Clarification on the GEF grant<\/p>\n
The Mining policy may lead to lower grants article published on
\nOct. 22 was evidently based on discussions during and after the
\nrecent Country Dialogue Workshop on the Global Environment
\nFacility (GEF) held in Jakarta. It quoted statements from our
\nSenior Biodiversity Specialist, Dr. Kathy MacKinnon.<\/p>\n
The article covers several important issues related to
\nIndonesia's future ability to attract funds from the GEF and
\nother donors. However, its title is misleading, and so is the
\nimplication that the World Bank or the GEF have a policy that
\nwould lead to the withholding of grant funds because of
\nlegislative approval for six open-pit mining operations on forest
\nland.<\/p>\n
The topic at the workshop related to the article was
\nIndonesia's credibility as a future recipient of grants to
\nsupport biodiversity conservation. Indonesia is receiving
\nconsiderably less grant funding from GEF than its status as
\narguably the world's foremost country for both terrestrial and
\nmarine biodiversity would merit.<\/p>\n
The point Dr. MacKinnon was making is that grants for
\nbiodiversity conservation are limited and that in choosing where
\nto use them, donors no longer consider only the ecological value
\nof the resource. The probability that the conservation effort
\nwill be successful and sustainable is also an important aspect of
\nthe grant funding decision.<\/p>\n
The illegal logging in many of Indonesia's national parks is
\nwell-known to the donors, and they also understand that the
\nfactors that make it difficult to control are not so much limited
\ntechnical capacity as they are weak law enforcement and lack of
\npolitical will. Donors can assist with capacity-building but not
\nwith political will, and they can be expected to remain skeptical
\nabout future grant funding for national parks in Indonesia until
\nthey see some progress in that area.<\/p>\n
Similarly, if there is a risk that a conservation area could
\nbe opened for mining, donors like GEF will likely choose to put
\ntheir money elsewhere.<\/p>\n
That the legislative approval for six companies to resume open
\npit mining operations in forested areas set aside for watershed
\nprotection would trigger a reduction in grant funding for
\nconservation was not a part of Dr. MacKinnon's message, nor is it
\nthe opinion of the World Bank.<\/p>\n
The Bank has, however, for a long time urged that any
\ndecisions regarding land use changes in Indonesia's official
\nforest estate be made transparently, in consultation with all
\nstakeholders, and in consideration of all relevant information
\nincluding potential environmental, social and economic impact.<\/p>\n
TOM WALTON, Environment and Safeguards, Coordinator,<\/p>\n
World Bank Office, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/clarification-on-the-gef-grant-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }