1. GEF Expanded Constituency Workshop
The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel of the Global Environment Facility
STAP/GEF
GEF Expanded Constituency Workshop
2011

2. What is STAP? Established in the pilot phase of the GEF (1991-1994)
Mandate
Develop criteria for selecting GEF projects
Review project proposals
Create a roster of experts
Established during the pilot phase to advise the Implementing Agencies on the development and implementation of GEF projects in relation to global environment benefits. Its mandate included….

3. What is STAP? In 1994, the GEF Instrument sets up STAP –
“UNEP shall establish, in consultation with UNDP and the World Bank and on the basis of guidelines and criteria established by the Council, the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) as an advisory body to the Facility. UNEP shall provide the STAP’s Secretariat and shall operate as the liaison between the Facility and the STAP.” (Instrument for the Establishment of the Restructured Global Environment Facility, 1994 and 2008)
In 1994, the GEF Instrument sets up STAP.
UNEP was chosen to host STAP because it is the U.N. body responsible for global environmental science/and global scientific assessments

4. Revised Terms of Reference
What is STAP?
Strategic advice/technical project reviews
Proactive and reactive
1995
Terms of Reference
STAP: 15 to 6
Networks
Early reviews in project cycle
2007
Revised Terms of Reference
There are two issues relevant to the development of STAP’s terms of reference –
1. A balance between the need for strategic advice and technical project reviews, and;
AND
2. The need to clarify the nature of “advisory role” so a balance can be struck between a proactive STAP that recommends on its own initiative , certain priorities and options AND a reactive STAP that responds to reviewing projects, strategies, guidelines.
These two elements set up the first STAP terms of reference in 1995, and the current terms of reference approved in The 2007 terms of reference are rooted on –
A smaller STAP: 15 to 6 members.
An emphasis on global networks of expertise.
Upstream project advice - that is, screen GEF proposals when they are approved in a GEF work program instead of reviewing the proposal when it is submitted for CEO endorsement.

5. What is STAP?
The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) provides strategic and independent advice on projects, programs, and policies.
STAP is administered by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and it is supported by a Secretariat based in Washington, D.C.
Thus, what exactly does all this information mean? – STAP provides strategic and independent advice on projects, programs, and policies. It is administered...”

6. Michael Stocking Advisor to STAP Chair
Who is STAP?
Present composition – July 2010 to June 2011
Meryl J. Williams
Co-Chair , IW
N.H. Ravindranath
Climate Change
Thomas E. Lovejoy, Chair
STAP is composed by six members with specific expertise in
each of the focal areas of the GEF – biodiversity, climate
change, international waters, land degradation, and
persistent organic pollutants (including sound chemicals management and ozone layer depletion)
At its last meeting, the Council also approved adding a climate change adaptation expert to STAP. The process is underway to recruit a STAP member for adaptation.
(*If asked who is the STAP LD member, please let the audience know this membership will soon be filled. Nteranya Sanginga stepped down recently due to his upcoming new duties as Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).)
Sandra Diaz
Biodiversity
Henk Bouwman
Chemicals & POPs
Michael Stocking Advisor to STAP Chair

7. IAs / EAs
UNDP
Donor
Replenishment
Group
GEFEO
UNEP
STAP
CBD
W.B.
UNFCC
ASSEMBLY
ADB
POPS
NGOS
Af DB
COUNCIL
CCD
CEO / CHAIRMAN
EBRD
GEF SECRETARIAT
Multilateral
Fund of
Montreal
Protocol
FAO
Note – there is a slight error in the slide. STAP reports to the GEF Council not to the GEF CEO.
STAP advises and reports to the GEF Council and works in partnership with the GEF Agencies and the GEF Secretariat.
Another arrow should connect STAP and the GEF evaluation office, since they work together on evaluations with scientific components (Examples – GEF evaluation of the international waters focal area, and the evaluation of the GEF strategic priority for adaptation).
IDB
IFAD
International
Waters
UNIDO
1/04

8. Project and program advice
Ensure the scientific and technical quality of GEF projects and programmatic approaches
Responsible for targeted research (project reviews and policy [ Principles for GEF financing of Targeted Research, 1997])
Advise on cross-cutting thematic areas, such as adaptation to climate change, sustainable forest management, and chemicals management
Some examples of STAP’s advice at the project and program level, include the following:
1. “Ensure the scientific…”
2. “Responsible for…”
- Currently, STAP is conducting an analysis of targeted research with a view to consider updating the targeted research policy of 1997.
3. “Advise…”

9. Strategic advice
“How to” develop/implement projects, or programs, in a specific topic supported by the GEF strategies (Example – “Payments for Environmental Services and the Global Environment Facility”)
Develop methodologies for the GEF (Example – “Manual for Calculating Greenhouse Gas Benefits for GEF Transport Projects”)
Scan emerging global environmental issues (Example – Enhancing resilience to reduce climate change risks)
Examples of STAP’s strategic advice include – “How to” ...

