Improving Capacity towards Conventions Implementation through Institutional Strengthening & Development in Uzbekistan

Based on the results of the National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) process and subsequent analysis of the existing opportunities during the preparatory process (PDF-A), it became evident that the national system of environmental management should be further improved for better accommodation of global environmental priorities. The environmental concerns in Uzbekistan can only be addressed when all involved stakeholders at the national level have a common strategic vision on outstanding environmental issues and attempt to solve the problems jointly, and in a cost- effective way.

This can be done through a number of instruments that will strengthen coordination and cooperation efforts of the stakeholders. At present, governmental agencies that are involved in the process of natural resources and environment management do not have a joint mechanism that enables them to coordinate activities for more effective implementation of sound environmental practices. This leads to a situation when not only every sector of the national economy, but also institutions directly engaged in environment management, develop their own departmental action plans, which do not take any account of plans from other sectors, and thus do not bring any additional value to activities. In these conditions, improvement of coordination and cooperation mechanisms becomes vital.

This dissociation is further exacerbated by low levels of understanding among personnel of involved sectoral and environmental ministries regarding real values of environmental products and services, and their significance for sustainable development of the country.

The NCSA and the preparatory analysis have demonstrated that deficiencies in environmental management planning and management processes as well as in environmental professional education, indeed exist and should be regarded as priorities for Uzbekistan. These deficiencies cause constant omission of environmental concerns, while composing national development plans, and must thus be addressed immediately.

Strategy

The analysis undertaken during the NCSA process identified key weaknesses in national environmental management capacities that seriously impede more synergistic and cost-effective implementation of the global convention requirements. The PDF-A confirmed the recommendations of the NCSA and determined that such key barriers as ineffective financial management capacities, weak coordination of efforts between focal environmental areas’ responsible entities, low level of environmental understanding among decision makers seriously affect implementation of global and national environmental agenda, and addressing of the most outstanding environmental priorities.

The proposed project will build upon the findings of the NCSA process, and use the momentum available after NCSA completion. The following features favors implementation of the current project at this point in time:

• This is a good timing for follow-up interventions, as the NCSA process has initiated and kept alive a profound discussion of the capacity needs in the area of environmental management, major stakeholders involved in the process of NCSA assessment have fresh memories of discussions and are eager to continue the process as the findings of the NCSA were the result of their direct contribution
• The government understand the need to improve its environmental management capacities and open to modernization of environmental management processes
• The Government has taken up the recommendations of the NCSA, by including its capacity development Strategy and Action Plan in the State Programme for Environment Protection 2006-2010, thus putting capacity development needs among the Government’s priorities in environmental management

The GEF project will take this process further, by assisting the government in improving planning and implementation mechanisms for the five year State Programme for Environmental Protection, introducing the participatory planning model with a detailed set of procedures, timelines and accountability system for monitoring and evaluation. The project will coherently link the SPEP planning process and with other planning exercises under the global conventions and various related sectors; it will also more rigorously tie the SPEP with the funding framework set by the Environmental Fund.

The project will increase effectiveness of EF operations in support to global environmental objectives, by introducing the appropriate eligibility criteria, as well as quality management system to the Fund’s operations. In so doing, the project will look into the good practices and lessons learned from the other countries of Eastern and Central Europe and CIS. Environmental fund management practices from Bulgaria’s National Trust Ecofund, the Czech State Environmental Fund and others will be reviewed and lessons learned considered, based on existing analysis and performance reviews.

Particular focus will be placed on the following key elements of EF management and operations: (i) roles and objectives of funds; (ii) legal foundations and institutional structures; (iii) revenues; (iv) spending strategies and expenditures; (v) project appraisal and selection (“project cycle management”); (vi) monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

The proposed project aims at assisting Uzbekistan’s administrative and environment governance system to enhance effectiveness of environmental management, by creating adequate capacities of involved stakeholders in financial management of the environmental expenditures, strengthening professional capacities of the environmental institutions’ personnel and developing suitable level of environmental education among sectoral decision makers for more effective planning and implementation of the environmental programme.

The approach of developing capacities within both environment and non-environment Ministries to promote global environmental issues, is seen as an essential complement to other GEF supported interventions in Uzbekistan, inasmuch as it will provide a conducive environment for these interventions, as they seek a dialogue with national and regional environmental planning authorities in the context of realizing their site-specific, or focal area specific objectives. These cross-cutting capacities are of critical importance for realizing the objectives of multiple GEF focal areas.

To implement the project strategy, it will be essential to involve and build ownership of the project among other key stakeholder groups as well – regional and local authorities, environmental institutions, academia, local NGOs and makhallyas (lowest level municipalities), and private enterprises/companies. All these groups are essential to influencing and changing the current practice in terms of how national, regional and local planning documents and environmental expenditures plans are formulated and implemented.

The main imperative should lie in stressing the importance of joint measures that will improve efficiency of the national activities to fulfill the general commitments related to the Rio Conventions and increase coordination of the inter-sectoral activities and interaction among all involved participants at all levels.

The overall objective of the project is to build national capacity for more effective environmental management in Uzbekistan, by improved national environmental policy planning and implementation.