PROJECTS LAUNCH AND WORKSHOP at
Dept. Physical Planning
FEASIBILITY STUDIES FOR A CLIMATE RISK RESILIENT COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM GEF IS PROJECT And
GEF NPFE
Hon. Kenred M.A. Dorsett, M.P. Minister of the Environment & Housing
Ministry of the the Environment and Housing and the Inter-American Development Bank
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DURING THIS WE LIVE IN TIMES OF GREAT OPPORTUNITIES. WHEN ALBERT EINSTEIN FORGED THE BEDROCK THEORY OF MODERN PHYSICS 100 YEARS AGO, HE DID SO WITH LITTLE MORE THAN PAPER, A FOUNTAIN PEN, HARD WORK AND A MIND SHARPER THAN MOST. TODAY, SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION HAVE BLOSSOMED CONSIDERABLE AND WE HAVE MORE TOOLS THAN EINSTEIN HAD AT HIS DISPOSAL TO ADDRESS
MATTERS THAT AFFECT THE
PHYSICAL UNIVERSE. IN THE BAHAMAS WE ARE ASSISTED IN OR EFFORTS TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL GRANTS FROM VARIOUS ENVIRONMENT ORGANIZATIONS.
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS THROUGH THE BEST COMMISSION HAS A PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GLOBAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
AMERICAN 2
DEVELOPMENT
FACILITY AND BANK,
WHO
THE ARE
INTER CO-
SPONSORING THE INITIATIVES THIS WEEK.
WE HAVE
PARTNERED WITH THE IDB AND GEF FOR ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ENABLE STAFF OF THE BEST COMMISSION, THE DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND THE MINISTRY TO BECOME BETTER EQUIP AS IMPLEMENTERS OF THREE PROJECTS FOR THE
SUSTAINABLE
PROTECTION
AND
USE
OF
OUR
ENVIRONMENT. THE INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT (ICZM) PROJECT IS ONE WE HOPE TO BETTER INFORM HOW WE MANAGE AND DEVELOP OUR COASTAL ZONE; THE PINE ISLAND PROJECT WILL HELP US TO BETTER MANAGE TERRESTRIAL
RESOURCES;
AND
THE
GEF
NATIONAL
PORTFOLIO FORMULATION EXERCISE (NPFE) WILL PROVIDE SKILLS IN HOW WE IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE THE USE OF GRANT
RESOURCES
TO
ACHIEVE
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS.
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THESE ACTIVITIES FORM PART OF A LARGER AGENDA ENVISAGED IN OUR CHARTER FOR GOVERNANCE WHICH STATES THAT “WE MUST SAFEGUARD AND PROTECT OUR NATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND THIS INCLUDES THE PRESERVATION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT….. WE MUST ALSO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROTECTION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT AND THE CONSERVATION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, OCEANS AND UNDEVELOPED LAND AND MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO KEEP THE BAHAMAS IN A STATE THAT IS FIT TO BE PASSED ON TO FUTURE BAHAMIANS…”
THE ARCHIPELAGO OF THE BAHAMAS CONSIST OF VARIED COASTAL HABITATS AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS, INCLUDING CORAL REEFS, MANGROVES AND WETLANDS, SAND FLATS, SANDY BEACHES AND ROCKY SHORELINE, SPANNING SOME 1,931 SQUARE MILES. THESE NATURAL RESOURCES AND
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ENVIRONS MAKE UP THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY. THIS IS WHERE OUR POPULATION RESIDES AND WHERE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE TOURISM AND FISHERIES SECTORS EXISTS. THE GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS ALSO SUPPORT OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY, AND OUR COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND POPULATIONS ARE PROTECTED BY ECOSYSTEMS SUCH AS CORAL REEFS, AND THE NURSERY HABITATS FOR IMPORTANT MARINE SPECIES PROVIDED BY MANGROVES AND WETLANDS. AS A COASTAL NATION WE ARE VULNERABLE TO NATURAL DISASTERS, SUCH AS HURRICANES, WHICH THREATEN OUR ECONOMY AND THE HEALTH OF OUR COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. AS AN ISLAND NATION WE ARE ALSO SUSCEPTIBLE
TO
THE
INCREASED
FREQUENCY
AND
INTENSITY OF STORMS ASSOCIATED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE, WHICH NOT ONLY THREATENS OUR
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LIVES, BUT ALSO PUTS OUR FRESHWATER RESOURCES, COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY AT RISK.
