Three binational (Canada-United States) commissions play a role in the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes, including the Great Lakes Commission (GLC), Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC), and International Joint Commission (IJC). More specific to the Great Lakes, the work of the IJC is supported through the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). While none of these commissions explicitly represents and advances an agenda related to protected and conserved area (PCA) networks, they share goals and have capacities that can support such networks. 

To this end, the Great Lakes Protected Areas Network (GLPAN) continues to find opportunities to profile PCAs, meet its network ambitions, and address conservation issues by standing on these platforms. In particular, the GLWQA has specific Annexes addressing the priority issues which are also of importance to PCAs, such as Habitat and Species, Climate Change, Aquatic Invasive Species, Science, and Lakewide Management. Engaging with the GLWQA is an effective means to address conservation at scale and represents a significant return on investment given the capacity and collaborative support partners bring. More specifically, "Lakewide Action and Management Plans" (5 year rotation on each of the 5 Great Lakes) and "Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiatives" are two GLWQA initiatives that PCAs and PCA networks can lever and contribute to help advance conservation efforts.    

BioInvest developed sustainable methodologies to create green financial instruments and measure their impact on the environment in collaboration with microfinance institutions.

Implementing the actions described above in review, risk reduction, and readiness allows communities to respond to wildfires. On receipt of a wildfire alert, the Community Wildfire Management Team will either send a team member or ask a nearby community member to visit the site and assess the situation. On confirmation of an active fire, the Community Wildfire Management Team will determine if it requires suppression, and if so, attend and suppress the fire with the appropriate equipment. If the fire is not threatening shrubland or flooded forest, then they will monitor the situation.

Effective fire suppression requires on-ground planning and clear roles and responsibilities among the Wildfire Management Team. It is important that a clear and safe plan is developed and agreed to amongst the team as to how to approach and suppress wildfire and each team member’s role in doing so.

Recording the details of each fire alert, confirmed wildfire, and action taken to address each wildfire is important so that we can learn from our experiences and adaptively manage wildfires in the future. This information is needed for both the review and recovery components of the 5Rs.

Despite the best risk reduction efforts - fires will still occur, and partner communities need to be prepared to suppress them. To be ready to suppress fire CBFiM groups require:

• well maintained locally sourced fire suppression equipment including protective clothing;
• fire management training; and
• real-time satellite-based fire alerts. 

Each community wildfire management team should frequently patrol high-fire risk areas during the fire season. This allows them to identify and address high-risk behavior before a fire starts, monitor fuel loads, and assess access routes and water availability in the event of a fire.

With risk reduction we work with communities to prevent wildfires — focusing resources on their underlying causes. Prevention is ab effective control measure as almost all fires on the Tonle Sap are caused by human activities. Our partner communities identified four wildfire risk reduction strategies:

• Conduct multiple wildfire education and awareness sessions with local community members and seasonal migrants.
• Install fire information and warning signboards at high fire risk and high conservation value areas.
• Conduct joint fire suppression patrols with local authorities and FiA officials.
• Identify seasonal migrants who visit the community managed area for fishing and buffalo grazing. And inform them that they will be questioned if any fires occur around their temporary camping area.
• Punish people who destroy the flooded forest by applying the Fishery law, which can result in 3-5 years imprisonment.

At the stakeholder consultation workshop, three urban EbA measures were identified and selected to pilot in Dong Hoi city, including: 

1) The water retention measure aims to address flood risk through water retention and delayed runoff during flooding, and heat stress reduction in the core urban zone of Dong Hoi City. It integrates urban flood risk management, relieves pressure on Cau Rao River as the main floodway protecting the city, improves existing ecosystem health, and increases blue-green space for the city. The measure is designed with multiple urban EbA components, including (1) a water retention area for flood reduction, (2) permeable surfaces (e.g. grass, vegetation and pavement) for storing water runoff, (3) swales along the existing road to reduce runoff and infiltration of pollutants, (4) additional trees to provide shading and regulate microclimate, (5) a protected area for habitat and to enable scientific investigation.

2) The green wall and green roof measure aims to conserve green spaces in the municipality in the face of increasing pressure to develop the natural lands due to rapid urbanisation, contribute to the reduction of surface temperature and heat stress during hot summer months and flood risk mitigation, green-blue components (e.g. trees, vegetation layers...). The measure is designed with facade greening on exterior walls and a rooftop garden replaced the traditional corrugated iron-roof of the building adjacent to a rainwater harvesting system. 

3) The Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) aims to enhance the drainage system through applying a nature-based approach in the construction and operation of the system to improve the flood management in the urban area. It helps to address the problem of local hotspot flooded areas during heavy rainfalls or typhoons in Dong Hoi city. The measure is designed and implemented with following components: 

• Two underground storage tanks with storage capacity of 150 m3 with soak-away structure
• Eight inlets to collect rainwater on the road surface around the site
• Perforated uPVC collection pipes that are connected to the existing drainage system with a one-way backflow preventer
• Sidewalk paving slabs replaced by permeable structure
• Green trees to increase water permeability on land surface

The results showcase the effectiveness and possibilities of green interventions in helping the city to cope with increasing temperatures, flood management and energy efficiency while reducing GHG emissions. On top of that, lessons learnt and practical experiences in terms of technical knowledge, methodology and approach were shared, expanded and integrated into provincial technical standards, urban planning and relevant binding documents. 

