Projects by topic area

Biodiversity is historically the FFEM’s foremost topic area. As of 31/12/2011, over 50% of its resources had been allocated to biodiversity.

The FGEF encourages mitigation projects that reduce or limit non-renewable fossil fuel consumption and GHG emissions. Since 2005, the FGEF has also supported projects designed to strengthen adaptation capacities in developing countries in the areas of monitoring, knowledge acquisition and resilience.

 

The FFEM acts as a catalyser for sustainable management of international waters. The projects it finances are designed to support partnerships between local and international stakeholders with a concern for these resources and their preservation.
 

Land degradation means the overall phenomenon leading to a loss of fertility that has in particular consequences for agricultural yields. It may be due to the overexploitation of soil, pollution from external agents, but also deforestation and climate change.
As a priority, the FFEM finances projects which improve the resilience of ecosystems or the implementation of methods for reversing processes when desertification is irreversible. Therefore, it favours:

• the development of sustainable agricultural production systems;
• supporting local initiatives, in particular strengthening capabilities of the civil society and local authorities;
• the management of natural resources in relation to land degradation, deforestation and forest degradation
• (REDD+), through pilot projects.

Persistent organic pollutants (PoPs) are "chemical substances which persist in the environment, accumulate in the tissues of living organisms through the food chain and which can damage human health and the environment" (source UNEP).
PoPs pose an ecological and health threat due to their properties: toxic for human health and the environment, persistent in the environment, bio-accumulation in living tissues and can be transported long distances.
As a priority, the FFEM supports regional elimination and prevention programmes in Africa and in countries around the Mediterranean. In particular, its action should enable the development of pilot projects in the area of mercury pollution, which will allow feedback and best practices to be defined, necessary for the implementation of a future
international agreement.

As regards the ozone layer, the FFEM Secretariat is involved as part of international commitments undertaken by France during multilateral negotiations, in particular the United Nations Conferences on the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol.

It is involved at three levels on behalf of the Directorate General of the Treasury:

• Identification, implementation and processing of projects financed from the bilateral part of French contributions to the Multilateral Funds which may be up to 20%. Management of this account.
• General policy consultation on the use of Multilateral Funds, the approval of projects submitted to the Executive Committee and the permissible costs.
• Consultation on the guidelines submitted by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, the latter benefiting from universal ratification since September 2009