TODAY’S LAUNCH AND WORKSHOP IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF
OUR
COUNTRY’S
INTEGRATED
PROGRESS
COASTAL
ZONE
TOWARD
INCREASED
MANAGEMENT.
THE
TECHNICAL COOPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS AND THE IDB IN THIS
THE FEASIBILITY
STUDIES FOR A CLIMATE RISK RESILIENT COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OR ICZM PROJECT WILL HELP US TO FILL THE GAPS IN SCIENTIFIC BASELINE DATA, PROVIDE ANALYSES AND CONSENSUS IN SUPPORT OF INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT, AND BUILD CAPACITY AMONG THE NETWORK OF INSTITUTIONS, MANY OF WHICH ARE
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REPRESENTED
HERE
TODAY,
THAT
WILL
BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ICZM POLICY AND INVESTMENT PROGRAM. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ENCOURAGE, EACH
AND
EVERY
ONE
OF
YOU
PRESENT
TODAY,
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTORS, TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF YOUR ABILITIES. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE IDB FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS EFFORT AND FUNDING OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT
ON
OUR
FUTURE
EFFORTS
TO
INTEGRATE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND IMPROVE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS
TECHNICAL
COOPERATION
PROVIDES
A
FIRM
FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INVESTMENT PROGRAM WHICH WILL OPTIMIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE 7
COASTAL
ZONE
TO
THE
NATIONAL
ECONOMIC
PLANNING PROCESS AND INCREASE OUR RESILIENCE TO COASTAL HAZARDS AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE
PINE
ISLANDS
PROJECT
–
FOREST/MANGROVE
INNOVATION AND INTEGRATION (GRAND BAHAMA, NEW PROVIDENCE, ABACO AND ANDROS) AIMS TO BUILD ON RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR BY INTEGRATING
BIODIVERSITY
VALUES,
ECOSYSTEM
SERVICES VALUES AND PRECEPTS OF SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT AND LAND-USE INTO ENHANCED LAND-USE PLANNING IN THE BAHAMAS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL PROVIDE
INSTITUTIONAL
SYSTEMIC
SUPPORT
&
ASSOCIATED CAPACITY BUILDING AND WILL ASSIST THE MINISTRY BY THE
ESTABLISHMENT
OF A FORESTRY
ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING SYSTEM. THIS WILL ADD BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES VALUES INTO AN UPDATED INVENTORY OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN THE PINE
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ISLANDS, WHILE SUSTAINABLY MONITORING BAHAMIAN FOREST CHANGES IN THE LONG TERM. THE INTEGRATION OF SUSTAINABLE
LAND-USE
MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES
AND INTO
SUSTAINABLE
FOREST
NATIONAL LAND-USE
PLANNING THRU DEVELOPMENT OF 2 SUB-NATIONAL PLANS FOR
ANDROS
AND
NEW
PROVIDENCE
WILL
BE
IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLANNING AND SUBDIVISIONS ACT 2010.
THE PINE ISLAND PROJECT WILL EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT OF FOREST AND MANGROVE SECTOR, AND WILL FACILITATE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL FORESTRY ESTATE (NFE).
THE ESTATE WITH ITS 3
CATEGORIES - FOREST RESERVES, PROTECTED FORESTS AND CONSERVATION FORESTS - IS ESTIMATED AT 701, 162 ACRES OR 20% OF OUR LAND COVER (SUBJECT TO OFFICIAL SURVEY AND VERIFICATION). THE MAJORITY OF THE NFE IS IN THE
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CONSERVATION
FOREST
DESIGNATION
WHERE
HIGH
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE, NATURAL RESOURCE
(I.E.
FRESH
WATER
AQUIFERS)
AND/OR
SCIENTIFIC INTEREST WILL BE PRESERVED. ADDITIONALLY, INCREMENTAL SUPPORT WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATIONAL FOREST PLAN FOR THE FOREST
ESTATE,
AND
THE
TARGETED
MANAGEMENT
PLANNING FOR 15% OF PLANNED CONSERVATION FOREST ON TWO (2) PILOT AREAS ON ABACO AND ANDROS.
