Types of Projects in International Waters

Waterbodies

GEF initiatives in the waterbody-based operational program (OP8) apply focused, remedial actions to address seriously threatened or damaged water bodies, and the most imminent transboundary concerns.
The goal of the waterbody-based operational program is to assist countries in modifying the ways that human activities are conducted in a number of sectors so that a particular waterbody and its international drainage basin can sustainably support human activities. The program’s long-term objective is to help groups of countries to work collaboratively (with the support of GEF implementing agencies) towards changes in sectoral policies and activities that address transboundary concerns. Examples of activities under OP 8: the Strategic Partnership for the Danube and Black Sea Basins, the South China Sea project, and the Lake Victoria project.

Multiple Focal Areas

Projects in the integrated land and water multiple focal area operational program (OP9) are designed to provide benefits in multiple focal areas. They often involve transboundary systems that:

• are not yet highly degraded,
• have transboundary concerns related to other GEF focal areas,
• need preventive actions in order to make the transition to sustainable development.

Activities under this operational program are broader in scope than those in the waterbody-based program because less remedial work is necessary. These projects use integrated approaches involving land and water resources, and often achieve multiple benefits in a number of focal areas. For example, the adoption of improved catchment management may protect the biodiversity [Biodiversity] of a downstream wetland, or the adoption of integrated coastal management strategies may assist in mitigating the effects of climate change [Climate change]. Some cross-cutting projects address land degradation [Land degradation]; others target the specific conditions of small island developing states (SIDS). These projects often involve determining the sectoral changes needed to achieve a basin’s sustainable development goals, as well the measures needed to ensure that the ecological carrying capacity of the water body is not exceeded. The GEF Council adopted special provisions to address water-related issues being faced by SIDS, consistent with the Barbados Programme of Action. Examples of activities under OP 9: the PEMSEA project, the Lake Tanganyika project, and the San Juan River Basin project.

Contaminants

The contaminants-based operational program (OP10)
represents a collection of demonstration projects, and projects focused on South-to-South learning. These projects may address:

• land-based activities that degrade marine waters
• global contaminants\
• ship-related contaminants
• regional and global technical / capacity building support

Many of the projects address land-based activities that cause pollution of the coastal and marine environment, consistent with the Global Program of Action for the protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. Other eligible activities may, for example, introduce technologies to avoid introduction of invasive species transported in ships’ ballast water. This operational program also supports demonstration activities prevent or reduce releases of persistent toxic substances, such as mercury. Actions to reduce pollution by contaminants designated as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are mainly addressed under the POPs focal area[POPS], while this operational program addresses other chemicals. In addition to activities addressing contaminants, this operational program includes projects aimed at South-to-South learning among GEF international waters projects, as well as deriving and disseminating lessons learned from all types of international waters projects. Examples of activities under OP 10: the IW:LEARN project, the GloBallast project, and the Global Mercury-Cleaner Gold Mining project.