STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 5

Sustainable Financing

Provide support for the long-term financial sustainability of MPAs throughcapacity development and sustainable financing mechanisms including trust funds

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Recommendation 5.1 NATIONAL MPA FUNDING

Analyse gaps and options for MPA funding at national level to implement MPA strategies and action plans within each country through their national biodiversity and climate resource mobilisation strategies.

Strategies and Actions for Implementation
  • Develop guidelines for reviewing financing gap in the context of national MPA systems
  • Use MPA business plans and financial strategies called for in Recommendation 5.3 to calculate finance gap
  • Compile and publish available resource mobilisation strategies
  • Map potential funding partners
  • Provide expert facilitation in partnership building, business planning, fundraising, etc.
  • Establish a plan for the implementation of this recommendation
Relevant Geographic Level
  • National
  • Regional
Priority Geographies for Implementation

Strategies should be developed and implemented in all Mediterranean countries, but priority given to Balkan, Eastern and Southern Mediterranean countries.

Responsible Parties
  • IGOs and NGOs
  • Convention on Biological Diversity
  • UNEP/MAP – Barcelona Convention
  • Ministries of Finance, Environment, Fisheries, etc.
  • Donors
Indicators of Success
  • Number of countries completing gap assessment
  • Percentage of gap covered by new resource mobilisation strategies

Recommendation 5.2 SUSTAINABLE FINANCING MECHANISMS

Create and/or support sustainable financing mechanisms dedicated to MPAs at national level, as well as join and continue to support conservation trust funds such as “The MedFund.”

Strategies and Actions for Implementation
  • Identification of all financing mechanisms replicable across the Mediterranean and at national level
  • Policy advocacy at national level to design sustainable financing mechanisms / communicate based on examples / best practices & lessons learned from MPAs at local level
  • Strengthen legal/institutional frameworks to establish national financing mechanisms
  • Conduct feasibility assessments on national sustainable financing mechanisms in Mediterranean countries, for their Mediterranean waters
  • Support MPA staff with training and methodologies that facilitate the implementation of sustainable financing mechanisms at local level
  • Establish connections with other national and regional Conservation Trust Funds beyond the Mediterranean for experience sharing and support
  • Increase countries commitment and institutional and private donor investment in The MedFund
Relevant Geographic Level
  • National
  • Regional
  • International
Priority Geographies for Implementation

National sustainable financing mechanisms should be considered in all Mediterranean countries, but priority given to Balkan, Eastern and Southern Mediterranean countries.

Responsible Parties
  • IGOs and NGOs
  • National authorities
  • Multilateral donors
  • Private philanthropy
  • Conservation Finance Alliance
  • New Global Alliance for Marine Protection (networks of MPA managers, CTFs and networks of CTFs)
  • The MedFund
Indicators of Success
  • Number of new sustainable financing mechanisms identified and implemented in the Mediterranean
  • Number of Mediterranean countries implementing new legal/ institutional frameworks related to financing mechanisms in
  • MPAs
  • Number of Mediterranean MPAs supported to implement new financing mechanisms
  • Percent increase in investment in The MedFund

Recommendation 5.3 FINANCE STRATEGIES

Develop for each MPA a business plan and/or financial strategy in line with the management plan of the MPA.

Strategies and Actions for Implementation
  • Compile and publish existing MPA business plans and financial strategies (see also Recommendation 3.1)
  • Develop best practice guidelines on MPA business planning and financial strategies
  • Develop a Mediterranean campaign for MPA business planning and financial strategies
  • Consider developing some business plans and financial strategies for clusters of MPAs, when conditions are similar
  • Build local and national capacities on MPA business planning and financial strategies development
Relevant Geographic Level
  • National
  • Regional
  • MPA
Priority Geographies for Implementation

Business plans and financial strategies should be developed for all MPAs in all Mediterranean countries, but priority given to Balkan, Eastern and Southern Mediterranean countries

Responsible Parties
  • IGOs and NGOs
  • National MPA authorities
  • MPA managers
  • UNEP/MAP – Barcelona Convention
  • European Union
  • Networks of MPA managers
  • The MedFund
Indicators of Success
  • Development of a regional campaign to develop MPA business plans and financial strategies
  • Number of compiled and published MPA business plans and financial strategies
  • Development of best practice guidelines in business planning and financial strategies
  • Number of new MPA business plans and financial strategies
  • Percentage of Mediterranean MPAs with business plans and financial strategies
  • Number of trained personnel on MPA business planning and financial strategies development

Recommendation 5.4 FINANCE CAPACITY

Build capacity of local and national MPA staff and administrations in fundraising, financing mechanisms, and funds management.

Strategies and Actions for Implementation
  • Develop resource mobilisation campaign for Mediterranean MPAs that includes capacity development and training
  • Develop and deliver capacity building and training for fundraising, financing mechanisms and funds management
Relevant Geographic Level
  • Regional
  • National
  • MPA
Priority Geographies for Implementation

Capacity building and training for MPA resource mobilisation and funds management should be developed for all MPAs in all Mediterranean countries, but priority given to Balkan countries and those in the East and South Mediterranean.

Responsible Parties
  • IGOs and NGOs
  • Regional and national networks of MPAs
  • The MedFund and support from other CTFs and networks of CTFs beyond the Med
  • National MPA authorities
  • MPA managers
  • Conservation Finance Alliance
Indicators of Success
  • Development of MPA fundraising and funds management capacity building and training materials
  • Number of capacity building and training participants
  • Number of MPAs with at least one staff member that has received capacity building and training