THIS
WORKSHOP
WILL
ENSURE
THAT ALL
PERSONS
WORKING IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR ARE AWARE OF THE PROTECTION, CONSERVATION, AND SUSTAINABLE METHODS OF USE OF OUR FORESTS. TWO PILOT AREAS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR ACTIVITIES UNDER THE PROJECT - THE SOUTH ABACO BLUE HOLE CONSERVATION FOREST (AN EXISTING MARINE PROTECTED AREA) AND THE MAIDEN
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HAIR
CONSERVATION
FOREST
(THAT
BOARDERS
THE
EXISTING BAHAMAS NATIONAL TRUST’S PARK). UNDER THIS PROJECT THE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT WILL FURTHER DEVELOP THE CONCEPT OF MULTI-FUNCTIONAL CONSERVATION BY ENABLING COASTAL COMMUNITIES, THRU EFFECTIVE PROVISIONING OF FOREST ECOSYSTEM SERVICES, WHILE PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AND COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF SAME. I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE TWO PILOT PROJECT TO BE UNDERTAKEN DEALING ACTIVITIES;
WITH THE
THE NATIVE
ECONOMICALLY PALM
IMPORTANT
CULTIVATION
WHICH
SUPPORTS INDIGENOUS CRAFT INDUSTRY IN RED BAYS, ANDROS AND
EASTERN
GRAND
BAHAMA; AND
THE
CASCARILLA BARK CULTIVATION AND PROCESSING OF CASCARILLA OIL IN ACKLINS AND CROOKED ISLANDS.
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THE FINAL WORKSHOP THIS WEEK IS THE GEF NATIONAL PORTFOLIO FORMULATION EXERCISE (NPFE). THE NPFE IS A TOOL WHICH HAS BEEN FORMULATED BY THE GEF AND SEEKS TO EDUCATE STAKEHOLDERS ON THE GEF, ITS POLICIES AND PROGRAMS. IT ALSO HELPS THE COUNTRY ESTABLISH A NATIONAL PROCESS FOR PROJECT CONCEPT FORMULATION.
PROJECTS
APPROVED
BY
THE
GEF
HAVE
NATIONAL
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THAT ARE TRANSFORMED INTO GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS. THE BAHAMAS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE NPFE IN DECEMBER, 2010 AS THAT EXERCISE LED TO THE CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE RECENTLY COMPLETED GEF FULL SIZE PROJECT ON MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAS), WHICH EXCEEDED ITS GOALS, AND THE CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE “PINE ISLANDS PROJECT”.
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PARTICIPANTS,
YOU
ARE
CHARGED
WITH
BRINGING
PROJECTS IDEAS TO THE TABLE THAT WILL ALLOW THE BAHAMAS TO UTILIZE GEF RESOURCES. YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED TO ENABLE US TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE USE OF, AND ACCESS GRANT RESOURCES UNDER, THE GEF SIXTH REPLENISHMENT TO PRIORITIZE EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND SUSTAIN OUR ENVIRONMENT.
I HOPE THAT AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, KNOWLEDGE WILL BE GATHERED FROM THE THREE WORKSHOPS (ICZM, PINE ISLANDS, AND GEF NPFE).
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT BUILDS ON THE RESULTS OF WORKSHOPS LIKE THESE.
SIMILAR
WORKSHOPS LED THE GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF OUR COASTAL ENVIRONMENT TO THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AND TO MAKE SEVERAL ADVANCES TOWARD 13
CLIMATE RISK-RESILIENT INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT.
WE HAVE ALSO MADE PROGRESS ON
PROTECTED AREA EXPANSION AND MANAGEMENT EFFORTS, WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BAHAMAS PROTECTED AREAS FUND. AND WE WILL BE FURTHERING THE WORKING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (USGS) AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION CORPS (ICC) FOR THE FORESTRY UNIT AS WE ESTABLISH PERMANENT SAMPLE
PLOTS (PSP) THROUGHOUT THE
COPPICE, MANGROVE AND PINE FORESTS ON ABACO, ANDROS, GRAND BAHAMA AND NEW PROVIDENCE.
WHEN THIS WORKSHOP END, YOUR SUSTAINED WORK BEGINS. I WISH YOU SUCCESS IN ALL OF YOUR ENDEAVOURS THIS WEEK.
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