Implementation | PANORAMA

Governance model

The results of the multi-sectorial dialogues are reflected in agreements regarding implementation plans. These agreements form the basis for establishing the model of governance, or in other words the set of formal and informal rules and their enforcement mechanisms. The agreements document the stakeholders’ understandings of the geographical delimitation of the area, its zoning, and the management category. They also establish the steps to be followed in the process for implementing the management areas, such as the consolidation of a governance model through a Local Council, which is a figure that gives legal support composed of diverse representatives.

Availability of the representatives of the public sector (SINAC) negotiating teams.
Technical and logistical support from the international cooperation.
Approach of collaborative facilitation and alternate resolution of conflicts.

Stakeholders are empowered by the process through participation in developing agreements. These agreements are a starting point and not a point of arrival, since they set the stage for future cooperation and implementation. The role of the facilitator and mediator must be neutral and independent, as it is a technical role in organizing social process. Maintaining a single platform of dialogue is important, but with opportunities for the facilitator to meet separately with each sectors. Other sectors not identified at the start in accordance with the development of the process should be included (e.g. semi-industrial fishing).

Implementation

Local

Multi-national

Multi-sectorial dialogue platform

To promote voluntary participation and to achieve consensus among the key sectors involved, stakeholders including local authorities, fishermen, local residents among others, are identified through a previous mapping of actors. The different sectors then propose their representatives who are formally committed to the process by signing a document. A multi-sectorial dialogue platform is established and the interests of the stakeholders are discussed using an approach of collaborative facilitation and alternative dispute resolution. This platform addresses the issues of geographical delimitation of the management area, and the governance model with roles and responsibilities by sector and areas of use.

The process is facilitated by a neutral and recognized mediator in the area.
Legitimacy of the process by means of the accreditation of institutional and community representatives.
Mapping of actors as preliminary input

The multi-sectorial dialogue platform promotes social cohesion among sectors. This space allows different groups to clarify about what they want and do not want to achieve in the protected area designation process. The team composed of the accredited stakeholders are the leaders of the process. The new communication dynamic created through the dialogues allows past disharmonies to disappear.

Legally established participatory process

An Administrative resolution was made by the local conservation authorities to determine the technical, social, legal and financial feasibility of implementing protected areas in the sites of conservation importance. The resolution considers information from scientific studies and highlights the importance of establishing a participatory process through the creation of a multi-sector dialogue panel. At the same time, the local authority created a follow-up Committee with institutional representatives of the national protected area management authority to legitimize the process and ensure that it is documented and institutionalized.

The existence of a legal framework that provides guidelines
Support of the governing public body responsible for ensuring the conservation of biodiversity
Technical and financial support
Commitment at high political levels

A legally-binding resolution provides legitimacy and institutionalizes the process, promotes empowerment, builds up confidence and credibility of local authorities and local communities.

Implementation

Local

National

National protected areas coverage analysis

Three scientific studies provide technical information to identify areas that should be included in the national system of protected areas. An evaluation of marine ecoregions in Mesoamerica was the first step to achieve a marine and coastal biodiversity conservation agenda at the regional level. To meet the targets established for the eco-regional level, gaps in representativeness and integrity for the marine and coastal biodiversity in Costa Rica were identified through a comparison of the national system of marine protected areas with the sites of conservation importance identified during the evaluation. National sites of conservation importance were prioritized in the gap analysis. Additional technical evaluations to elaborate on the state of conservation at a local site level were done. This scientific information helped to build up considerations for local level priorities, and the actual and potential uses along with the use conflicts.

Committed International and national NGOs have technical and financial assistance to develop these scientific studies.
Costa Rica is a signatory country to international biodiversity conventions and agreements, committing them to increasing conservation measures for sites of biological importance.

The gap analyses for biological conservation are a key element for the prioritization of sites of importance for conservation. The information provided in these studies constitutes a baseline to delve into more specific and local aspects. Scientific information enables informed decision making for increased conservation measures.

Análisis de Vacíos de Conservación en Costa Rica

Website of the BIOMARCC-project

Public-Private Partnership

A cooperation agreement defines the roles and responsibilities of each partner in the public-private partnership and guarantees the enforcement of a timed Implementation and Monitoring Plan to achieve the conservation goals.

Formalisation of a public-private partnership
Roles and responsibilities clearly defined for every member
Institutionalization mechanism in SINAC to execute the annual actions of the Execution and Monitoring plan
Definition of clear processes to apply for implementation financing
Establishing of report and fulfilment mechanisms

Using a clearly defined planning objective for the public-private partnership and formalized and pre-established implementation regulations and processes, contributes to the relationship between the members and to achieve progress in the implementation of the working plan, jointly in an efficient and transparent way.

Implementation

National

Implementation and Monitoring Plan

Besides setting conservation goals, the Implementation and Monitoring Plan also details strategic objectives and activities to be implemented over a set period of time in order to achieve these goals. Furthermore, the plan identifies potential risks and difficulties and provides indicators for monitoring and evaluation.

