Institutional Linkages among MEAs: An Organizational and Educational Development Perspective

1
Institutional Linkages among MEAs An
Organizational and Educational Development
Perspective
2
What the paper attempts

• to review and comment on some of the current
  efforts on linkages and synergy, and to make
  recommendations on organizational development and
  education which are essential to synergy and
  sustainable development

3
Why the Rio Conventions? What are the
commonalities?

• the CBD, the UNFCCC and the UNCCD
• a common sustainable development approach
• part of a larger and expanding process Agenda
  21, the Forest Principles and the Rio Declaration
  ...
• the small size of these convention secretariats
  excellent (easier?) candidates for a new type of
  partnership

4
How do these Conventions differ?

• administrative and institutional arrangements
• financial mechanisms
• inter-relationships with specialized agencies
• scientific and technical subsidiary bodies
• national focal points
• geographical location of secretariats

5
Synergy on scientific and technical issues some
initiatives

• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
  of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
  and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
  small and decentralized secretariat with large
  global network
• "Protecting our Planet, Securing our Future,
  Linking Environmental Issues with Human Needs
  Opportunities for Strategic Interventions" by
  UNEP, the World Bank and the United States/NASA
  milestone report

6
Synergy on scientific and technical issues some
initiatives (cont.)

• subsidiary bodies of Convention secretariats
  initial stages of dialogue and thematic workshops
• Other initiatives World Resource Institute
  (WRI) with the World Bank, UNDP and UNEP the
  "Millennium Assessment" the IUCN Global
  Biodiversity Forums

7
Synergy on scientific and technical issues gaps
to be addressed

• Initiatives still do not adequately address the
  scientific capacity building requirements of
  developing countries
• Closer and durable partnerships needed between
  South-North and South-South institutions to share
  and develop jointly research and to expand
  networking
• Need for developing common/joint teams among the
  three subsidiary bodies
• Need to integrate teams at national levels with
  the various scientific and academic groups
  working on these issues

8
Synergy on education, training and awareness
some initiatives

• UNESCO Programme on Environment and Population
  Education for Development
• Convention secretariats capacity-building
  programmes in selected countries in collaboration
  with UNITAR and UNDP
• UNEP's Information Unit on Conventions
  activities on public information and awareness

9
Synergy on education, training and awareness
some initiatives (cont.)

• international, regional or sub-regional agencies
  educational activities (UNEP, UNDP, WMO (for
  UNCCD and UNFCCC mainly), FAO (for CBD and UNCCD
  mainly), IFAD, World Bank, the regional economic
  commissions, regional development banks, the
  OECD...)
• NGO initiatives (NGO Trialogue and many others)

10
Synergy on education, training and awareness
future directions

• joint synergy initiative to identify education
  and public awareness materials and expertise
  available around the world and to ensure broad
  dissemination
• a possible partnership between the United Nations
  University (UNU) and United Nations Educational,
  Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
  could be a good first step

11
Synergy initiatives on information systems

• the biodiversity-related conventions secretariats
  and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre
  (WCMC) harmonization of information management
  for biodiversity-related treaties
• International Institute for Sustainable
  Development (IISD) the Linkages multimedia -
  the Earth Negotiation Bulletin, Linkages Journal
  and Sustainable Developments

12
Synergy initiatives on information systems (cont.)

• CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD secretariats joint
  programme to explore synergy in information
  management (support to national level information
  management, a common Web page and common
  databases)
• increasing number of memoranda of collaboration
  between secretariats UNCCD/CBD UNCCD/Ramsar
  CBD/Ramsar, ...
• electronic networking

13
Synergy initiatives on financial mechanisms

• the GEF work being done on possible synergy on
  GEF subjects related to land degradation
• other multilateral and bilateral donor agencies
  (e.g. the 'Fonds Français pour l'Environnement
  Mondial' (FFEM), and regional and subregional
  development banks)
• OECD and DAC Working Party on Development
  Cooperation and Environment study on global
  environmental conventions

14
Synergy initiatives on financial mechanisms
(cont.)

• UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs
  (UN/DESA) upcoming high-level consultation
  before the end of 2001 on Financing for
  Development
• New donors for example, the Turner UN Foundation
  and the UN Fund for International Partnerships
  (UNFIP)

