The French Committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is spearheading a transformative approach to environmental stewardship.
With a focus on nurturing civil society’s role in ecological preservation, the IUCN’s latest initiative is a beacon of hope for biodiversity conservation and the implementation of nature-based solutions.
The ProBioDev programme, unveiled on 1 February 2024, is a three-year commitment to bolster the resilience of developing nations’ ecosystems.
By fortifying the capabilities of civil society organisations (CSOs), the programme aspires to weave a stronger fabric of environmental guardianship across the globe, with a special emphasis on the rich biodiversity of Africa.
A consortium of philanthropic entities, including the French Development Agency, the French Office for Biodiversity, and several foundations, have joined forces to back this ambitious endeavour.
Their collective vision is to foster equitable partnerships that can tackle the pressing environmental challenges faced by developing countries with ingenuity and solidarity.
The programme’s innovative funding mechanism is set to catalyse a series of meso-projects, with an inaugural call for projects inviting proposals from 9 April to 26 May 2024.
These projects, each potentially receiving up to €250,000 in grants, will be pivotal in advancing conservation efforts in regions most in need of intervention.
Eligibility for these projects is aligned with the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee criteria, prioritising African nations.
The collaborative nature of these projects is underscored by the requirement for a partnership between a French CSO and a local CSO from the developing world.
At the heart of this initiative lies the dual goal of preserving biodiversity and harnessing nature-based solutions to combat climate change.
This aligns with the global conservation objectives set forth in the Kunming-Montreal World Conservation Framework, marking a significant step towards a sustainable future for our planet.