The Global Environment Facility has approved a USD 6 million grant for the Integrated Management of Small Island Landscapes and Seascapes in the Philippines, known as the ISLAS Project. The initiative aims to strengthen biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, ecosystem services, and sustainable island management in some of the country’s most vulnerable small island ecosystems.
The project will focus on Camiguin, Marinduque, and Panaon Islands over a six-year period. These islands were selected because of their rich biodiversity, strong dependence on natural resources, and exposure to climate change, habitat degradation, fragmented governance, limited economic opportunities, and unsustainable resource use.
The ISLAS Project will be led by the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources with support from UNDP Philippines. It will promote integrated ecosystem management, support Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures, and help local governments include biodiversity values in planning, governance, and financing systems.
The initiative is expected to improve the management of 62,000 hectares of seascapes and 12,000 hectares of terrestrial protected areas. It will also support 4,000 hectares of production landscapes, restore 1,500 hectares of ecosystems, enhance 400 hectares of marine habitats, and help avoid 125,520 tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions.
Around 3,000 people are expected to benefit from the project, with women making up half of the beneficiaries. By linking biodiversity protection with climate resilience, local governance, and sustainable financing, the project aims to create long-term benefits for both communities and nature.
The ISLAS Project will also support the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and contribute to the country’s commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including the global 30×30 target. Lessons from the project are expected to provide a model for other small island ecosystems across the Philippines.
Officials from UNDP, DENR-BMB, and the GEF highlighted the importance of investing in small island resilience, noting that these ecosystems play a major role in biodiversity conservation, livelihoods, food security, and global climate action. The project is expected to help translate national biodiversity goals into practical local action while strengthening policies and financing for sustainable island management.
