jpinsert_3.qxd 3/9/06 12:15 PM Page 1 37671 GEF Global Action on Sustainable Land Management REMOVING BARRIERS TO SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT Around the world, land continues to degrade, Extension services--the link between the national with natural resources--biodiversity, forests, soil, and local levels--often suffer from budgetary vegetation, water--changing for the worse. This cuts and low capacities. leads to the loss of arable soil and forests, affect- ing both economic and ecological functions. In some developing countries, legislation is based Often, the underlying causes of land degradation on top-down command and control regulations are complex, and solutions require both systemic that rely on compliance and enforcement. In and systematic approaches. others, the government's inability to enforce the law properly often leads to perverse behavior by In this environment, countries face barriers to local land users. In these cases, laws and regula- implementing sustainable land management tions are often poorly understood, ineffectively processes. The challenge for policymakers is to enforced, and subject to varying interpretations. make informed decisions about the use of natu- ral resources without jeopardizing the resilience To tackle these challenges, GEF assistance is help- of the ecosystems. ing countries remove institutional and governance barriers. The GEF also supports incorporating sus- The Global Environment Facility (GEF) funds tainable land management principles into institu- activities to remove barriers to the adoption of tional and governance structures. sustainable land management practices by helping countries develop institutional and STRENGTHENING ECONOMIC AND human resource capacities, strengthen policy FINANCIAL CAPACITY and regulatory environments, promote eco- Many developing countries, especially least devel- nomic incentives, and disseminate lessons oped countries and small island developing learned and best practices. states, lack the financial resources to change land management policies and practices. With insuffi- BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL AND cient budgetary allocations, the goal of sustain- GOVERNANCE CAPACITY able land management remains elusive because it Limited individual, institutional, and systemic often conflicts with priorities related to poverty capacities frequently undermine a developing reduction, epidemics, peacekeeping, and eco- country's commitment to instituting sustainable nomic growth. land management. At the national and regional levels, government institutions and ministries In many developing countries, rural development often lack personnel with technical or policy priorities for increasing gross domestic product skills. At the same time, inter-institutional and and exports often clash with those that promote intersectoral coordination and cooperation is sustainable rural development. This situation can lacking as is local-level empowerment. Further, result in perverse economic incentives and unbal- good governance strategics for natural resource anced and sector-focused subsidies that lead to management are generally weak or nonexistent. unsustainable land use practices. jpinsert_3.qxd 3/9/06 12:15 PM Page 2 The GEF promotes the mainstreaming of environ- GEF SUPPORT IN BHUTAN: mental concerns into production programs and A PROJECT EXAMPLE policies, as well as into cross-cutting sectors, such Bhutan is a small, landlocked country in the east- as economic planning and territory management. ern Himalayas. Bhutanese people must make their With GEF assistance, regular sector budgets living within fragile and inherently unstable ecosys- become available to promote environmentally tems. In areas of intensive use, soil erosion, land- sound management of a country's natural resources. slides, deforestation, and diminishing soil fertility At the local level, the GEF supports small credit on agricultural land are becoming increasingly vis- schemes for farmers and herders and lifts barriers ible, and accelerating degradation of the land. faced by small and medium enterprises. In 2005, the GEF approved a project to promote INCREASING SOCIAL CAPACITY innovative mechanisms that enhance sustainable Poverty and illiteracy are important causes of land land management practices in Bhutan. The proj- and environmental degradation. Therefore, ect, which the World Bank will implement, is people can be a major asset in preventing and focused on securing livelihoods for rural people reversing land degradation if they are healthy, while protecting fragile ecosystems. politically motivated, and economically empow- ered to care for the land. The project will remove barriers for sustainable land management by The GEF supports activities that promote environ- mental education as a priority in achieving sus- harmonizing planning procedures and improving coordination among line agencies tainable development goals. These programs provide opportunities to explore linkages among to improve cross-sectoral reviews of proposed population dynamics, land use change, and envi- investments and environmentally friendly ronmental impact. alternatives, expanding the participation of local govern- STRENGTHENING TECHNOLOGICAL ments and other stakeholders (private sector AND KNOWLEDGE CAPACITIES and local residents) in decentralized natural At the local level, the stakeholders' knowledge of resource planning and management, provid- sustainable land management practices relies on ing access to information on proposed activi- time-tested traditional techniques and knowledge ties, and ensuring full involvement in the that has been transferred through generations. In environmental review process, some cases, what might have been a sustainable land use practice in the past may not be viable any- setting up an environmental information and more. New technologies and information on how monitoring system, to adapt traditional technologies to the new chal- lenges are key priorities. For example, many farmers identifying hazard-prone and environmentally in developing countries live and work in isolation, risky areas as well as alternative sites that are without access to data and information that are more suitable for proposed development essential for choosing the right crop variety, esti- investments, mating the right amount of irrigation water, and identifying and managing the risks of preparing for a potential natural disaster. planned and unplanned development, The GEF supports improved access to clear and assessing, identifying, and promoting sustain- easily understandable information--such as new able land management options and tech- land management techniques, information on nologies through local practice, adaptation, new and more resilient crop varieties, access to experimentation, and dissemination. early warning systems, and data trends on the FOR MORE local climate. Such information helps local com- These are some of the ways in which GEF and its INFORMATION munities make informed decisions on how to use partners are promoting sustainable management Global Environment Facility their land in the best way. practices in developing countries. 1818 H Street NW Washington DC 20433 USA Tel: 202-473-0508 Fax: 202-522-3240 www.theGEF.org February 2006