The Global Environment Facility (GEF), established in 1991, is an independent financial organization that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities. GEF grants support projects related to biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants and serves as "financial mechanism" for the three Rio Conventions and The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. GEF projects are managed by three Implementing Agencies: the United Nations Environment Programme; the United Nations Development Programme; the World Bank. Each country has a GEF representative know as a "Focal Point". The “Focal Point” in Bulgaria is hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Water.

The National Nature Protection Service is MoEW Directorate responsible for protected areas, biodiversity, GMO and Natura 2000. Among its responsibilities is to coordinate the implementation of CBD provisions in Bulgaria.

Experts from NNPS are focal points of the CBD, National CHM, Cartagena Protocol and Biosafety Clearing House. The web site provides further information on the structure and functions of NNPS, legislation, protected areas, management plans related to protected areas and action plns on various species, medicinal plans, seminars and contacts.

Biodiversity conservation constitutes one of the GEF’s greatest priorities. The GEF is the “institutional structure entrusted with operation of the financial mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity.” Through enabling activities, national biodiversity strategy and action plans, and other obligations under the CBD, it provides financial support. This support is consistent with the CBD guidance to help developing and countries in transition conserve and use biodiversity in a sustainable manner.

 

 

Implementing agency: UNDP;

Executing agency: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The short title of the Project is GEF Rhodope Project. Its preparatory phase (2001- 2003) developed the groundwork for a full size GEF project in the Rhodope Region, targeted at the long-term conservation of globally significant biodiversity and landscape. Thus the goal of the full–size UNDP/GEF Rhodope Project (2004-2009) is to protect globally significant biodiversity and to promote its sustainable use in the Rhodope Region. The project aims to conserve the unique natural and anthropogenic mosaic of habitats, species and land uses that form the Eastern and Western Rhodope landscapes. Activities are focused in areas with sensitive ecosystems and landscape components, such as priority conservation areas, buffer zones and corridors, as well as more general forest, pasture and agricultural lands (on-going).Rhodope Project website