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Environmental protection

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Darwin Initiative

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The aim of the Initiative

The Darwin Initiative was announced by the UK Government at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. The aim of the Initiative is to assist those countries which are rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) through the funding of collaborative projects which draw on UK biodiversity expertise.

The Darwin Advisory Committee (currently chaired by Professor David Macdonald), consisting of experts from government, academic, science and the private sector, advises Ministers on development of the Initiative and makes recommendations on applications for funding.

A new phase of the Darwin Initiative was announced (see this news release) at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in September 2002. Phase II aims to build on the strengths of the scheme by:

As part of this new phase, the Darwin Initiative introduced three new types of Darwin funding, which aim to enhance the legacy and impact of the Darwin Initiative. These are:

  • Darwin Fellowships
  • Darwin Scoping Awards
  • Post-project funding

Darwin Fellowships

Darwin Fellowships are targeted at promising members of recent or current Darwin Initiative projects who are from countries rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources. Drawing on UK expertise in biodiversity, the programme aims to give Fellows the opportunity to broaden their professional knowledge and experience in biodiversity, typically through work experience in UK organisations. Fellowships are provided for up to one year in length.

Thirteen fellowships have been awarded since its inception. Further information, guidance and application forms are available at www.darwin.gov.uk.

Scoping awards

The Darwin Initiative offers one-off funding for travel costs to a host country to enable UK institutions to develop a Darwin project application in collaboration with host country partners. It is intended that activities carried out with the help of scoping awards will strengthen collaboration and host country ownership from the beginning of projects, should the resultant applications be successful.

  • 87 scoping awards have been granted funding in three rounds. Further information, guidance and applications forms are available at www.darwin.gov.uk.

Post-project funding

The Darwin Initiative offers post-project funding to a small number of successful Darwin Initiative projects, in order to maximise the results of these projects and strengthen their long term impact and legacy. Such projects will receive funding to follow-up their work for up to two years after the original project has been completed.

Funding will be considered where additional and lasting impacts and benefits for the host country are likely from further embedding or consolidating the results of an already successful Darwin project. It is not provided for project slippage.

  • Applications for post-project funding are invited through the main funding round for Darwin Initiative grants.
  • Eighteen projects have been awarded funding to build on the successful outcomes of their first project. Further information, guidance and application forms are available at www.darwin.gov.uk.

How can I apply?

Darwin projects

The latest funding round for new Darwin projects (Round 15) and post-project funding will open on 17 July 2006. The application process will be carried out in two stages. Only those applicants successful in Stage 1 will be asked to continue to Stage 2.

The closing date for Stage 1 applications will be on 15 September 2006. Applicants successful at Stage 2 will be asked to submit full applications for Stage 2 by 5 January 2007.

Darwin Fellowships and scoping awards

The application period for Darwin Fellowships and scoping awards will be from January to March 2007. Further information will be available above.

Who does the work involve?

Over 80 UK institutions have been involved in setting up collaborative projects. They range from big biodiversity institutions in the UK like the Natural History Museum, the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and WWF UK to academic institutions to small organisations or groups. Their partners in developing countries may come from government departments, universities, non-governmental organisations, scientists, policy makers, forestry workers, lawyers, teachers, or local communities and people.

Funding levels

Now in its 15th year, the programme has already committed over £53 million to more than 450 biodiversity projects in 100 countries. The amount of funding available is £7m per annum.

What is a typical project?

A typical project lasts for up to three years and has Darwin funded costs of about £35,000 to £70,000 a year. The projects are all collaborative and involve partnerships between UK institutions and developing country bodies. They in turn seek matching funding from a variety of bodies, businesses and trusts.

The projects help the developing countries cover their commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (also known as the Biodiversity Convention). This Convention is wide ranging and there are many responsibilities for those countries that have ratified it. These responsibilities include drawing up and implementing national biodiversity strategies and plans which cover all sectors of policy, setting in place training and research as well as education and public awareness measures. It also covers other issues such as action to encourage commercial interests to use sustainable policies by creating incentive measures and using environmental impact assessments. For further information visit the Convention Secretariat website at www.biodiv.org or the UK Clearing House Mechanism site set up under the Convention at www.chm.org.uk (see also www.defra.gov.uk/environment/internat/cbd).

The projects have been diverse. They have produced strategies and management plans for specific areas and species with the help of localstakeholders. Some have sought to deliver good practice in producing field guides, local keys or database management, in research methods and fieldwork training or in carrying out environmental impact assessments. Others have tackled issues such as access to and repatriation of data, and sharing of the benefits. They have brought training and education to people at all levels and ages from school children to village elders and government representatives. Many have concentrated on work and training in the host country but some have enabled students to come to the UK for formal courses and access to expertise and facilities in some of the best biodiversity institutions. Others have covered monitoring and evaluation of biodiversity, education and training and raising public awareness as well as seeking good practice on access and benefit sharing. For examples, see www.darwin.gov.uk.

The location of the projects

There are currently 180 Darwin projects in 100 countries around the world. Over two thirds of projects are located in tropical zones of Africa, Asia and South America, reflecting current threats to internationally recognised global biodiversity "hotspots" in the tropics. The Darwin Initiative also supports a number of projects in temperate environments in Central America, Oceania, the Caribbean and the UK Overseas Territories.

How can I find out more?

Defra has published eight annual reports. These are available free of charge by contacting darwin@defra.gsi.gov.uk. The latest reports are available:

Darwin Initiative lectures

Texts of the annual Darwin Initiative lectures are available as follows:

Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading Adobe Acrobat documents.

Page last modified: 29 June 2006

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs