Prespa Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (PONT)

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The project is run by the Prespa-Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT). The project area is located in the border triangle of Albania, North Macedonia and Greece and is part of the ecologically particularly valuable Prespa-Ohrid basin. The project is part of the development cooperation program Environment, Energy and Climate in the Western Balkans, through which state and non-state actors in the countries of the Western Balkans are to improve environmental, nature and climate protection in accordance with EU standards and international obligations. (Development cooperation program objective). By using PONT as a financing instrument, (a) the administrative units of selected nature reserves in Albania and North Macedonia will improve their management quality and (b) environmental actors will improve their contribution, which leads to the preservation and sustainable use of natural resources in the project area (module objective). The direct target group of the project consists of the protected area administrations and other actors working in environmental protection. The population of the project area benefits indirectly from the project. Based on a stock check, two financial contributions (grants) will be made to the PONT. The first contribution (BMZ no. 2014.3651.8) will set up a consumption fund for the PONT with EUR 6 million. It is to be spent by 2030. Subsequent amounts (up to EUR 19 million) will be paid into the PONT's foundation capital. The foundation capital must be maintained permanently; only the investment income is to be spent. The funds for the first and second phases come from budget item 89601 (FZ with regions).