The Indo-Burma region ranks among the world’s top 10 biodiversity “hotspots”, a term which is used to describe the planet’s most biologically rich and threatened regions. The Indo-Burma Hotspot includes all non-marine parts of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, plus parts of southern China. Along with its high levels of plant and animal endemism, and limited remaining natural habitat, Indo-Burma is also home to more people than any other hotspot, and its remaining natural ecosystems are subject to intense and growing pressure from habitat loss and over-exploitation of natural resources.

This new announcement comprises the second phase of CEPF support for Indo-Burma, and it launches IUCN’s leadership of the fund in the region. The funding will be delivered in the form of small and large grants to civil society organizations – both NGOs and the private sector – to enable them to run projects that will conserve biodiversity.

“The CEPF grants for Indo-Burma offer a fantastic opportunity to support civil society organizations working on conservation issues in one of the most threatened biodiversity hotspots in the world. IUCN is delighted to be leading this initiative, and looks forward to working with partners across the region to make a real difference for conservation," said Dr Scott Perkin, Head of the IUCN Biodiversity Conservation Programme, Asia and Manager of the CEPF Fund for Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot Conservation.

During the first phase of CEPF funding in Indo-Burma, more than 60 civil society groups were engaged in conservation projects that strengthened protection of two million hectares of natural habitat and delivered livelihood benefits to more than 100 communities. To build on these successes, the second phase of CEPF investment will attempt to bridge the gap between development and conservation needs, improve protection and management of priority sites and species, and build the capacity of the region’s conservation community.

“The first phase of CEPF investment built a strong foundation, in terms of successful models for conservation on the ground, and also in terms of strengthened partnerships for conservation,” said Jack Tordoff, CEPF Grant Director. “I hope that the new phase of grant making will secure the results of the first phase, amplify effective conservation approaches and engage a wider range of civil society partners."

The deadline for the first call for proposals for the fund is Monday 9 September 2013, 17.30pm (Bangkok Time). Applications for biodiversity conservation projects in the Indo-Burma Hotspot are welcomed from non-government organisations, community groups, private companies and other civil society organisations, including the media. All key documents can be downloaded from the CEPF website.


About IUCN
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government and NGO Members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. www.iucn.org

About CEPF
CEPF is a joint initiative of Conservation International, l’Agence Française de Développement, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation. www.cepf.net


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