Contacts: Karina Manasseh (202) 473-1729 Kmanasseh@worldbank.org Patricia da Camara (202) 473-4019 Pdacamara@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, November 29, 2005 – The World Bank’s Board of Directors approved today a $5 million grant from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to conserve El Salvador’s globally significant biodiversity by strengthening the national protected areas system. “The project directly contributes to the Government of El Salvador’s efforts to protect the environment for future generations and ensure that national development is environmentally and socially sustainable,” said Frederic de Dinechin, World Bank co-task manager for the project. The significant biodiversity sheltered within the Natural Protected Areas System of El Salvador is severely threatened. El Salvador - the most densely populated country in Latin America- struggles with land-related issues, as population pressures have resulted in numerous encroachments into protected areas. These encroachments result in significant habitat destruction and deterioration through the conversion of forests, pollution, and overexploitation of natural resources. The Protected Areas Consolidation and Administration Project will strengthen the national protected areas system by assisting the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to develop a strategy to consolidate protected areas and participate in the delimitation of about half of all protected areas and mangroves in El Salvador. Specifically, the project will support the following activities: · Strengthen the National Natural Protected Areas System by consolidating the existing strategy with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector. The strengthening of the system will be further achieved through improvements to the institutional and legal framework for its administration and management. · Consolidate and manage two pilot protected areas by developing, testing, and finalizing a methodology for their consolidation, including their delimitation, demarcation, and regularization. In addition, this component will develop and implement management plans for their sustainable use. · Support project coordination, planning, and monitoring and evaluation. “As a result of the project, the country will conserve some critically endangered endemic species and ecosystems, as well as enhance the Salvadoran sections of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor,” said Ann J. Glauber, World Bank co-task manager for the project. This project builds on the progress made by the Second Land Administration Project, approved by the Board in March 2005 and financed with a $40 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which is seeking to improve land tenure security and land transactions by providing efficient, equitable, and accessible land administration services. ### The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a mechanism for providing new and additional grant and concessional funding to meet the agreed incremental costs of measures to achieve agreed global environmental benefits in the six focal areas - climate change; biological diversity; international waters; persistent organic pollutants; land degradation; and ozone layer depletion. GEF also supports the work of the global agreements to combat desertification. The World Bank Group is one of GEF’s implementing agencies and supports countries in preparing GEF co-financed projects and supervising their implementation. The Bank plays the primary role in ensuring the development and management of investment projects. The Bank draws upon its investment experience in eligible countries to promote investment opportunities and to mobilize private sector, bilateral, multilateral, and other government and non-government sector resources that are consistent with GEF objectives and national sustainable development strategies. For further information on GEF, please visit www.theGEF.org For more information on the Protected Areas Consolidation and Administration Project, please visit: http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=228424&Projectid=P092202 For more information on the World Bank’s work in El Salvador, please visit: www.worldbank.org/elsalvador |
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