CFPs: Support for the Management of Protected Areas in Priority Landscapes (Gabon)

Deadline: 12-Nov-24

The European Commission (EC) has launched the call for proposals to support the Management of Protected Areas in Priority Landscapes.

The overall objective of the NaturAfrica regional programme in which this call for proposals is part is to adopt an integrated approach to landscape management in order to be able to offer people and nature connected protected natural areas, resilient to climate change and economically viable by:

• protecting the main assets of biodiversity by ensuring the ecological interconnection of landscapes, with diverse, healthy, ecologically sustainable and resilient ecosystems to climate change,
• improving governance and natural resource management by promoting the autonomy and resilience of rural communities, women, indigenous peoples and youth, and
• valorizing the economic potential of landscapes through the establishment of a viable and sustainable economy, supported by judicious land use planning.

Objectives

• The overall objective of this call for proposals is to contribute to reducing biodiversity loss while sustainably improving the quality of life of local and indigenous communities living in priority landscapes for conservation and development (PPCD/KLCD) in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The specific objective is to improve the conservation, management and use of biodiversity and the goods and services provided by ecosystems within the targeted Protected Areas and their direct area of influence for the benefit of all stakeholders, including in particular local and indigenous communities, especially women, young people and vulnerable populations.

Priorities

• E-Cross-cutting thematic priorities:
  • Climate change
    • The action focuses on protecting biodiversity and conserving landscapes, avoiding land-use change and ensuring carbon sequestration in large areas of ecosystems. It also proposes to improve knowledge and capacities to address both the causes and effects of climate change and biodiversity loss.
  • Gender equality and empowerment of women and girls
    • In order to guarantee the right of indigenous peoples and local communities to access natural resources and to ensure that women play a leading role in land management and resource use, initiatives aimed at empowering women and women’s organizations will be implemented under this action. The full integration of women, as actors and beneficiaries, and the promotion of the gender dimension will be reflected, where appropriate, in the procedures and practices adopted by implementing bodies, including those of government agencies and NGOs participating in the action.
  • Human rights
    • In general, addressing issues related to land governance and tenure, as well as improving the overall governance system, by facilitating dialogue between stakeholders and affected land users, partnerships, inclusiveness, community management systems, etc., are the guiding principles of NaturAfrica and mandatory elements of integrated landscape management. The participation of local populations and the positive impacts on them will be among the criteria applicable to the different projects on the ground. Partners will have to apply the principles of good biodiversity or forest management such as transparency, legitimacy, accountability, inclusiveness, equity, connectivity and resilience. Finally, the right to food will also be taken into consideration throughout the action, taking into account the interdependence between food security, ecosystem management and climate change.
  • Democracy 
    • Democratic participation in the development and finalization of strategies, plans and initiatives, particularly at the local level, is essential to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are taken into account. The participation policy will ensure that persons in vulnerable situations, minority groups, women and girls contribute to the development and preparation of activities.
  • Conflict sensitivity, peace and resilience
    • By addressing tensions over competing land uses and controlling access to other natural resources, providing alternative livelihoods that enhance food security and human and ecosystem resilience to climate change and other natural disasters, as well as managing transboundary ecosystems and protected areas, and monitoring illicit economic activities (illegal logging, wildlife trafficking), the action will contribute to the stability and security of targeted populations and to the prevention and management of land-related conflicts. Where appropriate, a conflict-sensitive approach should therefore be favoured.

Funding Information

• Any grant requested under this call for proposals must be between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
  • minimum amount: 3,100,0000 EUR
  • maximum amount: EUR 3,200,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead Applicant
  • To be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person and
    • have no profit motive and
    • belong to one of the following categories of organisations: non-governmental organisations (NGOs), economic operators (private), public sector operators, local authorities and international organisations (intergovernmental) and
    • have proven experience in implementing initiatives in the areas of biodiversity conservation, natural resource management and governance, as well as the green economy and
    • demonstrate a formally established partnership relationship with the Government, in particular its National Agency for National Parks (ANPN).
• Co-applicant(s)
  • Co-applicants participate in the development and implementation of the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must meet the same eligibility criteria as those that apply to the lead applicant himself

Affiliated Entities

• The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with one or more affiliated entities. Only the following entities may be considered affiliated with the lead applicant and/or co-applicant(s):
• This structural link mainly encompasses two notions:
  • control, within the meaning of Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings.
  • Entities affiliated with an applicant may therefore be:
    • entities controlled directly or indirectly by the applicant (subsidiaries or first-tier subsidiaries) or controlled by an entity itself controlled by the applicant (sub-subsidiaries or second-tier subsidiaries). This applies to other levels of control;
    • entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Similarly, these may be entities controlling a company controlling the applicant;
    • entities at the same level of direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).

Ineligibility Criteria

• The following entities cannot be considered affiliated with an applicant:
  • the awardees of a contract launched by an applicant, or its subcontractors, the entities to which a public service is delegated or granted on behalf of an applicant;
  • entities that receive financial support from the applicant;
  • those who regularly collaborate with an applicant on the basis of a memorandum of understanding or who share assets.

For more information, visit EC.