Leverage Initiatives

Leverage Initiatives integrate new ideas in the work programme of IUCN and thus complement the 3I-C mechanism. However, not every 3I-C project needs to evolve into a LI, and not every LI needs to have gone through a 3I-C phase.

The concept of leverage initiatives was included in the 2005-2008 Financial Plan approved by IUCN members at the 3 rd World Conservation Congress.

A Leverage Initiative (LI) is a topical, targeted and time-limited effort (generally 3-6 years) designed to influence policy and practice. It is anticipated that IUCN will operate between two and four initiatives concurrently.

LIs typically will be designed to use IUCN’s conservation expertise in an area where the Union can deliver and influence decision makers, but where it has not necessarily been playing a key role until now. For example, LIs could be developed on issues such as health, energy, water, poverty and agriculture.

A LI will specifically contribute to two domains, strengthening IUCN’s core competence in these fields:

• A LI provides guidance on ecosystem management to at least one major economic sector. In this way, the LI will directly address major causes of loss or changes in ecosystem services and biodiversity that affect human well-being (e.g. hydropower, land conversion, climate change).
• A LI will clearly link biodiversity and ecosystem services to development issues and poverty reduction.

A LI will develop a vision and a strategy on a specific topic with input from a wide group of stakeholders within and outside IUCN. Each initiative will recognise that today, building partnerships is a critical element in the sustainable management of natural resources and IUCN has much value to add to current partnership ideas and practices. In addition, LIs will be based on practical experience and demonstration, and will need to develop a project portfolio at different levels (from local projects to global influencing) across IUCN regions.

LIs will have initial support from core funds. However, this support should be considered in terms of an investment to leverage substantial funds for the initiatives.

Priority topics on which LIs will be developed are identified by the Director General in consultation with the IUCN Council.

Each LI will develop:

• a Vision for the LI
• a Strategy:
• a description of results to be achieved
• a project Portfolio that includes learning, testing, and demonstration sites
• a description of the different partners in the Initiative
• fundraising targets
• a clear knowledge management and influencing strategy
• a detailed communication strategy
• a time table
• an exit strategy

Leverage Initiatives that are currently being developed include

Conservation for Poverty Reduction

Energy and Biodiversity

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