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THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY'S COMMITMENT TO WILDERNESS AREAS

Message from Mohamed T. El-Ashry to the 7th World Wilderness Congress
Port Elizabeth, South Africa, November 2-8, 2001.


Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to stand here on behalf of Mohamed T. El-Ashry, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). For the past year, Mohamed has been looking forward to attending this Congress, and has conveyed his intention to do so to the organizers. He sends you his warmest greetings and also his regrets at not being able to attend. I am sure you understand that the events of the last few weeks have burdened many of us with new and unexpected imperatives. He is even now pursuing some of these imperatives in New York City. He has asked me to read the following message to you.

I welcome your gathering in Port Elizabeth, South Africa on the occasion of the 7th World Wilderness Congress. This is your second meeting on the continent of Africa, and it takes place at the beginning of a new century and a new millennium. This Congress, which represents the global wilderness movement, has grown in strength, meeting over the last twenty years in six countries on six continents. Its achievements are clearly manifested in the international recognition of wilderness as a distinct category in the United Nations list of protected areas maintained by IUCN, and in the current growth in legally designated wilderness areas to cover approximately 5% of the earth's surface. 

I must pay tribute to our hosts, the government and people of the Republic of South Africa. As they prepare to host the World Summit on Sustainable Development in September next year, South Africa does not shy away from hosting events such as this Congress. It is a clear reflection of their commitment to preserving and protecting nature's bounty and their stewardship in a manner that both meets the needs of present and of future generations. We welcome South Africa's commitment to these global environmental issues and are prepared to work hard with South Africans to bring their laudable efforts to fruition.

Please allow me also to recognize Mr. Ian Player and the late Mr. Magqubu Mtombela who hosted the first congress here in South Africa and the tireless unyielding efforts of Vance Martin who has ensured that the Congress remains a vibrant global event. In Vance's words, " each World Wilderness Congress serves as a benchmark against which we can measure our collective progress -- or lack thereof -- towards an important goal - defining a human civilization that understands natural proportion, lives sustainably, and respects life". 

You may not know that the GEF owes its origins in part to the World Wilderness Congress. It grew out of the wisdom and concern of a few visionary and selfless individuals - notably environmental thinkers, businessmen and economists -- at the Fourth Wilderness Congress in Colorado in 1987. A working session hosted by Wild Foundation Chairman Michael Sweatman conceptualized a study by the World Resources Institute, financed by the McArthur foundation and others, on 'Financing Nature Conservation.' This study led to some of the key principles behind the Global Environment Facility. I am very proud of those beginnings. 

Over the last ten years, the GEF has grown to be the principal partner of countries in taking real action to achieve sustainable development, mainly by aligning its portfolio with national biodiversity programs and country priorities. GEF was established to forge international cooperation and finance actions related to biological diversity , climate change, international waters, and the ozone layer. It also works to stem the pervasive problem of land degradation, and was recently, at a meeting here in South Africa, designated the financial mechanism for the new convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Since its establishment in 1991, the GEF has allocated more than US $ 1.3 billion to 446 biodiversity conservation and sustainable use projects in 123 developing countries - the single largest funding worldwide. These projects have leveraged an additional $ 1.5 billion in government counterpart commitments and another $ 1.1 billion in co-financing from bilateral and multilateral agencies and the private sector.

GEF's impact on conservation of wilderness is even more evident in its support for protected areas. Some 671 protected areas in 106 countries, covering over 889 million hectares, over one-half of identified globally significant biodiversity sites, receive GEF support. 70% are forests and 29% are priority wetlands and coastal areas. More than one half of priority biodiversity sites in the Global 200 List of the Earth's Distinctive Eco-regions classification by WWF are supported by GEF through 86 projects. Through its support to the Critical Ecosystems Partnerships Fund the GEF is helping to conserve 60% of the earth's land based life in 1.4% of the world's land area which includes globally significant eco-regions and the Meso-American Biological Corridor. GEF projects cover 80% of the home range of the top ten most threatened and endangered plant and animal species according to the IUCN Red Book. 

Like the World Wilderness Congress, GEF shares your concern that matters of spirit and culture are equally important to matters of science, politics, economics and education in natural resource issues. In this respect, more than $ 81.2 million in grants has been allocated to projects which conserve outstanding sites linked to the cultural patrimony of mountain indigenous communities. Over 60% of the total number of World Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites are now conserved through GEF funding of more than $270 million to 40 projects.

This meeting of the 7th World Wilderness Congress in Africa should also be seen in terms of Africa's contribution to the global conservation movement. The African continent, although currently confronted by various socio-economic challenges, has the potential to contribute considerably to the global conservation movement through its people and through the broad range of rich cultural and natural landscapes. Africa is currently a recipient of $350 million in GEF grants in support of conservation. In this respect, the region is second only to Latin America. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the 7th World Wilderness Congress is being held in the Eastern Cape, the home of Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest leaders of our time and in history. Mr. Mandela taught the world the meaning of perseverance, persistence and tolerance. Here in South Africa can be found the Baviaansloof Mountains, an area on verge of being declared the largest wilderness area in South Africa. This area is one of notable biological diversity and historical importance. It has over thousands of years sheltered the San people, and today provides ecological services to major industrial areas of the Eastern Cape. Moreover it is the site of wilderness experience programs operated by the Wilderness Foundation and the Wilderness Leadership School, both for poor urban youth, as well as for members of the Environmental Portfolio Committee of the South African Parliament. Already, the GEF has committed $15.93 million in grants to support nine projects in South Africa including conservation of the Drakensburg Mountains, the Cape Floral Kingdom, Addo Elephant reserve and the Agulhas Conservation area. When regional projects of which South Africa is a participant are added, the GEF portfolio grows to $72.5 million. As part of our continued collaboration, I am pleased to announce that, at the request of the Government of South Africa, the GEF will be making a contribution of US$1 million towards the conservation of the Baviaanskloof area. South African authorities will work with the GEF's implementing agencies in the preparation and implementation of this project.

South Africa has been contributing to the establishment of transboundary conservation areas and assisting to bring peace in an area which has had more than its share of hostilities. The establishment of transboundary peace parks is a major step in bringing about conservation benefits and also in the socio-economic development of the region. I am pleased also to announce that, at the request of the Government of Angola, the GEF is moving to assist current conservation efforts to rehabilitate the Angolan parks through sharing of animal populations in the two countries. The GEF will support a $1 million effort being undertaken jointly by the Government of Angola, UNDP and the Kissama Foundation. 

Ladies and gentlemen, no amount of financial resources alone will conserve our wilderness areas and natural resources heritage. It will require the continued commitment of persons like yourselves working individually and collectively to realize the goals which we mutually share. I would like to assure you that the GEF stands ready to continue working with you towards achieving those objectives.

I wish you all a successful congress.