Environment Programme
PROGRAMME & PROJECTS
1.1 Environment Support Programme (ESP)
The Programme Support Document (PSD) for enhancing delivery of the Government’s Environment Programme as outlined in the National Development Plan (NDP) 9 focuses on three major areas of support. These are; (i) strengthening environmental governance within Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism (MEWT) and other organizations responsible for environmental protection and management, (ii) strengthening systems for conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and (iii) establishing a National Environmental Information Management System (NEIMS). The Environment Support Programme is funded by the Government of Botswana and UNDP, totaling US$4,715,716 over the NDP9 period.
Implementing Partner: Department of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism
1.2 Partnership For the Development of Environmental Law and Institutions in Africa (PADELIA)
The PADELIA project is a regional initiative entirely funded through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) covering Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho in the SADC region. The project aims at developing, strengthening and harmonizing environmental laws and institutions including those of trans-boundary nature. The Implementing Agency in Botswana is the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). A Project Coordinator is appointed from Attorney General’s Chambers and reports to a Steering Committee chaired by DEA. At the regional level, PADELIA will review existing laws, regulations and guidelines for development/strengthening and harmonization in EIA, Bio-safety, and hazardous wastes management.
Implementing Partner: Department of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism
Report: Review of Existing Laws, Regulations and Guidelines on Environmental Impact Assessment in Botswana (2005),
The Review, Strengthening and Harmonization of Environmental Law on Bio-safety (2005)
1.3 National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA)
The objective of this project is to undertake a national capacity-self-assessment with respect to meeting Botswana’s obligations under the Conventions on Climate Change, Desertification and Drought, and Biodiversity. The assessment will be done by: (1) taking stock of Botswana’s existing capacities, (2) Identifying capacity gaps at the individual, institutional, and systemic levels, and (3) proposing ways of creating greater synergy in implementing the conventions. The key features of the process will be a participatory approach to ensure ownership of, and commitment to, implementing the product of the NCSA process, as well as attention to gender issues so that the needs of both men and women are addressed. The key deliverable will be a document, which outlines for each of the three thematic areas – biodiversity, climate change and desertification and drought – capacity constraints, priority concerns and opportunities for capacity development. In undertaking this, emphasis will be placed on the synergies across the thematic areas.
Implementing Partner: Department of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism
1.4 Support to the Implementation of Global Conventions
In supporting Botswana to build the necessary human and institutional capacity requisite of its global obligation in terms of UN Conventions, UNDP is working with the Conventions’ focal points on production of National Communication Reports, Capacity Assessments and Strategic Actions Plans. These include the Nation Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, and the United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD) Action Plan and UNFCCC 2nd National Communication and Convention on Biological Diversity 3rd National Communication. This has the advantage of linking with some of the projects addressing specific global environmental concerns thus creating a bigger impact through demonstration.
1.4.1 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
To facilitate implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the DEA has conducted a stock-taking exercise on biological resources of Botswana, produced a Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) and established an office for implementation of the Southern Africa Biodiversity Support Programme. A top-up funding proposal was approved in 2005 by the GEF Council to allow the DEA to undertake a countrywide stakeholder consultation on human-capacity needs and gaps relating to management of biological resources (including the development of a Clearing House Mechanism (CHM)) and production of a 3rd National Communication.
Implementing Partner: Department of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism
Report: Botswana Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2004),
Stock-taking Exercise on Biological Resources of Botswana (2004)
1.4.2 United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD)
The Department of Environmental Affairs is the Focal Point for implementation of the United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD). This role has previously been with Ministry of Agriculture. Year 2004 was a year for preparation on the 3rd National Communication on the Implementation of the UNCCD. Funding was requested through the UNCCD Secretariat to enable the preparation of the 3rd National Communication.
Implementing Partner: Department of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism
Report: The 3rd National Report on the Implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (2004)
1.4.3 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
In supporting Botswana to identify, monitor and respond to impacts of climate change, the UNDP is working with the UNFCCC National Focal Point, Department of Meteorological Services, on a series of Enabling Activities (Phase I and Phase II) funded through the GEF. These are aimed increasing capacity within government for observation of weather phenomena, to support and build human capacity within the National Climate Change Committee (NCCC) and to promote the requisite awareness and action for managing the effects of climate change. Since February 1995, UNDP provided support on behalf of the GEF to DMS, totaling US$ 450,000.
