WCC 2016 Rec 108 - Progress Report

* BEST ecosystem profiles and Regional investment strategies have been finalized and submitted to the European Commission. These documents provide critical information on the priorities for action in the EU Overseas in terms of biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and ecosystem-based climate change solutions.
* A BEST 2.0 call for proposal has been organised in 2017. Training workshops have been organised. Further to the independent expert-evaluation, the European Commission has selected 17 new projects for small grant 8 up to EUR 100 000) on the basis of the available budget for this 2017 call.
* A BEST RUP call for proposal has been organised in 2017. Training workshop have been organised. The European Commission will selected new projects in 2018 further to the independent expert evaluation on the basis of the available budget for the 2017 call.
* An MoU has been signed between IUCN and CEPF in order to ease synergies between on-granting mechanisms. The aim is to facilitate match-funding for fostering and bolstering regional cooperation actions. On the basis of this MoU, CEPF will fund regional activities of BEST RUP projects that will take place in neighboring countries of Indian Ocean. This collaboration is an important pilot for EC funded on-granting mechanisms and is supporting EC funds coordination for a greater impact at the regional level.
* A high-level BEST conference has been organised in November 2017 for making the stock of the BEST Preparatory Action implementation and to exchange on the follow up and the future BEST on-granting Mechanism.
lessons learnt and experience sharing on BEST projects have been organised at the Inter-Life conference in December 2017
* A Political declaration adopted at the 15th OCTA Ministerial Conference has been adopted acknowledging the success of BEST, expressing appreciation for such an initiative and calling for the continuation of BEST with new calls for proposals.
* The new EC Strategy for Outermost Regions adopted in October 2017 make reference to BEST and indicates that the EC will, building on the experience of the BEST initiative, consider providing specific support for the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of the ecosystems services, including for climate adaptation in the outermost regions and Overseas Countries and Territories in the new EU programmes.