The Strategic Partnership is a US$ 95 million initiative funded by the GEF aiming at addressing the root causes of Black Sea/Danube environmental degradation. The Framework Brief submitted to and approved by the GEF Council in May 2001 (a) reviews the background of GEF assistance and the development of this Strategic Partnership, (b) outlines the objectives and indicators of meeting those objectives for the six year Partnership that have been adopted by the 17 collaborating nations (15 recipient plus Austria and Germany) and GEF Implementing Agencies (IA), (c) describes the tranches for the three elements under the Partnership and their first tranche outputs and success criteria, and (d) includes as Attachments the three individual elements according to IA comparative advantage that together constitute the Strategic Partnership. Council approved the first tranche of US$29 million. This will consist of US$9 million for the two regional capacity building/technical assistance projects to be implemented by UNDP and UNEP and US$20 million for the World Bank Partnership Investment Fund for Nutrient Reduction. In total, the two Regional Projects will be allocated US$25 million and the Investment Fund US$70 million over multiple tranches. For detailed information on the Partnership you may access the Framework Brief.
WB Investment Fund for Nutrient Reduction in the Black Sea/Danube Basin
The Investment Fund funded by the GEF and implemented by the World Bank, focused on the recovery of the Black Sea, has been established to catalyze an investment response necessary to accelerate urgent action by a wide group of stakeholders. This Investment Fund will provide a regional context under which countries can pursue investments aimed at common nutrient reduction goals, and help jump start and further accelerate key investments. The Investment Fund will aim to leverage US$210 million to complement US$70 million GEF grant funds for nutrient reduction investments in the agriculture, and municipal and industrial wastewater treatment sectors and for wetland restoration. The Investment Fund Paper submitted to and approved by the GEF Council lays out the objectives and principles that will guide the Fund's operations.
Two UNDP/UNEP Regional Projects
The two regional projects are aimed at addressing transboundary environmental degradation in the Danube/Black Sea basin through policy and legal reform, public awareness raising, and institutional strengthening. Each project will be operated through or closely linked to the respective Black Sea and Danube Secretariats in Istanbul and Vienna. The first tranche of each of the two projects were presented to and approved by the GEF Council:
1. Control of Eutrophication, Hazardous Substances and Related Measures for Rehabilitating the Black Sea Ecosystem: Phase I
( Part 1, Part 2 )
2. Strengthening the Implementation Capacities for Nutrient Reduction and Transboundary Cooperation in the Danube River Basin: Phase I
(Part 1,Part 2, Part 3 )
UNDP Implemented Medium-Size Project : Building Environmental Citizenship to Support Transboundary Pollution Reduction in the Danube: A Pilot Project in Hungary and Slovenia
EBRD Executed Slovenia - Financing Pollution Reduction Projects by Local Financial Intermediaries |
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