10. Policy advice Results based management – on going
Knowledge management – on going
Targeted research – on going
Criteria for focal area set asides – 2009/2010
GEF-5 focal area strategies – 2009
STAR (choice of indicators) – 2009
At the policy level, STAP is working with the GEF on RBM and KM, revising the TR policy. It also has defined criteria for focal area set asides, helped shape the GEF – 5 focal area strategies; and, assisted the GEF in the selection and use of indicators for the STAR.

11. STAP Advisory Products
Here are some examples of STAP advisory products, which aim to strengthen GEF project designs on environmental certification, payment for ecosystem services, community forest management, and sustainable low carbon transport.

12. Recent Advisory Product
STAP also recently published advice on “Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in the Coastal Zone”, and will release in November a publication on the “Selection of Persistent Organic Pollutant Disposal Technology”.
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13. STAP work program
This is a snapshot of the STAP work program. STAP defines its activities in partnership with the GEF Agencies, and GEF Secretariat, documenting them in a work program. STAP submits the work program to the GEF Council for approval.

14. Collaborating with Conventions
Externally, STAP interacts in a complementary manner with the scientific and technical bodies of:
the Convention on Biological Diversity,
the Framework Convention on Climate Change,
the Convention to Combat Desertification,
the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and
the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer
Externally, STAP interacts in a complementary manner with the scientific and technical bodies of:

15. Example – STAP and UNCCD
STAP also collaborates with the Convention Secretariats on scientific and technical matters. For example, STAP formed part of UNCCD’s scientific community that sought to refine the minimum set of impact indicators. Throughout this exercise, STAP worked closely, for a year or more, with UNCCD, and its scientific community. At the GEF’s request, STAP focused specifically on:
advising on the technical viability of the indicators and conceptual framework, and;
2) contributing to the coherence between UNCCD’s indicators and the results based management indicators of the land degradation portfolio.

16. Questions
Who are the scientific regional centers, and what are their expertise?
What are the countries’ needs for STAP advice? (project, programmatic approaches, and/or national portfolio formulation exercises)
How can STAP communicate better its advice to countries?
In conclusion, STAP wishes to know your thoughts on the following issues, which I leave you with today to think further:
Who are the scientific regional centers… - STAP relies on a scientific network to develop and peer review its advice. Tapping into the regional expertise in Eastern Africa would help complement STAP’s network.
What are the countries’ needs for STAP advice… - For example, help review early drafts of programmatic approaches, and stand-alone projects. STAP is happy to help to a certain degree given its limited resources.
[**Note- there is a practice in place for reviewing early drafts of PIFs. This involves the GEF Secretariat contacting the STAP Secretariat for assistance with an early
project review. The reasons for early project reviews have included - technically challenging projects in a new funding area of the GEF (e.g. land use change and
forestry.). STAP is happy to continue with this practice, or to communicate directly with countries if countries request to do so, particularly for projects/programs that
are technically challenging and/or that tap into a new funding window of the GEF (such as low carbon transport, and the sustainable forest management program).]
On the national portfolio formulation exercises, STAP has not considered but may, how to work more directly with countries. For example, perhaps STAP could engage with countries during their “broader consultations and dialogues with external stakeholders not on the national committee”.
If STAP decides to collaborate more closely with countries on their portfolio formulation exercises, STAP could canvass opinions from countries on what are their advisory needs from STAP to develop scientifically robust portfolios. Based on this, STAP could consider how to tailor its communication to countries via the website, and advisory documents. What other products, or forms of communication, could STAP consider?
3. In general, how can STAP communicate better its advice to countries? - Thus far, STAP’s experience has been to work indirectly with countries – for example, countries requesting STAP reports (advisory and/or technical) to help them develop projects. Thus far, countries have not provided feedback to STAP on whether the STAP reports have been useful, and/or whether the information was presented effectively, or whether it was relevant to countries’ scientific and technical needs. STAP does not tailor its reports specifically for the countries, but assumes the countries’ scientific knowledge needs to develop projects are the same as those of the Agencies. Thus, it would be useful to receive feedback on -
Are STAP’s products useful, and in what way(s) are they useful, or not useful?
b. What other means, or issues, could STAP consider to better target its advice for countries’ scientific and technical needs?

17. Thank you! Thomas Hammond (STAP Secretary) Thomas.Hammond@unep.org
STAP website