In fact, in order to finalise the urban EbA measures at site after the selection process, there were different steps required according to Viet Nam's legal frameworks and project's procedures: 

• Site assessment: Planning an urban EbA measure required a thorough site assessment of the local climatic and geographical conditions to inform the optimum design and installation requirements. A comprehensive site assessment examined climate, hydrology, soil and water conditions on meso- and micro-level and takes into account the existing built environment.
• Planning: At this step, it was important to set an upfront goal of each urban EbA measure as this will influence the design, construction and level of maintenance required for the system. The scale, relationship to other facilities, benefits and impacts to communities and region, problems to be addressed were defined and elaborated. In addition, stakeholder engagement needed to be considered to define relevant involved parties and their roles, specialists, technical designers and service providers. All relevant procedures and regulations were figured out as well.
• Design phase: The crucial step of this phase was to develop a technical design document for the measure. Based on the set goals, site assessment results and requirements, the designers and technical experts prepared the technical drawings and the design report. Aspects related to size, functional components, technology, materials, timeline and cost estimation needed to be included. Consultation process to present the technical design was conducted for comments and feedback from different stakeholders before submitting all files for approval by local authorities. Upon the approval of the technical design document, the process to obtain the construction permit needed to be carried out according to government regulations. 
• Implementation: The construction implementer and construction supervision consultants were selected through a bidding process. An implementation plan was worked out and agreed by all relevant stakeholders before construction on the site. Local authorities and project partners took the roles of overall management, monitoring the work progress. Monthly meetings were conducted to update the progress and deal with arising issues during the implementation. The relevant government regulations and standard requirements needed to be complied fully and strictly at this phase. At the end of this phase, the implementation guidelines, lesson learnt and leaflets to promote the results were developed and shared in public for awareness raising and upscaling in the region.
• Maintenance: Upon the completion of the implementation phase, the urban EbA measures were handed over to provincial partners. A consultation process was conducted to agree upon the roles and responsibilities on management, operation and maintenance of the work by parties who took over. Planning and budget allocation was prepared and committed to on the partner side. 

Our Blue Future (OBF) developed a three-year strategy (2023-2025), which will be implemented through a collaborative OBF system involving government agencies, the private sector, local communities, and development partners. The strategy is to deliver on three strategic pillars:

1. Empowering stakeholders
2. Improving integrated ocean governance
3. Promoting sustainable investment and financial flows in the blue economy sectors.

Thematic action areas were identified as the following: Blue tourism, circular economy, community livelihoods, ports and shipping, blue finance, fisheries, blue technology, and nature-based solutions/grey-green infrastructure.

Concrete activities are being implemented in the pilot country of Mozambique, including work on circular economy and the development of a Club of Friends for Maputo National Park.

The data collection and ongoing monitoring of the project's achievements were carried out by a dedicated Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team. This team, external to MUVA, conducted in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and periodic analysis of each action plan at baseline, midline, and final stages. This systematic approach allowed for comprehensive data collection, culminating in a reflection meeting at the end of the initiative. Facilitated by a senior facilitator, results were presented to the MUVA, Aquapesca, and Pro Azul teams. The meeting provided an opportunity for teams to extract key learnings and formulate a path for scaling and sustaining the initiative.

Drones play a pivotal role in the 3LD-Monitoring system, complementing other data collection methods.Drones are essential tools in partner countries to fortify technical skills among local staff. These skills encompass flight planning, navigation and image evaluation. The drone monitoring aims to empower project staff to capture data tailored for photogrammetric analyses, from which crucial geoinformation emerges.

The drone mapping methodology encompasses five stages, with the first two focusing on drone operations:

1. Mapping mission preparation (desktop work)
2. Mapping mission execution (fieldwork)
3. Development of Digital Surface Model (DSM) & Orthomosaic generation (desktop work)
4. Data analysis and refinement (desktop work)
5. Integration into the prevailing data system (desktop work)

Drone data aids in evaluating indicators linked to carbon/biomass, such as mortality rates and forest types. Notably, with the application of allometric equations and proper characterization of the land type, above-ground biomass estimations of trees can be determined.

Satellite data forms the bedrock of the 3LD-Monitoring system, harnessing the capabilities of open-source imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 and LANDSAT satellites. An algorithm, meticulously developed by Remote Sensing Solutions (RSS) GmbH, revolutionizes this process. Users can seamlessly submit the shapefile of their area of interest, prompting the algorithm to automatically fetch and analyze relevant data. A spectrum of robust analyses are conducted including the 5-year vegetation trend using NDVI for assessing vegetation gains or losses, 5-year vegetation moisture analysis through NDWI, and a nuanced 5-year rainfall trend evaluation. Additionally, the algorithm facilitates the visualization of vegetation changes since the inception of the project, bolstering the monitoring framework with dynamic insights. Satellite data, a vital component of the 3LDM-Monitoring system, leverages open-source imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission and LANDSAT satellites. For predefined areas, this data is automatically fetched and analyzed for specific parameters. Key analyses include a 5-year vegetation trend using NDVI as a proxy for vegetation gains or losses, a 5-year vegetation moisture trend through NDWI, and a 5-year rainfall trend. In addition vegetation changes from project start can be visualized.