Coastal Watershed Conservation in the Context of Climate Change (C6)
Promoting integrated management in coastal watersheds
The project
The Coastal Watershed Conservation in the Context of Climate Change (C6) project aims to promote integrated management in coastal watersheds to conserve their biodiversity, contribute to climate change mitigation and strengthen the sustainable use of their natural resources. This is for the recovery of watershed functionality and the provision of its ecosystem services.
Context
A coastal watershed is a territory delimited by a drainage basin, where a system of rivers converges and flows into the sea. Climate change scenarios in Mexico indicate that the coastal watersheds of the Gulf of Mexico and the continental part of the Gulf of California will be severely affected by increased droughts, hurricanes, and floods.
The C6 project had a successful operation between 2013 and 2018. It strengthened the management of ten protected areas (PAs) with returns from heritage resources and promoted community participation, efforts based on collaboration with the Gulf of Mexico Fund (FGM) and FONNOR (Northwestern and Western Fund).
The lines of work that guide the actions of C6 are:
- Creation and consolidation of protected areas (PAs).
- Promotion of watersheds sustainability.
- Enabling adaptive management by strengthening monitoring capacities.
Coastal watersheds are an essential element for preserving biodiversity and reducing vulnerability to climate change.
Achievements
From March to May 2019, a team of international consultants evaluated the impact and effectiveness of the C6 project in the field, considering environmental, financial, and social aspects. The results are as follows: the C6 project involved collaboration with 30 civil society organizations, two regional funds, state and municipal authorities, and academic institutions to contribute to the integrated management of 16 coastal watersheds, an essential element for preserving biodiversity and reducing vulnerability to climate change. The project exceeded its goals due to the cooperation of all sectors and was highlighted as a milestone of excellence by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank.
In the first half of 2024, the project provided technical and administrative follow-up for ten PAs, with an emphasis on evaluating projects seeking support, as well as on monitoring applications and reports from the Emergency Fund. Notably, on January 8, 2024, the decree for the Reserva de la Biósfera (RB, acronym in Spanish) Sierra de Vallejo - Río Ameca was published. Following this decree, FONNOR established recurring funding for payments for environmental services in the core areas of the BR, which was signed on July 2 of the same year.
Additionally, the project promoted the CONECTA, RÍOS, and ORIGEN projects, which, under the coordination of the FGM and FONNOR, achieved their objectives, strengthening the commitment to landscape conservation and fostering partnerships with the public and private sectors for environmental protection in Mexico.
The final evaluation of C6 is available to read here.
Allies
Donors:
- Global Environment Facility
- World Bank
Partners:
- Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources
- National Commission of Natural Protected Areas
- National Forestry Commission
- Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio Climático
The collaboration between three public institutions (CONANP, CONAFOR, and INECC) and one private institution (FMCN) is an innovative component that sought to trigger collaboration and coordination processes. In managing the project, FMCN, FONNOR, and Fondo Golfo de México supported those responsible for the subprojects and protected areas to achieve efficient and transparent use of project resources.