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Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP)
[last updated November 23, 2006 1:50 AM]
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General Information
Partnership website(s) |
Expected TimeframeMay Pre 2002 - December 2010 |
Partners
Governments:
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Major Groups:
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UN System:
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Other intergovernmental organizations:
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Other:
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Thematic Focus
Primary Themes:
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Secondary Themes:
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Geographic Coverage
Geographic Scope: Global
Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Liberia, Malaysia, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania |
National Focal Points
This partnership has not made any contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
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Goals and Objectives
Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
Main objective of the Partnership is to lift the threat of imminent or medium term extinction faced by the four main kinds of great apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.
The immediate objectives leading to the achievement of the Partnership's goal include;
- To promote the Global Strategy for the Survival of Great Apes and Their Habitat;
- To determine the potential of sites, monitor populations of great apes and establish a database of great ape population information;
- To collate and analyse existing projects and initiatives at different levels, in order to identify gaps and set priorities in action and to encourage coordination and cooperation;
- To encourage range States to prepare and implement national action plans for the survival of great ape populations and their habitat and ensure that they have the necessary resources to do so;
- To prioritize the use of resources for optimum effectiveness and identify funding areas that are currently neglected and underfunded;
- To promote and enforce a legal framework for the survival of great apes and their habitat in the countries concerned;
- To identify and support income-generating initiatives for the benefit of communities living in and around great ape habitat and protected areas, with due consideration for indigenous communities and to ensure, where it becomes imperative to resettle indigenous people in conformity with United Nations guidelines, that compensation is paid with international support;
- To educate and raise awareness among local populations;
- To help generate new and additional funds for the survival of great apes and their habitat and to ensure that the international community in the widest sense (donor States, international organizations and institutions, non-governmental organizations and representatives of private business and industry) provides effective and coherent support to the efforts being made by the great ape range States.
The immediate objectives leading to the achievement of the Partnership's goal include;
- To promote the Global Strategy for the Survival of Great Apes and Their Habitat;
- To determine the potential of sites, monitor populations of great apes and establish a database of great ape population information;
- To collate and analyse existing projects and initiatives at different levels, in order to identify gaps and set priorities in action and to encourage coordination and cooperation;
- To encourage range States to prepare and implement national action plans for the survival of great ape populations and their habitat and ensure that they have the necessary resources to do so;
- To prioritize the use of resources for optimum effectiveness and identify funding areas that are currently neglected and underfunded;
- To promote and enforce a legal framework for the survival of great apes and their habitat in the countries concerned;
- To identify and support income-generating initiatives for the benefit of communities living in and around great ape habitat and protected areas, with due consideration for indigenous communities and to ensure, where it becomes imperative to resettle indigenous people in conformity with United Nations guidelines, that compensation is paid with international support;
- To educate and raise awareness among local populations;
- To help generate new and additional funds for the survival of great apes and their habitat and to ensure that the international community in the widest sense (donor States, international organizations and institutions, non-governmental organizations and representatives of private business and industry) provides effective and coherent support to the efforts being made by the great ape range States.
Targets and Progress
Partnership targets(a) Secure a constant and significant reduction in the rate of loss of great ape populations and their forest habitat by 2010
(b) Secure the future of all wild species and subspecies by 2015 |
Progress against targetsSeveral milestones have been achieved which positions GRASP to strategically achieve the set targets.
The first Intergovernmental meeting on great apes was successfully held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo from 5-9 September 2005. Key documents (a global strategy for the survival of great apes, a set of rules to govern the organization of the GRASP Partnership and a revised workplan) were endorsed at a ministerial segment of the meeting. The Kinshasa Declaration on great apes was also adopted with all signatories affirming their will to protect the great apes, a first in the history of great apes. |
Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
- Human resources development/training
- Education/building awareness
- Institutional strengthening, including local participation
- Technology transfer/exchange
Many of the GRASP field projects involve capacity building through training of parks and other staff in range states; improvements to the monitoring and infrastructure mechanisms for wildlife protection; encouragement of ecotourism and other projects related to the sustainable use of the great ape resources and other poverty reduction activities. There has been a series of targeted workshops and seminars in range states. There are also opportunities for technology transfer, particularly through the UNESCO/ESA-led project on satellite monitoring of ape habitats, as well as a UNESCO supported African regional training school for forest management. To this effect, GRASP, through one of its partners donated computers to the Republic of Congo, Mali, Senegal, Guinea and Sierra Leone. GRASP is also in the process of supplying all the 23 range state focal points with computers.
Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
The partnership is fully compatible with the objectives of Chapter 15 of Agenda 21 which gives specific priority to the conservation of biodiversity and with the objectives of Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 on combating deforestation. The Millennium Declaration refers to sustainable management of living species and natural resources, protection of the common environment through an ethic of conservation and stewardship, implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (and therefore its forest biodiversity programme), the integration of principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs; and the reversal of loss of biodiversity.
