Experiences of Countries with Transition Economies: Problems and Solutions

Experiences of Countries with Transition Economies: Problems and Solutions

Experiences of Countries with Transition Economies: Problems and Solutions

CHALLENGE

Tunisia has elaborated a new strategy for sustainable forests and rangelands management for the period 2015-2024, of which finalization and dissemination has been supported by a previous PROFOR activity through the organization of regional workshops and the achievement of an economic valuation of forests and pastoral lands degradation.

The national strategy for the sustainable development of forest and rangelands aims to reconcile the conservation of forests and rangelands with socioeconomic development by promoting the involvement of community-based organizations and private owners in co-management of forests and rangelands. The strategy has four strategic objectives: (1) adapting the institutional and legal framework of the sector and capacity building; (2) optimizing the sector’s contribution to socioeconomic development; (3) maintaining and enhancing environmental functions and services of the sector’s resources; and (4) consolidating and improving the forest and rangelands’ capital.

The proposed activity aims to help the implementation of the first strategic objective through the identification of main institutional and legal barriers to forests management.

APPROACH

The activity will employ participatory processes, which involves different stakeholders at local, regional, and national levels. There are three main tasks:

Institutional and legal analysis of forest sector. The output of this activity will be a report that includes a number of key recommendations aiming at improving the institutional and legal forest framework.

Supporting a multidisciplinary approach aimed at better assessing key features of landscapes in governorates of Jendouba, Béja, Bizerte, Siliana, Sidi Bouzid, and Kasserine. The output of the activity will be a report summarizing assessments, and actionable recommendations on improving the collaboration between key stakeholders for the co-management of the proposed governorates landscapes.

RESULTS

The analysis of the forestry code and the institutional framework governing natural resources was completed and disseminated through meetings and workshops with key stakeholder. Recommendations and options to strengthen the code and framework were identified and the government of Tunisia established a working group to evaluate the implications of each option and suggest the best option to be implemented.

The working group will aim at improve the organizational framework of the MARHP, namely by consolidating the Direction Général des Forêts, the Forest Exploitation Management Unit (Régie d’exploitation forestière) and Forest districts (Arrondissements forestiers) into one structure that will be supervised by six regional directorates, to ensure better coordination, complementarity, consistency and quality. Workshops will be held by May 2017 to better clarify provision of access to forests and rangelands by communities, and how to facilitate co-management of related resources through clear conventions between users and the government administration.

This work is helping to inform the World Bank Integrated Landscapes Management in Lagging Regions Project.

For stories and updates on related activities, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list for regular updates.

CHALLENGE

Tunisia has elaborated a new strategy for sustainable forests and rangelands management for the period 2015-2024, of which finalization and dissemination has been supported by a previous PROFOR activity through the organization of regional workshops and the achievement of an economic valuation of forests and pastoral lands degradation.

The national strategy for the sustainable development of forest and rangelands aims to reconcile the conservation of forests and rangelands with socioeconomic development by promoting the involvement of community-based organizations and private owners in co-management of forests and rangelands. The strategy has four strategic objectives: (1) adapting the institutional and legal framework of the sector and capacity building; (2) optimizing the sector’s contribution to socioeconomic development; (3) maintaining and enhancing environmental functions and services of the sector’s resources; and (4) consolidating and improving the forest and rangelands’ capital.

The proposed activity aims to help the implementation of the first strategic objective through the identification of main institutional and legal barriers to forests management.

APPROACH

The activity will employ participatory processes, which involves different stakeholders at local, regional, and national levels. There are three main tasks:

Institutional and legal analysis of forest sector. The output of this activity will be a report that includes a number of key recommendations aiming at improving the institutional and legal forest framework.

Supporting a multidisciplinary approach aimed at better assessing key features of landscapes in governorates of Jendouba, Béja, Bizerte, Siliana, Sidi Bouzid, and Kasserine. The output of the activity will be a report summarizing assessments, and actionable recommendations on improving the collaboration between key stakeholders for the co-management of the proposed governorates landscapes.

