for any consequence of their use. By making any designation of or reference to a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the authors and the GEF-SGP, UNDP do not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area. GEF-SGP UNDP Sri Lanka encourage printing or copying information exclusively for personal and non-commercial use with proper acknowledgement of GEF-SGP UNDP Sri Lanka. Users are restricted from reselling, redistributing or creating derivative works for commercial purposes without the express, written consent of GEF-SGP UNDP Sri Lanka. Global Environment Facility- Small Grants Programme United Nations Development Programme 202-204, Bauddhaloka Mawatha Colombo 07, Sri Lanka Tel: +94 11 2580692 ext 1421 Email: [email protected] www.gefsgpsl.org For orders, contact SLEES E-mail: [email protected] Print: NEO Graphics ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The case studies featured in this 25 year publication are a small representation of the projects implemented through the GEF SGP programme in Sri Lanka. These initiatives have attempted, through various innovative ways, to conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people's well-being and livelihoods. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Keerthi Mohotti, Chairman and the members of the GEF-SGP National Steering Committee of Sri Lanka for their invaluable advice, guidance and support rendered over the years. We would also like to thank the members GEF-SGP Technical Advisory Group who have made valuable contributions in the field through their guidance and support, for ensuring the success of the GEF SGP projects. We thank the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment for the cooperation extended to the GEF SGP programme in Sri Lanka. Our grateful thanks to Ms. Shireen Samarasuriya, former National Coordinator for the advice, editing of case studies and all assistance given to making this publication a reality. The hard work of Dr. Nishanthi Perera, Ms. Dhanushri Munasinghe, Ms. Githma Chandrasekara and Ms. Dayanga Randeniya in completing the work of this publication is acknowledged with grateful thanks. Special thanks to Mr Ruwan Weerasooriya and Mr Dushan Samaranayake from the Sri Lanka Environment Explorers Society (SLEES) for their unwavering support with all GEF SGP publications, including this one. We thank our Knowledge Management and Capacity Building Partners for their various contributions to the GEF SGP projects. We also thank the staff of Neo Graphics (Pvt) Ltd for the designing and printing of this publication. Last but not the least, we would like to extend our thanks to the GEF SGP Grantee Partners (NGOs and CBOs) that have implemented numerous projects in various parts of Sri Lanka and the communities that have participated in the GEF SGP projects. We appreciate the efforts and attempts of the Grantee Partners in highlighting existing environmental and social challenges and offering solutions to make a positive change in the lives of various communities and conserve the environment. GEF SGP Sri Lanka continues to improve through experience and lessons learnt while serving the communities of Sri Lanka. Dinali Jayasinghe National Coordinator Global Environment Facility - Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) Sri Lanka INTRODUCTION Background SGP Sri Lanka has over the years invested in community conservation of natural resources and ecosystems to achieve sustainable development. Emphasizing people’s participation in environment protection in an integrated and multidisciplinary manner, has brought about results which have affected the lives and livelihoods of many rural communities. SGP works on the premise that maintaining ecosystems ensures ecosystem services are safeguarded which will in turn ensure a flow of benefits for the people. It therefore underlines the link between conservation and human well-being. Building awareness and capacities of partner organizations on the GEF focal areas, sharing information, in particular on biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, land degradation and global dialogues on sustainable development, has been a main foci of the program. Applying this knowledge to project goals and objectives and addressing them through activity implementation is the approach SGP takes in working with communities. The Global Environment Facility – GEF The Global Environment Facility was established in 1992, the year of the Rio Earth Summit, as a program to assist in the protection of the global environment and to support governments to ‘tackle the planet’s most pressing environmental problems’. The GEF would provide grants and funding to transform a project with national benefits to achieve global environmental benefits adapting different methodologies in activity implementation. The Small Grants Programme (SGP) of the GEF which also initiated its work in 1992 was established to support on-the-ground conservation actions of communities and civil society groups with access to GEF financial resources. Working in 125 countries the Small Grants Program has up to date funded over 20,000 community initiatives that have protected the environment, created sustainable livelihoods and fostered people’s empowerment. Today in 2017 it is affirming 25 years of conservation work and is recognized as a global platform for effective delivery of community initiatives which reaches marginalized and vulnerable people who otherwise have limited access to grant funding. SGP funds “small grants” up to a maximum of US$50,000. In addition, “strategic projects” ‘provides funds up to a maximum of US$150,000. These “larger” small projects allow for scaling up and cover a large number of communities within a critical landscape or seascape. The evolutionary developments further signify the fact that SGP has been effective in supporting community led participatory approaches’ of ‘local actions generating global benefits’ in environment protection and conservation. The GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF/SGP) Sri Lanka Established in 1994 Main Focal Areas The Operational Phases Bio Diversity Pilot Phase : 1994 – 1996 Climate Change Operational Phase I : 1997 – 1999 Land Degradation Operational Phase II : 2000 – 2004 Chemicals Operational Phase III : 2005 – 2006 International Waters Operational Phase IV : 2007 – 2010 Operational Phase V : 2010 – 2014 Total grant amount received – US$ 8,632,909 Operational Phase VI : 2017 – 2020 Total number of projects 396 up to 2015 This publication covers 25 selected case documentations of a series of projects that expound the five GEF focal areas SGP Sri Lanka has been working on in the past operational phases. They are an illustration of the commitment of the programme to build up community level organizations, their awareness and capacities to engage in innovative methods of environment conservation and livelihood means. True to the words that globally SGP is the ‘public face’ of GEF, the Sri Lanka programme has reached marginalized communities and facilitated access of grant financing to these groups. It has provided for women’s participation and gender empowerment as well as support for indigenous peoples, for youth and for people with special needs. The continued strengthening of project design, monitoring with technical guidance, reporting methods and knowledge management has led to more robust projects on the ground and increased confidence of communities, local government institutions and other sectors. The qualitative and quantitative assessments embodied in the case studies offer proof of people-based projects with enhanced environmental values, economic returns, and social well-being of rural communities. It has to be stated however that capacity building is a continuous process and community- based organizations labor under significant difficulties, including ‘lack of adaptive management capabilities, limited capacities for innovation, and weak linkages with other organizations for collective action across landscapes and sectors and lack of access to resources’. These challenges are highlighted to urge all stakeholders to expand capacities and join in a collective search for solutions, with possible mitigating actions, so that GEF SGP continues to develop and mature as an effective mechanism for community conservation