Implementing
Agency
United Nations Development Programme
Region
Gulf of Guinea
Focal Area
International Waters
Project Title
Industrial Water Pollution Control in the Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem
GEF Allocation
US$6.0 million
Total Financing
US$6.0 million
Dates
October 1993- March 1998
Environmental
· Water body with biological and economic importance threatened by agricultural,
Problem
industrial, and urban discharges and other impacts
Project Goals
· Establish and equip network of scientific and monitoring institutions and train officials
on pollution assessment and environmental management
· Conduct ecosystem research, improve information management and exchange, analyze
and revise policies, and build national and regional consensus on managing gulf
resources
The Gulf of Guinea is a large marine ecosystem extending from Guinea-Bissau to Gabon in
western Africa. The gulf is rich in living marine resources and well endowed with
commercially valuable fish species, both deep sea and coastal. An estimated 1 million metric
tons of fish are caught annually, of which a third is exported. Extensive mangroves occur
mostly along the Nigerian coast, but also along the coasts of Benin, Ghana, and Côte
d'Ivoire. These mangroves are critical spawning grounds for numerous species of fish,
including many commercial varieties.
Despite their importance, none of the gulf's mangroves are protected and many are subject to
industrial, urban, agricultural, and other pollution. The gulf itself may be undergoing
ecological changes. In the past two decades, significant variations in species composition
and fisheries landings have been noted. The nature and causes of such changes remain
unknown, reflecting a poor understanding of this large marine ecosystem. In addition, on the
southern West African coast, lagoons possessing unique biodiversity suffer from pollution,
affecting mangroves, fish, and other economically important natural resources. Growing
human population, as well as industrial development along the coast, threaten to exacerbate
existing problems. Until recently, little or no consideration has been given to the
environmental implications of these trends. The few institutions in the region that monitor
environmental trends do not exchange information with each other.
The Project
This project, implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation,
worked to develop an effective regional approach to preventing pollution in the Gulf of
Guinea and protecting and restoring the health of this large marine ecosystem. The project
formulated a program for pollution control, developed mechanisms to promote the health of
the ecosystem, and set up demonstration sites. It also strengthened institutions, provided
training, and monitored water quality and ecosystems. Specific objectives included (a)
upgrading facilities and human resources of institutions involved in environmental
monitoring, (b) establishing effective communication among these institutions to exchange
and correlate information, and (c) supporting systems at the national and regional levels that
provide decisionmakers with feasible management options based on information gathered
and shared by these institutions.
Activities
· Strengthen regional institutional capabilities to prevent and remedy pollution in the gulf.
Activities included (a) establishing a network of scientific institutions on pollution and
resource monitoring and assessment, (b) creating a cross-sectoral network of government
agencies responsible for environmental management, pollution control, and industrial
development, (c) facilitating participation of nongovernmental organizations in project
activities, and (d) training scientists, technicians, and resource managers in monitoring,
assessment, and environmental management techniques and tools.
· Strengthen environmental management capability. This involved developing an
integrated system of information management and decisionmaking support, including a
geographic information system.
· Establish a comprehensive program for monitoring and assessing the gulf's health and
productivity. This included developing (a) a regional monitoring and assessment
program emphasizing stressed ecosystems, (b) a consistent system of coastal ecosystem
and environmental measurements, information synthesis, analysis, and reporting to
mitigate coastal ecosystem stress, (c) indexes of environmental quality and assessment of
coastal ecosystem health, and (d) recommendations for marine environmental
management and mitigation and recovery of degraded coastal ecosystems.
· Prevention and control of land-based sources of industrial and urban pollution. This
included developing strategic options and an action plan for the region, including
incentives for pollution control
· Development of national and regional strategies and policies to manage and protect the
gulf in the long term. This included developing guidelines for integrated coastal zone
management planning, mechanisms for financial support, and mechanisms for regional
policy and strategy formulation and implementation.
Benefits
· Ensure an environment more conducive to the health and well-being of communities
· Sustain the productivity of the waters of the gulf
· Improve economic benefits for individual industrial enterprises
· Serve as a catalyst for attracting targeted additional assistance for protection of the gulf.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a financial mechanism that provides grants and concessional funds to developing countries for projects and
activities designed to protect the global environment. GEF resources address climate change, biological diversity, international waters, and depletion of
the ozone layer. Activities concerning land degradation, primarily desertification and deforestation as they relate to the four focal areas, are also eligible
for funding.
GEF is a joint venture of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World
Bank. These three agencies implement GEF projects.
For more information on this project, contact:
For more information on GEF:
United Nations Development Programme
GEF Headquarters
Mahenau Agha
1818 H Street NW
Information Officer
Washington DC 20433 USA
One United Nations Plaza
Tel: (202) 473-0508 Fax: (202) 522-3240/522-3245
New York NY 10017 USA
Internet Home Page: www.gefweb.org
Tel: (212) 906-6112 Fax: (212) 906-6998
E-mail: mahenau.agha@undp.org
Chief Executive Officer: Mohamed T. El-Ashry
Internet Home Page: www.undp.org/gef
Senior External Relations Coordinator: Hutton G. Archer
E-mail: harcher@worldbank.org