Defined targets according to CBD
Annual activities of the Monitoring Plan included in the Operating Working Plan of SINAC, the annual acquisition plan of the trusteeship and in the working plans of bilaterally cooperating projects that contributed in the first four years
Budgeted activities according to the existence of a trusteeship
Application for regulated goods and services from SINAC to ACRXS for a cooperation agreement and a manual of operations

Using clearly defined targets, a detailed plan to meet them and a budget allowing this:

divided revenues from the trusts,
an efficient and organized implementation,
a guarantee to meet the targets mentioned.

Conservation credit unit (CCU) marketing

Fig. 2: Distribution of benefits from CCUs

The fund administrator, NGO FUNDECODES, and other brokers promote CCUs to investors, who buy them for at least ten years. CCU returns are distributed for use across the different zones of the project area: 40% for conservation activities in the core area, 40% for sustainable production activities in the commercial buffer zone and 20% for the owners of the credit-generating land.

Conservation agreement between FUNDECODES and the Global Conservation Standard (GCS)
Current legislation allows conservation credits to be valued and sold
Institutional stakeholders which are committed to work with the private sector and civil society
Private sector willing to voluntarily offset
Brokerage: Bringing together demand and offer, e.g. buyers and sellers of CCUs

Stakeholders are empowered by the financing scheme because they receive financial support to implement conservation activities and are involved in decision-making and prioritization.
The project is recognized as a model by conservation authorities because it implements an environmental sustainability standard with support from strong partners.
There is high interest among Costa Rican private sector to compensate CO2.
International investors are interested in due diligence and full accountability when buying CCUs. This is guaranteed by GCS using independent accredited bodies to carry out annual assessments of carbon stocks, maintaining objectivity, accuracy and transparency and offering real-time GIS imagery.
There is still a need to improve the capacity of FUNDECODES and SINAC in marketing, brokerage, establishment of the MRV-System and adequate management of the “Small Project Funds”.

Implementation

Local

Integrated Watershed Action Plan

The specific strategies for each watershed are identified in an Integrated Watershed Management Action Plan, which is adaptive and evolves from a scientific basis. The Plan includes specific actions to be implemented with the participation of public, private and local stakeholders. The Action Plan is jointly developed by local stakeholders and will enable priority watersheds to recover their functionality and better provide ecosystem services, such as clean water to support healthy mangroves that provide climate adaptation benefits.

The collaboration of local stakeholders.
A commitment by local stakeholders to implement the action plans.
Consideration of pre-existing efforts.
A local agent that leads the process.

There is previous work in some of the priority watersheds. Action plans should not ignore existing efforts, but promote an inclusive environment for all stakeholders to feel welcome to participate.
Action plans allow having healthier watersheds since the investments from different institutions are aligned.

Implementation

Local

Subnational

Aligning public and private investments at the landscape level

The solution is funded through a combination of sinking funds and endowment funds from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and matching funds from other donors and public funding. The endowment funds from the GEF provide long-term financing to address the conservation needs within the coastal watersheds and are partially dedicated to the basic operation of protected areas. Public sinking funds from CONAFOR´s programs and payment for ecosystem services mechanisms increases watershed connectivity. Grants finance sustainable forest management and agro-ecology projects. The Integrated Watershed Action Plan will help to align these public and private investments at the landscape level.

The capacity to raise funds from multilateral, bilateral and private donors.
Matching funds from three public agencies that enable private donations.
An experienced, professional trust fund manager.

Coordinating investments from multiple agencies at the landscape level enables greater impacts on watershed recovery and functionality.
Raising funds for conservation is more likely when public and private investment is committed to a common goal.
Different funding sources with different timelines associated with them (endowment and sinking funds) bring advantages for conservation goals.

Reef enhancement for coastal protection

Building the artificial reef on rock at a time.

The Nature Conservancy

While sea walls, boulders, and other hard approaches to coastal protection are the right approach in some areas, they are also very expensive, high maintenance, and destructive to the living shoreline we all treasure. Nature-based solutions seek to integrate built structure, natural systems such as reefs, beaches, mangrove and coastal woodlands, and forests. Nature-based solutions are often much cheaper, and also provide greater benefits such as food production and beautiful places for people to recreate. This project seeks to install reef structures designed to provide fish and coral habitat, and break wave energy and ultimately reduce coastal erosion and flooding. The design phase included detailed measurements of the seabed, wave energy modeling using data from the past sixty years, and coastal engineering. Local labor and equipment was used to install a first set of structures. The installation took a total of three weeks and constitutes one of TNC’s most important pilots to test nature based solutions to climate change.

• Community understanding the importance of and the benefits to be derived from the successful implementation of the project. • Community acceptance, participation in the project process and ownership of the project. • Involvement of and participation of Government Ministries and departments in the project processes. • Partnerships with the Grenada Red Cross and NGO Grenada Fund for Conservation and other community groups that assisted with mobilizing communities and empowering stakeholders.

• Community engagement and buy-in at all stages, as well as partnerships with local organizations and community groups, was critical for successful implementation. • Accuracy of bathymetry data available (we used satellite derived data but this lead to inaccuracies and delays during installation; access to LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data would have been ideal). • Given the experimental nature of this block phasing of installation was critical. • Employing a local commercial dive operator and local divers was critical, during installation since the commercial diver’s experience and the divers’ knowledge of local context has been invaluable.

Implementation

Monitoring

Local