A new project funding was approved in 2005 by GEF to prepare Botswana’s Second National Communication (SNC) to the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The activities within the Second National Communication are continuation and upgrade of the work done under the Initial National Communication (1997-2001) and the Enabling Activity Phase II (2003-2004).
Implementing Partner: Department of Meteorological Services, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism
Report: Botswana Initial national Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (2001), Technology Need Assessment (2004)
2.1 Botswana Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)
The GEF is currently supporting an MSP-formulation of National IWRM plan for Botswana and Tanzania. Following a project formulation mission in October 2004 by the Energy and Environment Group (Bureau for Development Policy), a Project Development Facility Block-A (PDF-A) application will be drafted for comment by UNDP-Botswana and government of Botswana before submission to GEF for funding. The MSP funding will support integration of IWRM principles into the revision of the Botswana Water Master Plan and regional knowledge management. This project is especially important because it will deliver the first chronological target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Implementing Partner: UN Office for Project Services
2.2 Orange-Senqu River Basin
The Orange-Senqu River Basin agreement was signed in November 2003 between Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa to establish the Orange-Senqu River Commission (OraSeCom). The Commission has requested for GEF support (through UNDP offices in the respective countries) for improving the management of the Orange Basin’s trans-boundary water resources through Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approaches that remediate threats and root causes. The Project will develop mechanisms to ensure the cooperative and sustainable use of the land and water resources of the Orange River Basin; develop regionally based and agreed upon short, medium, and long term management objectives and strategies for the river basin; build capacity for adaptive management approaches to river basin management; develop and implement measures to sustain and enhance overall environmental health within the basin; create a comprehensive stakeholder involvement program; and strengthen regionally based institutions, particularly the OraSeCom, to ensure the long term sustainability of interventions. The Project will create synergies with and build upon a range of initiatives being undertaken in the Basin by the four countries and those of donor bodies. The focus of GEF involvement will be on addressing trans-boundary water management issues, as identified in priority sequence through a trans-boundary diagnostic analysis (TDA) process, and addressed in a Strategic Action Program (SAP). GEF funding will be drawn upon for preparation of the comprehensive TDA and SAP, and the implementation of select interventions identified in the SAP as regional priorities.
3.1 Renewable Energy-Based Rural Electrification Programme (PV Energy)
The project aims at reducing Botswana’s energy-related CO2 emissions by promoting renewable and low Green House Gas (GHG) technologies as a substitute for fossil fuel (fuel wood, paraffin and coal) utilized in rural areas. The activities proposed in the project are designed to remove barriers to the wide-scale utilization of renewable energy and low GHG technologies to meet the basic electricity needs of individual households in terms of lighting, power for radio-cassette/TV and income-generating activities. In turn, this project will help with the initiation of the intended renewable energy programme of the Government of Botswana and to encourage the development of the private sector industry in the provision of renewable energy in the country.
Implementing Partner: Department of Energy, Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources
3.2 Incorporating Non-Motorized Transport Facilities in the City of Gaborone (NMT)
The proposed project seeks to promote the significant use of substantially cheaper non-motorized modes of transport (NMT) particularly walking and cycling in Gaborone. It also intends to encourage and facilitate a modal shift from motorized transport (MT) to non-motorized transport modes for relatively short distances that can be covered by such modes. The project also seeks to demonstrate and record the many benefits as well as the efficacy of a modal shift to NMT with a view not only to increasing the modal share of NMT in Gaborone, but also to widely disseminating the lessons and encouraging the replication of the project across cities and towns of Botswana and the region. The data collected during the course of implementing this project will be employed to evaluate the economics of GHG mitigation in the transport sector using the NMT option.
