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

Guatemala
Published: 11 April 2023
Last edited: 11 April 2023
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Summary

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.

Classifications

Region
Central America
Scale of implementation
Local
Subnational
Ecosystem
Area-wide development
Buildings and facilities
Connective infrastructure, networks and corridors
Urban ecosystem and build environment
Theme
Biodiversity mainstreaming
Cities and infrastructure
Coastal and marine spatial management
Ecosystem services
Gender mainstreaming
Infrastructure maintenance
Legal & policy frameworks
Local actors
Protected and conserved areas governance
Protected and conserved areas management planning
Sustainable financing
Sustainable livelihoods
Traditional knowledge
Urban and Disaster Risk Management
City management, governance and finance
Challenges
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
Sustainable development goals
SDG 5 – Gender equality
SDG 10 – Reduced inequalities
SDG 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 13 – Climate action
SDG 14 – Life below water
SDG 15 – Life on land
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals

Location

La Blanca, San Marcos, Guatemala | San Marcos, Municipalities: La Blanca and Ocós; Retalhuleu, Municipality: Champerico; Santa Rosa, Municipalities: Taxisco and Chiquimulill
Ocos, San Marcos, Guatemala
Champerico, Retalhuleu, Guatemala
Taxisco, Santa Rosa, Guatemala
Chiquimulilla, Santa Rosa, Guatemala

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

Contributed by

gamzeakarsu.en_37360's picture

Gamze Akarsu United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), BIOFIN

Other contributors

Gamze Akarsu
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Miguel Martinez Tuna
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)