Voluntary Scheme for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories of European Overseas 5th BEST III Steering Committee meeting 19 October 2016 - European Commission Agenda – 5th BEST SC meeting BEST III activities in a nutshell Lot 1: Setting up a BEST working team (central team + 7 regional hubs) BEST III Steering Committee and organise regular meetings BEST platform for regular exchange between stakeholders Preparing fundraising activities to leverage long-term funding Developing a BEST investment strategy based on regional strategies Lot 2: Developing regional and sub-regional ecosystem profiles Timeline BEST III Initial data Regional consultations on ecosystem profiles Dissemination of results collection (EPs) & regional investment strategies (RIS) 2014 2015 2016 2017 May Sept Sept June Dec Dec Website Regional Fundraising Final EPs Final RIS Fundraising Inception Strategy launch factsheets st strategy draft nd report 1 report 2 report Final SC st nd rd 4th SC 5th SC 6th SC 1 SC 2 SC 3 SC & report BEST newsletter Throughout the project time: • Regional information dissemination and outreach events • European and International information dissemination and outreach • Information sharing on the BEST website • Seeking new BEST partnerships BEST III Consortium Dashboard All tasks for year 3 in due progress BEST III Objectives Objective 1 – BEST platform Establish a BEST platform to address the challenges and opportunities related to biodiversity and ecosystem services in EU Overseas entities Objective 2 – BEST Financing Secure a long-term and sustainable funding for BEST Communication: weekly information sharing via social media and other networks Objective 3 – Ecosystem Profiles (EPs) Knowledge on EU Overseas ecosystems is improved thanks to the development or regional and sub-regional ecosystem profiles BEST III Objectives Results of year 1 - 3 (2014 - 2016) Objective 1 – Setting up & facilitating the BEST interactive platform Set up of BEST team and regional mobilization Central coordination team & 7 regional hubs Regional and political contact database – continuously updated Communication & knowledge sharing Elaboration of communication strategy & tools Development of EC BEST website – regularly updated Design and release of biannual BEST newsletter (3 issues) BEST Fundraising Strategy first version to be complemented with regional strategies © Carole Martinez © Mike Jervois © Trevor Glass BEST III Objectives Results of year 1 - 3 (2014 - 2016) Objective 2 – Securing long-term & sustainable financing for BEST Communication: weekly information sharing via social media and other networks Fundraising, outreach & donor mobilization – ongoing Regular meetings with donors Organization of donor roundtables & other fundraising events Financing Strategy – ongoing Political mobilization + contribution to set up of BEST Group © Lauric Thiault © Florian Ledoux © Carole Martinez BEST III Objectives Results of year 1 - 3 (2014 - 2016) Objective 3 – Development of regional Ecosystem Profiles (EPs) Data collection & regional consultations Final validated EP documents submitted Preliminary regional investment strategies (RIS) Valorisation of EP results – ongoing Presentation to larger public (Brussels, Oct 2015) Informing BEST 2.0 project proposal evaluations Basis for ongoing consultations on RIS © Lauric Thiault © Florian Ledoux Key deliverables & milestones 2014 - 2016 Development of EC BEST website http://ec.europa.eu/be st + Regional factsheets (pdf on EC BEST website) Regional factsheets + BEST Projects factsheets (pdf on EC BEST website) BEST newsletters (pdf & e-book on EC BEST website) BEST regional ecosystem profiles (pdf on EC BEST website) + Executive summaries (pdf on EC BEST website) BEST regional investment strategies (preliminary) BEST global fundraising strategy (first version) Ecosystem profiles BEST newsletter Fundraising Preliminary regional strategy investment strategies Development of Regional Ecosystem Profiles (EPs) & Regional Investment Strategies (RIS) Regions with existing CEPF EPs Regions without CEPF EPs Polynesia–Micronesia (May 2007, CEPF) Polar and Sub-polar regions Caribbean (Jan 2010, CEPF) South Atlantic region Mediterranean Basin (2010, CEPF) Amazonian region Madagascar & Indian Ocean Islands (May 2014, CEPF) New Caledonia (2011, CI) CEPF methodology adapted to BEST BEST EP more than an update of existing CEPF EPs 2 documents: - EP: situational assessment & resulting priorities for action – provides basis for - RIS: investment needs, capacity & project portfolio BEST III Consortium progress Regional updates Updates from the BEST CARIBBEAN hub Romain RENOUX SPAW-RAC / RNSM Caribbean Hub 50 % of the European overseas entities worldwide are