RESULTS

The analysis of the forestry code and the institutional framework governing natural resources was completed and disseminated through meetings and workshops with key stakeholder. Recommendations and options to strengthen the code and framework were identified and the government of Tunisia established a working group to evaluate the implications of each option and suggest the best option to be implemented.

The working group will aim at improve the organizational framework of the MARHP, namely by consolidating the Direction Général des Forêts, the Forest Exploitation Management Unit (Régie d’exploitation forestière) and Forest districts (Arrondissements forestiers) into one structure that will be supervised by six regional directorates, to ensure better coordination, complementarity, consistency and quality. Workshops will be held by May 2017 to better clarify provision of access to forests and rangelands by communities, and how to facilitate co-management of related resources through clear conventions between users and the government administration.

This work is helping to inform the World Bank Integrated Landscapes Management in Lagging Regions Project.

For stories and updates on related activities, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or subscribe to our mailing list for regular updates.

CHALLENGE

The Philippines is committed to a comprehensive reform agenda for climate adaptation and resilience, with a strong focus on increasing forest cover. The Government’s flagship National Greening Program (NGP) aims to reforest 1.5 million hectares of land between 2011 and 2016. With PROFOR support, the Philippines and the World Bank are undertaking a study to better understand the roles that forests ecosystem services play in poverty reduction and enhancing climate resilience. Preliminary results demonstrate the importance of forests in providing benefits for subsistence and cash incomes, and in regulating water flows in the dry season, flood waters in the wet season, and erosion and sediment control.

In the second phase of the NGP, the Government of the Philippines is interested in building on these study results by integrating poverty reduction and climate resilience objectives into forest land use (FLU) planning processes. However, this is a new focus area within the Philippines’ forest planning process. Government staff and other stakeholders need greater capacity to integrate climate resilience and ecosystem services objectives into FLU plans. This activity aims to strengthen that capacity.

APPROACH

In order to enhance the capacity of stakeholders, this activity will include:

• Holding a workshop to solicit recommendations from stakeholders on how the results from the previous study can be used to improve the FLU process. This will also be an opportunity to better understand stakeholders’ needs and expectations with respect to forest management.
• Developing a background paper on the value-added of integrating ecosystem services approaches in forest and land use planning.
• Conducting a desktop review of the FLU process and assess those under implementation.
• Reviewing international practices on integrating poverty and climate resilience concerns into forest development planning, to draw out lessons and best practices.
• Holding a consultation workshop government partners, development partners that have been involved in forest development in the Philippines, and civil society.
• Organizing training workshops on how to incorporate poverty and climate resilience considerations into the FLU planning process.
• Organizing learning workshops within the pilot municipalities.
• Disseminating results.

RESULTS

This activity is ongoing. Findings will be shared on this page when they become available.

CHALLENGE

The Philippines is committed to a comprehensive reform agenda for climate adaptation and resilience, with a strong focus on increasing forest cover. The Government’s flagship National Greening Program (NGP) aims to reforest 1.5 million hectares of land between 2011 and 2016. With PROFOR support, the Philippines and the World Bank are undertaking a study to better understand the roles that forests ecosystem services play in poverty reduction and enhancing climate resilience. Preliminary results demonstrate the importance of forests in providing benefits for subsistence and cash incomes, and in regulating water flows in the dry season, flood waters in the wet season, and erosion and sediment control.

In the second phase of the NGP, the Government of the Philippines is interested in building on these study results by integrating poverty reduction and climate resilience objectives into forest land use (FLU) planning processes. However, this is a new focus area within the Philippines’ forest planning process. Government staff and other stakeholders need greater capacity to integrate climate resilience and ecosystem services objectives into FLU plans. This activity aims to strengthen that capacity.

APPROACH

In order to enhance the capacity of stakeholders, this activity will include:

• Holding a workshop to solicit recommendations from stakeholders on how the results from the previous study can be used to improve the FLU process. This will also be an opportunity to better understand stakeholders’ needs and expectations with respect to forest management.
• Developing a background paper on the value-added of integrating ecosystem services approaches in forest and land use planning.
• Conducting a desktop review of the FLU process and assess those under implementation.
• Reviewing international practices on integrating poverty and climate resilience concerns into forest development planning, to draw out lessons and best practices.
• Holding a consultation workshop government partners, development partners that have been involved in forest development in the Philippines, and civil society.
• Organizing training workshops on how to incorporate poverty and climate resilience considerations into the FLU planning process.
• Organizing learning workshops within the pilot municipalities.
• Disseminating results.

