The global Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) is managed by UNDP, in partnership with the European Commission and the Governments of Flanders, Germany, Norway and Switzerland. The 28 million US$ initiative was launched in October 2012 and will run until the end of 2018, with further support being sought to extend it. UNDP believes a transformation is needed in the way biodiversity finance is planned and managed, unlocking resources to meet the Aichi Targets, defined in the CBD’s Strategic Plan 2011-2020, in a manner that promotes sustainable development and the eradication of poverty.
Guided by a global steering committee representing the partners, BIOFIN aims to develop a methodology for quantifying the biodiversity finance gap at national level, for improving cost-effectiveness through mainstreaming of biodiversity into national development and sectoral planning, and for developing comprehensive national finance strategies. BIOFIN will thus provide a framework for undertaking a transformative process led by national stakeholders, aimed at allowing countries to implement their NBSAPs and other national policies relating to biodiversity, and achieve national biodiversity targets. BIOFIN will feed into the development of NBSAPs, while the NBSAP projects in turn will provide a platform for integration into decision-making processes.
In Mongolia, guided by the global BIOFIN team, the initiative will be working on four components, corresponding to steps 3-7 of the BIOFIN Workbook (preceded by the inception phase):
Component 1: Integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services in sectoral and development policy, planning and budgeting: The first component assists countries to establish a firm baseline of current biodiversity expenditure levels and projections, while reviewing the underlying institutional and policy framework that directs expenditures from public, private, national and international sources. It consists of 2 separate but interrelated activities:
- BIOFIN Policy and Institutional Review (PIR) – The first step includes identifying the existing national vision and key trends for biodiversity and sustainable development, mapping sectoral interactions with biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services;
- A Biodiversity Finance Expenditure Review (BER) – The expenditure review is based on the institutions identified under the PIR. For each relevant finance actor, both national and international, public and private, budget and expenditure data are collected for the past 5-7 years, identifying biodiversity relevant budgets.
Component 2: Assessing the financing and governance needs for the management and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services:
The second component consists of a financial needs assessment, developing projections of the true costs required to reach a country’s national biodiversity goals and fully implementing all activities of the National Biodiversity Strategy’s Action Plan.
Component 3: Developing a new vision, identifying and prioritising a wide range of financing solutions:
Under this component, a national roadmap/plan is developed for future financing of biodiversity, addressing all possible dimensions of finance, including additional resource mobilisation, improving effectiveness of expenditures, avoiding future expenditures and revising policies.
Component 4: Initiate implementation of the finance plan at national level: In Component 4, support is provided to implement one or more priority areas likely to show short term results:
UNDP is seeking a National Project Coordinator for the overall management of in-country activities, ensuring a proper workplan and budget is in place and implemented within set timelines, and to have an effective national team operational.
Organizational Setting
The Coordinator will ensure implementation mechanisms such as a National Steering Committee and technical working groups are established and meet regularly, and to have all planned workshops, technical studies and other activities organised in a timely manner, meeting expected quality standards. Works under general guidance of and report to the global BIOFIN team and accountable to UNDP. Also receives technical advisory inputs from all Participating Countries. The contract and payments will be performance-based and regularly assessed by the UNDP Country Office and BIOFIN Central Technical Unit.
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