Top > Foreign Policy > Environment > Johannesburg Summit 2002 The World Summit on Sustainable Development > Type 2 Project > The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)

The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)

1. Main Objectives / Expected Results:

The objective of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is to serve as a catalyst to create strategic working alliances among diverse groups, combining unique capacities and eliminating duplication of efforts for a comprehensive, coordinated approach to conservation challenges. Investments support such projects as management of protected areas and coordination of biodiversity corridors; training; transboundary planning; encouraging local dialogue with extractive industries; engaging in conflict resolution; priority setting and consensus building; and strengthening indigenous organizations and facilitating partnerships between theprivate sector and protected areas.

2. Specific Targets

To be eligible for funding, the following broad criteria must be met:

  • Projects must be within a biodiversity hotspot.
  • Projects must be within a developing country that has ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity.
  • Applicants must represent non-governmental organizations, community groups or private-sector partners.

3. Funding

CEPF aims to dramatically advance conservation of the developing world's biologically richest and most threatened areas by investing at least $150 million over five years. Initial investors were; Conservation International (CI), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank, and the MacArthur Foundation joined afterwards. In June 2002, the Government of Japan announced to join the CEPF to provide $5 million for theyear 2002, as the first governmental partner. Each donor partner has pledged $5 million a year for 5 years. Conservation International is the administering partner for the initiative. The entrance of the Government of Japan marks a new phase for the CEPF Initiative.

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