RESULTS

This activity is ongoing. Findings will be shared on this page when they become available.

CHALLENGE

The Philippines is committed to a comprehensive reform agenda for climate adaptation and resilience, with a strong focus on increasing forest cover. The Government’s flagship National Greening Program (NGP) aims to reforest 1.5 million hectares of land between 2011 and 2016. With PROFOR support, the Philippines and the World Bank are undertaking a study to better understand the roles that forests ecosystem services play in poverty reduction and enhancing climate resilience. Preliminary results demonstrate the importance of forests in providing benefits for subsistence and cash incomes, and in regulating water flows in the dry season, flood waters in the wet season, and erosion and sediment control.

In the second phase of the NGP, the Government of the Philippines is interested in building on these study results by integrating poverty reduction and climate resilience objectives into forest land use (FLU) planning processes. However, this is a new focus area within the Philippines’ forest planning process. Government staff and other stakeholders need greater capacity to integrate climate resilience and ecosystem services objectives into FLU plans. This activity aims to strengthen that capacity.

APPROACH

In order to enhance the capacity of stakeholders, this activity will include:

• Holding a workshop to solicit recommendations from stakeholders on how the results from the previous study can be used to improve the FLU process. This will also be an opportunity to better understand stakeholders’ needs and expectations with respect to forest management.
• Developing a background paper on the value-added of integrating ecosystem services approaches in forest and land use planning.
• Conducting a desktop review of the FLU process and assess those under implementation.
• Reviewing international practices on integrating poverty and climate resilience concerns into forest development planning, to draw out lessons and best practices.
• Holding a consultation workshop government partners, development partners that have been involved in forest development in the Philippines, and civil society.
• Organizing training workshops on how to incorporate poverty and climate resilience considerations into the FLU planning process.
• Organizing learning workshops within the pilot municipalities.
• Disseminating results.

RESULTS

This activity is ongoing. Findings will be shared on this page when they become available.

CHALLENGE

Nature-based tourism makes a significant contribution to exports, GDP, jobs, and poverty reduction in Kenya.  But habitat loss, overcrowding at key tourist sites, depleting wildlife numbers, and the ever-present threat of terrorism have generated a perfect storm of problems for the sector.  

Recent population monitoring shows that long-term declines of many of the charismatic species that attract tourists – including lions, elephants, giraffes, and impalas - are occurring at the same rates within the country's national parks as outside of these protected areas.  This is partly because protected areas in Kenya are far too small to be sustainable.  As a result, the wildlife depends as much on land adjacent to a protect area as on the protected area itself. Unfortunately, most of this adjacent land is being converted to other non-compatible uses. The implementation of “ecological easements” offer some promising solutions, but the feasibility of this approach depends upon economic incentives, and the opportunity costs of land.

APPROACH

This activity will focus on a critical and often overlooked threat to the survival of the key wildlife tourist attraction: habitat loss and the need to preserve corridors to assure the long-term sustainability of wildlife and mega-fauna. 
First, the activity will investigate land related trade-offs.  Is there more to be gained from building a tourism product or converting land to agriculture - in terms of GDP, jobs, and poverty impacts? Second, it will conduct a regional analysis in the Mara region to determine the scope for increasing the payoffs from tourism without undermining sustainability.  The Mara has been chosen due to the pressures on this globally significant natural asset and its tremendous potential to generate further conservation-related economic benefits. Finally, the study will also identify the benefits and ecological costs of infrastructure throughout Kenya and thus assist in the planning of corridors and preemptive protection of habitats.

RESULTS

This project has been completed. A report titled When Good Conservation Becomes Good Economics was developed and launched in an event held in Nairobi on December 11, 2019, which was very well attended by a wide cross-section of stakeholders and government officials across numerous departments and ministries. 