Caribbean Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, Montserrat, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint-Eustatius, Sint-Maarten, Saint-Martin, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Saint Barthélemy Caribbean Hub Stakeholder consultations Caribbean Ecosystem Profile : 24-month extensive consultation process More than 200 individual stakeholders and 23 regional and local workshops were experts from about 130 organizations : local organized in 2014/2015 by the Caribbean Hub governments, regional organizations, civil (chaired by Ministers and governors) society, private sector, research institutes 23 BEST dedicated workshop Dutch OCTs: 35 participants French ORs and OTs: 46 part. UK OTs: 62 participants Photos by Amandine Vaslet Results Photo © Stewart McPherson Caribbean Hub Ecosystem profile results 31 KBAs identified in the 6 Dutch OCTs = 3400 km2 + 12 ecological corridors Bonaire - 6 Curaçao - 6 Aruba – 7 KBAs NL - 6 OCTs -Aruba -Bonaire -Curaçao -St.Maarten -Saba -St.Eustatius St.Maarten – 5 KBAs Saba – 4 KBAs St.Eustatius – 3 KBAs Caribbean Hub Ecosystem profile results 37 KBAs identified in the 5 UK OTs = 2600 km2 + 20 ecological corridors British Virgin Islands – 7 KBAs Anguilla – 5 KBAs UK - 5 OTs -Anguilla -Virgin Islands (BVI) -Turks and Caicos -Montserrat Montserrat – 6 KBAs -Cayman Islands Turks & Caicos Isl. – 11 KBAs Cayman Isl. – 8 KBAs Caribbean Hub Ecosystem profile results 24 KBAs identified in the 4 French territories = 2050 km2 + 11 ecological corridors St.Martin (OR) – 3 KBAs St.Barthélemy (OT) – 3 KBAs FR - 1 OT & 3 ORs -St.Martin -St.Barthélemy -Guadeloupe -Martinique Martinique (OR) – 8 KBAs Guadeloupe (OR) – 10 KBAs Caribbean Hub Ecosystem profile results Priority areas for action Key conservation outcomes • 194 globally threatened species • 1071 endemic and restricted-range species • 92 identified KBAs (8,090 km2) - 42 terrestrial KBAs - 50 marine and coastal KBAs • 43 ecological corridors (2,720 km2) Habitats & ecosystems • tropical rainforests • dry forests, shrublands and savannahs • cave systems • marine ecosystems (including coral reefs, seagrass beds, wetlands) 7 KBAs in Aruba • offshore islets • ponds or saltworks Caribbean Hub Ecosystem profile results Priority areas for action A prioritization process discussed with local actors and based on : biodiversity/ ecosystem/ effective protection/threat criteria 51 very high priority KBAs for investment 51 Priority KBAs © Lauric Thiault Caribbean Hub Regional investment strategy Priority areas for action 7 Strategic directions and 18 investment priorities 1. Improve protection and management of the 51 priority KBAs and 43 ecological corridors 2. Restore degraded ecosystems and improve ecosystem resilience within priority sites 3. Support the implementation of AIS control and eradication actions 4. Value ecosystem services by promoting sustainable activities and nature based solution to climate change adaptation 5. Support and strengthen local organizations by building capacity and promoting sustainable alliances 6. Promote and support connectivity conservation actions within the Caribbean ecological corridors 7. Improve scientific knowledge on biodiversity and ecological connectivity Map of the migration patterns of sea turtles tracked in 2013 from Bonaire island (Stapleton et al. 2013, Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire Caribbean Hub Regional investment strategy Preliminary results Funding needs estimate Number of Total amount proposals Targeted EU requested in € (EU submitted - territories and co-funding) eligible Best 2.0 medium grant 14 submitted 5 UKOT, 6 NL, St 5.7 million 7,4 million € call (up to 400k€) 10 eligible Barthélemy Best 2.0 small grant St Barth, request call (up to 100k€)* Montserrat, TCI, 21 submitted Cayman Islands, 1.7 million 2,4 million € 14 eligible *Concept note stage Anguilla, 6 NL budget islands The number, the high-level of demand and the quality of the projects’ proposals have clearly demonstrated the need for funding directed to projects aimed at protecting EU Overseas biodiversity. To date, funding for protecting the biodiversity of ORs and OCTs remains insufficient. Caribbean Hub Conclusions/Recommendations Investment gap of at least 5 million € for projects submitted under the BEST Initiative - investment opportunity 7 strategic directions and 18 investment priorities have been defined to guide investment in the most efficient way. 51 KBAs and 43 ecological corridors are targeted as very high priority areas for actions. Taking into account the high degree of ecological connectivity between islands in the Caribbean region and their similar environmental issues a Caribbean wide perspective is needed. In this regard, bridging EU Best investment with the oncoming CEPF investment in the region is key. Caribbean