International Nature Management Programme

Between 1996 and 2000, the budget for international nature management was spent primarily on tropical forests in developing countries and on Central and Eastern Europe.

Current situation

The figure cited describes the budget and favoured regions of the International Nature Management Programme (Programma Internationaal Natuurbeheer, PIN), which ran from 1996 to 2000.

PIN budget

A total of NLG 861.5 million (EUR 390 million) was available between 1996 and 2000. The PIN (International Nature Management Programme) included the following budgets: (1) PIN-MATRA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for activities in Central and Eastern Europe, (2) PIN-OS (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for nature management activities in developing countries, (3) PIN-LNV (Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries), used mainly to support international nature conservation organisations and activities carried out under international agreements, and (4) "Transport & Public Works International" (Verkeer & Waterstaat Internationaal) for international cooperation in the area of water. Activities focusing mainly on nature management came under this budget and were grouped together in the WETWISE programme. Most of this budget was spent in Central and Eastern Europe. In addition, (5) a budget was set aside to implement the Dutch government's Tropical Rainforest policy. This budget accounted for most of the total PIN budget (see left-hand pie chart).

Favoured regions

A number of tropical countries have benefited greatly from the Dutch government's Tropical Rainforest policy (the expenditure is not shown in the right-hand pie chart). Those countries are: Brazil, Cape Verde, China, Colombia, Ghana, Guatemala, Mozambique, Nepal, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Other favoured regions are Central and Eastern Europe, in particular (see right-hand pie chart). The Netherlands has also provided significant funds for nature management projects in Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia and Ukraine.

Nature management projects carried out within the context of development cooperation have mainly benefited Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Gabon, Ghana, Indonesia, Mali and Panama. The remaining funding was spent on international conferences, on encouraging Dutch nature research abroad and on contributions to international governmental organisations.

Policy objectives

The objective of the PIN was: "to ensure active protection and sustainable use of natural and semi-natural ecosystems of international significance (outside the Netherlands) with a priority for the conservation of relatively unspoilt ecosystems and the creation of ecological cohesion".

The PIN was a joint international nature management programme set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment.

Besides supporting nature management activities, the programme also investigated ways of making nature conservation objectives an integral part of economic co-operation and development co-operation policy. The funds set aside for this purpose were referred to in the programme as "indirect funds". No clear-cut description was given of how such integration was to be tested and how much this would cost.

The impact of projects undertaken within the context of the PIN is difficult to ascertain. There are no in-depth evaluations of the projects that received financing.

Technical note

The figure shows the breakdown of the programme into different budgets and regions. The information is from Koppert and Oostdijk (2000).

References

Koppert, S., A. Hansum en A. Oostdijk (2000). Evaluatie actieplan natuurbeheer Midden- en Oost-Europa 1996 - 2000. Leiden.
Koppert, S. en A. Oostdijk (2000). Evaluatie van het Programma Internationaal Natuurbeheer Ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Leiden.
Tweede Kamer (1995-1996). Programma Internationaal Natuurbeheer (PIN) 1996-2000. Dossier 24408, nrs. 1-2.
Tweede Kamer (1998-1999). Tropisch regenwoud, houtcertificering en duurzaam bosbeheer. Dossier 21517 en 25273, nr. 30. Den Haag.