The report findings highlighted for the first time how wildlife loss causes economic loss in Kenya. It tackled the issue of whether there are trade-offs between wildlife and economic growth, especially given the intensifying pressures on land and natural resources.  The report also outlined solutions and a way forward for Kenya to find that the balance between economic development without losing a focus on conservation. The evidence presented in this report suggests that there are wide opportunities to stop the dramatic collapse of wildlife populations and that investing in the tourism sector yields significant benefits which are especially pro-poor. The findings identified a set of tools, developed in this report, which can be used by the planners in order to consider the long-term implications of irreversible decisions and harness the full potential that the country’s natural endowment offers. Following the launch of the report, the Government of Kenya submitted a formal request for technical and financial support to advance the dialog on enhancing protection of wildlife habitats and populations within protected areas and outside of the protected areas

The report findings were used to inform the preparation of Kenya SCD and will be used to provide inputs to the CPF (to be prepared this FY as well). The report was immediately recognized by the stakeholders as a useful tool for advancing the dialog on wildlife conservation with the Government and other stakeholders.  As of a result of this analytical activity, the Government of Kenya has invited the Bank to help develop a wildlife strategy. 

CHALLENGE

Nature-based tourism makes a significant contribution to exports, GDP, jobs, and poverty reduction in Kenya.  But habitat loss, overcrowding at key tourist sites, depleting wildlife numbers, and the ever-present threat of terrorism have generated a perfect storm of problems for the sector.  

Recent population monitoring shows that long-term declines of many of the charismatic species that attract tourists – including lions, elephants, giraffes, and impalas - are occurring at the same rates within the country's national parks as outside of these protected areas.  This is partly because protected areas in Kenya are far too small to be sustainable.  As a result, the wildlife depends as much on land adjacent to a protect area as on the protected area itself. Unfortunately, most of this adjacent land is being converted to other non-compatible uses. The implementation of “ecological easements” offer some promising solutions, but the feasibility of this approach depends upon economic incentives, and the opportunity costs of land.

APPROACH

This activity will focus on a critical and often overlooked threat to the survival of the key wildlife tourist attraction: habitat loss and the need to preserve corridors to assure the long-term sustainability of wildlife and mega-fauna. 
First, the activity will investigate land related trade-offs.  Is there more to be gained from building a tourism product or converting land to agriculture - in terms of GDP, jobs, and poverty impacts? Second, it will conduct a regional analysis in the Mara region to determine the scope for increasing the payoffs from tourism without undermining sustainability.  The Mara has been chosen due to the pressures on this globally significant natural asset and its tremendous potential to generate further conservation-related economic benefits. Finally, the study will also identify the benefits and ecological costs of infrastructure throughout Kenya and thus assist in the planning of corridors and preemptive protection of habitats.

RESULTS

This project has been completed. A report titled When Good Conservation Becomes Good Economics was developed and launched in an event held in Nairobi on December 11, 2019, which was very well attended by a wide cross-section of stakeholders and government officials across numerous departments and ministries. 

The report findings highlighted for the first time how wildlife loss causes economic loss in Kenya. It tackled the issue of whether there are trade-offs between wildlife and economic growth, especially given the intensifying pressures on land and natural resources.  The report also outlined solutions and a way forward for Kenya to find that the balance between economic development without losing a focus on conservation. The evidence presented in this report suggests that there are wide opportunities to stop the dramatic collapse of wildlife populations and that investing in the tourism sector yields significant benefits which are especially pro-poor. The findings identified a set of tools, developed in this report, which can be used by the planners in order to consider the long-term implications of irreversible decisions and harness the full potential that the country’s natural endowment offers. Following the launch of the report, the Government of Kenya submitted a formal request for technical and financial support to advance the dialog on enhancing protection of wildlife habitats and populations within protected areas and outside of the protected areas

The report findings were used to inform the preparation of Kenya SCD and will be used to provide inputs to the CPF (to be prepared this FY as well). The report was immediately recognized by the stakeholders as a useful tool for advancing the dialog on wildlife conservation with the Government and other stakeholders.  As of a result of this analytical activity, the Government of Kenya has invited the Bank to help develop a wildlife strategy.