Implementing Partner: Gaborone City Council, Ministry of Local Government
4.1 Management of Indigenous Vegetation for the Rehabilitation of Degraded Rangelands (IVP)
The Indigenous Vegetation Project (IVP) is a regional initiative funded jointly by the GEF (US$2,287,000) and the Government of Botswana (in-kind). The project is a demonstration project for biodiversity conservation and dryland ecosystem restoration in the arid and semi-arid zones of Africa, including Kenya and Mali. The project combines community-based indigenous knowledge, the findings of scientific research and past practical experience to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems and conserve biodiversity by developing sustainable natural resource management systems. Specific results to be delivered by the project are (i) appropriate indigenous management systems for sustainable use of biodiversity, (ii) Arid Zone database and Geographic Information System (GIS), (iii) Rehabilitated Indigenous Vegetation, (iv) Improved livestock Production, marketing and Alternative Livelihoods, and (v) Technology Transfer, Training and Regional Comparative Learning.
Implementing Partner: Department of Crop Production, Ministry of Environment Wildlife and Tourism
4.2 Sustainable Land Management (SLM)
Land degradation is a growing concern in developing countries and is attributable mainly to incompatible land use and land suitability, growing populations and relegation of poorer sectors of the population to less productive land such as steep slopes and flood-prone river valleys. Through the DEA, UNDP has supported a Project Development Facility (PDF) to support the investigation of issues relating to sustainable land management through the GEF. The PDF-A has been approved by the GEF council and the Project Document is being considered for signature at MWET.
Implementing Partner: Department of Environmental Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism.
5.1 Southern Africa Biodiversity Support Programme (SABSP)
The Southern Africa Biodiversity Support Programme started in 2000 with the aim of promoting conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in Southern Africa by strengthening regional biodiversity planning, interstate co-operation, and information exchange. This programme has since been restructured into two main components namely; (i) Invasive Alien Species and (ii) Access and Benefit-Sharing partly in response to the restructuring processes within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Implementing Partner: The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
5.2 Capacity Building for Conservation of the Okavango Delta (Botswana Wetland)
A Project Development Facility (PDF) has been signed between the University of Botswana, UNDP and Government of Botswana for building local capacity for conservation and sustainable use of the Okavango Delta. The Project is implemented by the Okavango Research Centre (ORC) based in Maun with a GEF cash-contribution of US$275,255 over 8 months. The major output is a full-scale project (>US1, 000,000) for building capacity for sustainable management of the Okavango Delta. A Project Manager has been hired and a work plan produced. The Project Team met with the secretariat to officially inform them about the project formulation mission and discuss possible collaboration measures. Some of the following are the salient points that emerged from the discussion.
Implementing Partner: Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Center, University of Botswana
5.3 Birdlife Africa
This project will address the need to strengthen capacities within civil society groups and Protected Area (PA) authorities to engage in constructive partnerships to improve management effectiveness in Protected Areas, with a concentration on small sites which are often overlooked, though vital to ensuring conservation of localized, often endemic species and communities and to ensure bio-geographic representation in PA estates.
Capacity of civil society and government to work in partnership to manage Protected Areas, particularly small sites will be improved through the strengthening of institutional frameworks for collaboration at a site levels; strengthening capacities at a national level, within partner national NGOs and national PA agencies to support site based action; strengthening capacities at a systemic level for institutional coordination and to strengthen the enabling environment for such approaches; and facilitating knowledge transfer through South-South level mentoring across the participating NGOs and civil society in six countries - Liberia and Nigeria (the West African Forests); Burundi and Rwanda (the Albertine Rift) and Botswana and Malawi (in the Miombo/Dry Savanna Ecoregion). In each country, 1-2 Protected Areas will form demonstration sites, where these approaches will be piloted and adapted to suit local conditions.
Implementing Partner: UN Office for Project Services / Birdlife International
6.1 PCB Inventories
The project on Hazardous Wastes and Toxic Chemicals is aimed at preparation of national inventories on Polychlorinated Bi-Phenyls (PCBs) and PCB-containing equipment. It is part of the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (2001), the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (1989) and the Rotterdam Convention on the “Prior Informed Consent” Procedure (1998). The Project enhances national capacities for the environmentally sound management of PCBs through the development of regionally harmonized national inventories.
The project is implemented in Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Tanzania. The Botswana component (costing US14, 000) is being implemented as a joint project with Zambia through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Environmental Laboratory (Botswana) and Environmental Council of Zambia (Zambia).
Implementing Partner: Department of Waste Management and Pollution Control, Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism
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Botswana