The three-year, mid-sized project proposal (PIF) was approved by the GEF CEO in July 2020. The project seeks to facilitate funding access to local communities, conservation areas and nature-based tourism enterprises in Eastern and Southern Africa whose incomes and livelihoods have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The project aims to do this by: (i) establishing an online data clearinghouse to facilitate access to key information regarding the social, environmental and economic impacts of COVID-19 on the nature-based tourism sector and prospective funding sources (emergency relief and stimulus packages) available to mitigate these impacts, and (ii) improving communications and collaboration between financial institutions / donors and nature-based tourism enterprises and local communities to ensure just distribution of relief and stimulus packages. The project is being led by WWF-US as executing agency in collaboration with the Luc Hoffman Institute and WWF as GEF Agency.
The project has 3 key components: 1) Data clearinghouse; 2) Facilitating links between funders, and communities and the nature-based tourism sector; and 3) Monitoring and evaluation and Knowledge Management.
PIF
CEO Endorsement:
ProDoc:
Environmental and Social Safeguards Information:
The Global Environment Facility is a partnership for international cooperation in which 183 countries work together with international institutions, civil society organizations, and the private sector to address global environmental issues.
World Wildlife Fund is proud to be accredited as a GEF Project Agency.