Regional: Greater Mekong Subregion Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development - Land-based natural resources management

The ongoing Biodiversity Conservation Corridor Initiative (BCI) is the flagship program of the Core Environment Program (CEP-BCI) of the GMS endorsed by the GMS Leaders at the Second GMS Summit in July 2005. The intended outcome of BCI implementation is that by 2015, GMS countries will endeavor to maintain and improve the cover, condition, and biodiversity of forestlands and associated ecosystems in priority biodiversity conservation landscapes intersecting ADB supported GMS economic corridors. The GMS governments, with support from ADB and nongovernmental organization (NGO) partners, have identified the most important biodiversity conservation landscapes in the subregion that are vulnerable to increased development pressures and environmental degradation.

The original PPTA comprised (i) an updated situational and stakeholders analysis in the target BCC initiative ecosystems in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam; and (ii) design of investment project. The ensuing loan for $69 million for the GMS BCC Project was approved on 10 December 2010. In June 2012, additional funding was approved for: (i) $0.600 M to enhance climate resilience in Cambodia; and (ii) $0.500 M for sustainable ecosystem services. Additional financing of $0.150 M was approved in 2013 to maintain and restore forest biodiversity ecosystems and related watershed processes in the Central Annamite region of Viet Nam.

The project is in line with the GMS 10-Year Strategic Framework's (SF) thrust: "Protecting the environment and promoting sustainable use of shared natural resources". Its pursuit will be an important step in fulfilling the GMS SF's Mid-term Review recommendation to place more emphasis on soft aspects of GMS cooperation, as the project will enhance arrangements for securing critical ecosystems and environmental quality in GMS economic corridors.

The project will fulfill ADB's Regional Cooperation and Integration (RCI) strategy's pillar 4: Cooperation in Regional Public Goods, as it will involve coordinated actions for protection of the environment and addressing transboundary environmental consequences of GMS development activities, particularly the GMS economic corridor development.

The project will implement pillar 4 of the GMS regional cooperation strategy and program (RCSP), 2004-2008: Managing the environment and shared natural resources to help ensure sustainable development and conservation of natural resources. The project is included in the indicative 2010 GMS investment program in ADB's GMS Regional Cooperation Operations Business Plan 2009-2011.

Output 1 will comprise an updated situational and stakeholder analysis in the target BCI ecosystems in CAM, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam drawing on an impact assessment of ongoing BCI pilot activities (i) on the establishment of poverty reduction/livelihood improvement interventions including the establishment and implementation of commune/village revolving, funds, (ii) land/forest use management harmonization regimes, (iii) the designing and establishment of the biodiversity corridors including physical demarcation on the ground, (iv) performance and potential of biodiversity corridors integration in provincial and national biodiversity and socio-economic development plans, (v) assessment of forest/ecosystem fragmentation drivers and pressures from relevant GMS economic corridor, national, and provincial energy(hydropower), transport, tourism and agriculture/natural resources development plans and investments, (vi) assessment of climate change resilience enhancement needs of local livelihoods and ecosystems, (vii) assessment of ecosystem/forest based livelihoods improvement and employment needs and opportunities, and (viii) capacity analysis/assessment of local communities, institutions and provincial administration in Cambodia (including Koh Kong and Mondulkiri), Lao PDR (including Champasak and Attapeu), and Viet Nam (including Quang Nam and Quang Tri) for biodiversity corridor (BC) project implementation during 2011-2018. These assessments will be integrated into a problem tree.

Output 2 will comprise Design of Investment Project including components for: (a) Institutional and community strengthening, (b) biodiversity corridors restoration and ecosystem service protection and sustainable management, (c) Livelihood improvement, (d) Climate change adaptation/mitigation, and (e) Project Management.

Consultants will be engaged on an individual basis for the following reasons (i) it is a regional PPTA covering three countries and the kind of expertise/country experience required is unlikely to be available with a single firm; (ii) individual recruitment will allow PPTA to tap into the international and national consultant pool generated by RETA6289 BCI activities which PPTA is proposing to scale up. This consultant pool brings with it both technical and operational expertise and experience which is of direct relevance to efficient and effective PPTA implementation; (iii) there is a fixed budget for the PPTA averaging about $330,000 per country, and recruitment of a firm is not going to be cost effective. Moreover, the existing GMS Environment Operations Center (EOC) information/knowledge and consultant network created during the BCI pilot phase provides the best pool from which to recruit consultants, which a firm is unlikely to be able to bring in.

To prepare for the additional financing, two firms were engaged for the project in Lao and Cambodia. In Viet Nam, individual consultants were recruited because of the limited funding and fewer positions.