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
Changing consumption patterns; Integrating environment and development in decision-making; Conservation of biological diversity; Children and youth in sustainable development; Recognizing and strengthening the role of indigenous people and their communities; Strengthening the role of non-governmental organizations: partners for sustainable development; Local authorities' initiatives in support of Agenda 21; Strengthening the role of farmers; Transfer of environmentally sound technology, cooperation and capacity-building; Promoting education, public awareness and training
Relevant Sections of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21 Integration of economic, social and environmental objectives; Sectors and issues; Means of implementation
Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production ; Protection and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development ; Sustainable development for Africa ; Means of implementation ; Objectives; Strengthening the institutional framework for sustainable development at the international level; Role of international institutions; Strengthening institutional frameworks for sustainable development at the national level
Coordination and Implementation
Coordination Mechanism of the PartnershipUNESCO and UNEP, five biodiversity related conventions (CBD, CITES, CMS, Ramsar, WHC), 23 great ape range states 49 NGO partners and other stakeholders and private industry are fully committed to the partnership. An action plan which includes areas for partner involvement has been finalised. A GRASP Executive Committee comprising representatives from UNEP, UNESCO, two NGOs, an MEA, four range states and two donor nations has been set up to help guide Grasp activities. GRASP also has five UNEP patrons (Russ Mittermeier, Jane Goodall, Professor Toshisada Nishida, Dr. Richard Leakey, Prof. Richard Wrangham) a Technical Support Team and a Scientific Committee to advise UNEP on project selection. This framework allows GRASP to consult widely, and then to take decisions in a swift and informed fashion.
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Implementation Mechanism of the PartnershipA global strategy for the survival of great apes was adopted at the Kinshasa intergovernmental meeting and lays the frame work for intervention. National conservation plans together with regional IUCN conservation plans provide the criteria for identifying field projects for implementation. Great ape priority populations developed by the Scientific Commission provides a further tool for identifying priority interventions.
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Resources
Funding Currently AvailableAmount in US$: 5000000
Source(s): Government - Private sector - Foundations / charities - IGO
At present, approximately US$ 5.0 million have been received by GRASP for operational activities and partner projects. UNEP is making substantial cash resources available and also resources in kind through the work undertaken by our in-house GRASP team. GRASP has reached an agreement on core funding with UNEP, through which GRASP will be receiving a total of US$750,000 between 2001 and 2005; GRASP has recently received funds from the Intercontinental Hotel Group and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, and is working on expanding relationships with the private sector; In 2005, GRASP received a grant of 3 million dollars from the European Union for the Preservation of forest resources and improved livelihoods of forest peoples through conservation of great apes as flagship species. Along with a US$250,000 project contribution to UNEP-GRASP from the United Kingdom government, US$50,000 was allocated through UNEP-WCMC for the publication of The World Atlas of Great Apes. The UK government also gave US $10,000 for the GRASP Gala Dinner and US$ 35,000 to be jointly managed with CITES. The UK has also indicated that they intend to provide further substantial support to GRASP over the next 3 years. The Government of Norway has allocated funds of $35,000 for GRASP. The German and Irish governments have each recently allocated $30,000 and $100,000 respectively to GRASP. The United Nations Fund has also given US$ 85,000 |
Non-financial resources availableType(s): Office space - Staff - Other
Source(s): Private sector - IGO - NGO
UNEP is making substantial cash resources available and also resources in kind through the work undertaken by our in-house GRASP team. Between 2002 and 2005 this is valued at about US$750,000. NGO partners provide ongoing scientific, technical and networking expertise to the GRASP Partnership. The courier company DHL has recently partnered with GRASP in offering free shipment of equipment and supplies to great ape conservation authorities in the range states. |
Funding SoughtRequired Amount in US$: 25000000
Source(s) already approached: GRASP's target is to generate a minimum of US$25 million for great ape conservation by 2005, and considerably more by 2010. GRASP is raising new resources for ape conservation and also for the indigenous people and other marginalised groups who depend on the same forests as the apes. We will give particular attention to obtaining funds from foundations and the private sector, whilst seeking both general and project donations from UNEP's member governments. We will be looking to sources in both donor and range states, as it is important for local stakeholders to buy into the programme for conserving great apes.
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Non-financial resources soughtRequirement(s): Other
In-kind donation of expertise and technical assistance in range states. Source(s) approached and details:
All the Partners |
Additional Information
Additional Relevant Information
Constraint - the difficulty of finding common ground among the various NGO partners. This is an ongoing concern but diversity of approach adds strength to the partnership as long as all pursue the goal of great ape population and habitat conservation.
Constraint - of mixed government and civil society participation. Can be solved by giving governments primacy in the partnership but ensuring that they respect the expertise and role of NGOs, and that the NGOs understand this as well.
The GRASP Partnership is being expanded into other sectors, such as the extractive mining and timber industries and ecotourism operators. Possibilities of expansion also include working with traditionally non-conservation related government agencies, such as the equivalent of the Ministry of Finance in some range states.
Constraint - of mixed government and civil society participation. Can be solved by giving governments primacy in the partnership but ensuring that they respect the expertise and role of NGOs, and that the NGOs understand this as well.
The GRASP Partnership is being expanded into other sectors, such as the extractive mining and timber industries and ecotourism operators. Possibilities of expansion also include working with traditionally non-conservation related government agencies, such as the equivalent of the Ministry of Finance in some range states.