Strengthening municipal management for effective and results-based budgeting for biodiversity

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by Gamze Akarsu, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Guatemala's coastal regions, where BIOFIN is collaborating with local governments to strengthen biodiversity management

Guatemala

In Guatemala, BIOFIN has collaborated with five coastal local governments to enhance their capacity in Results-Based Budgeting and to redirect their budgets towards biodiversity management. As a result, the local governments have developed project proposals on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, which have been submitted for approval and funding by the Departmental Development Council (CODEDE) to access additional financing. The impact of this intervention has been significant, with US$818,682 being leveraged in five Pacific municipalities by 2018. Building on this success, in 2020, the initiative was expanded nationwide, and a "Classification Guide for Municipal Environmental Expenditures" was developed in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and co-financed by PAGE. This comprehensive approach is expected to yield positive results, with municipalities projected to increase their budgets for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management by US$1 million by 2023.

Last update: 11 Apr 2023

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Context

Challenges addressed

Inefficient management of financial resources

Infrastructure development

Lack of alternative income opportunities

Changes in socio-cultural context

Lack of food security

Lack of infrastructure

Lack of public and decision maker’s awareness

Scale of implementation

Local

Subnational

Ecosystems

Area-wide development

Buildings and facilities

Connective infrastructure, networks and corridors

Theme

Biodiversity mainstreaming

Ecosystem services

Sustainable financing

Gender mainstreaming

Legal & policy frameworks

Protected and conserved areas governance

Cities and infrastructure

Sustainable livelihoods

Infrastructure maintenance

Local actors

Traditional knowledge

Coastal and marine spatial management

Protected and conserved areas management planning

Location

La Blanca, San Marcos, Guatemala

Ocos, San Marcos, Guatemala

Champerico, Retalhuleu, Guatemala

Taxisco, Santa Rosa, Guatemala

Chiquimulilla, Santa Rosa, Guatemala

Central America

Impacts

A "Methodological Guide for the classification of Municipal Environmental Expenditure (GPAM)" was developed, shared, and endorsed by seven representatives of the five selected municipalities. It was also endorsed by the Department of Assistance to the Municipal Financial Administration of the Ministry of Finance, providing an opportunity to enhance the efficiency of environmental expenditures in the 340 municipalities of Guatemala.

To date, BIOFIN has successfully mobilized a total of USD 818,682 from five municipalities, representing a cumulative increase of 71% over 2018. A series of proposals, amounting to USD 925,413, will be presented to the Departmental Development Councils in March 2023 and approved for use in 2024. Part of these resources is intended to benefit women directly and incorporate the impact of the gender aspect from a socioeconomic perspective, contributing to promoting spaces for their participation.

The municipal technical teams have been trained to analyze and prioritize alternatives for public investment projects, including

· Municipal Programming Direction,

· Municipal Women's Direction,

· Municipal Environmental Management Unit

· Members of the municipal council