‘Secure Himalayas’ Project

The Union Environment Ministry in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has been implementing ‘Secure Himalaya’ project to conserve the habitats of snow leopards.

Details –

• The ‘Secure Himalaya’ project is funded by the Global Environment Facility.
• It supports the government’s efforts for conservation of snow leopard and its habitat by developing and implementing a landscape-based approach for Himalayan ecosystems, and addresses key issues of habitat degradation, threatened livelihoods and illegal trade in wildlife.
• It was launched in 2017.

Components –

• Conservation of key biodiversity areas and their effective management to secure long-term ecosystem resilience, habitat connectivity and conservation of snow leopard and other endangered species.
• Securing sustainable community livelihoods and natural resource management in high range Himalayan ecosystems.
• Enhancing enforcement, monitoring and cooperation to reduce wildlife crime and related threats.
• Gender Mainstreaming, Monitoring, evaluation and knowledge management.

Project Landscapes –

• Changthang, Ladakh Landscape, Jammu & Kashmir
• Lahaul-Pangi and Kinnaur Landscapes,
• Gangotri-Govind and Darma-Byans Landscapes,
• Khangchendzonga-upper Teesta Valley.

About the ‘Global Environment Facility’ –

• GEF is multilateral financial mechanism that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities.
• It was setup as a fund under World Bank in 1991.
• In 1992, at the Rio Earth Summit, the GEF was restructured and moved out of the World Bank system to become a permanent, separate institution.
• Since 1994, however, the World Bank has served as the Trustee of the GEF Trust Fund and provided administrative services.
• It is based in Washington DC, United States.
• It addresses six designated focal areas —
  • • biodiversity,
    • climate change,
    • international waters,
    • ozone depletion,
    • land degradation and
    • Persistent Organic Pollutants.
• GEF serves as financial mechanism for —
  • • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
    • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
    • UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
    • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
    • Minamata Convention on Mercury