15
Synergy initiatives on national reporting
communication of information

• UN/DESA streamlining national reporting for
  conventions, Agenda 21 and related processes
• Initial contacts among the CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD
  secretariats a joint pilot programme for
  assisting Parties in coordination at the national
  level of their reports to the three conventions

16
Synergy initiatives on national reporting
communication of information (cont.)

• UNDP's Sustainable Energy and Environment
  Division (SEED) Expert Meeting on Synergies
  between the CBD, UNFCCC, UNCCD and the Forest
  Principles, Sede Boqer, Israel, March 1997
• The WCMC harmonizing information management,
  which includes a component on national reporting
  on biodiversity-related conventions

17
Policy advice, principles, procedures legal
aspects relevant initiatives

• Report of the Secretary-General "Renewing the
  United Nations A Programme for Reform"
• Report of the Secretary-General on Environment
  and Human Settlements
• General policy guidance by the UNGASS XIX (June
  1997) on a yearly basis by the UN Commission on
  Sustainable Development and the Inter-Agency
  Committee on Sustainable Development, subsidiary
  body of the UN Administrative Committee on
  Coordination (ACC)

18
Policy advice, principles, procedures legal
aspects relevant initiatives (cont.)

• The COP of each convention, the related
  subsidiary bodies, bureaux and secretariats
• UNEP's meetings on the coordination of Convention
  secretariats both UNEP-administered conventions
  and non-UNEP conventions
• Regional level the Organization of American
  States (OAS), the Organization for African Unity
  (OAU), the UN regional economic commissions,
  regional development banks, and others

19
Policy advice, principles, procedures legal
aspects relevant initiatives (cont.)

• Other initiatives UNEP with IUCN's
  Environmental Law Centre (ELC) UNITAR with the
  IUCN/ELC the Foundation of International
  Environmental Law Development (FIELD), the
  Institute for International Applied Systems
  Analysis (IIASA), the Centre for Applied Studies
  in International Negotiations (CASIN), the
  Institute for Advanced Studies of the UN
  University (UNU/IAS) and various academic centres
  around the world

20
Guidance to COPs and subsidiary bodies

• Guidance provided on coordination at UNGASS XIX
  and in Secretary-General's Report on Environment
  and Human Settlements
• effectiveness could be increased of meetings of
  the COPs and subsidiary bodies back-to-back
  events, coordinated services, assistance to
  delegates...

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Why organizational and educational development?

• initiatives underway on scientific and ecological
  linkages
• how to move from knowing about linkages to
  managing and implementing synergies
• emphasis ought to be on people and organizational
  behaviour rather than on ecosystem behaviour and
  economic and social impacts

22
Organizational development some elements

• the development of educational processes
  longer-term-oriented capacity building to ensure
  sustainability in the society at large
• "coordination", "communication", "linkages",
  "synergy" and "partnership" a gradually more
  intensive involvement of partners or associates
• a greater involvement in networking

23
Organizational development some elements (cont.)

• encouragement and facilitation of the
  participation of relevant partners or
  stakeholders in policy and decision-making
• develop team-oriented arrangements to encourage
  staff creativity and participation in
  decision-making
• combination of management and leadership
• the building of sustainable partnerships

24
Partnerships for synergy

• develop long-term objectives jointly
• meet periodically
• exchange relevant information regularly
• share concerns, approaches and views
• build teams with a strong joint sense of culture
  and belonging

25
Educational developmentsome elements

• raise awareness about, and eliminate obstacles
  to, all facets of sustainable development
  (including social and political sustainability)
• formal and non-formal educational systems
  (education, training and awareness)
• develop the values, principles and attitudes that
  encourage sustainable behaviour and discourage
  those that lead to unsustainable behaviour

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Obstacles to synergy

• lack of an organizational development awareness
  in international organizations
• fragmented and specialized approach
• short-sighted political objectives
• competition for international funds
• competition at the national level

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Recommendations

• Improving organizational capabilities
• Adopting a trial and error approach
• A national and local focus
• An ethical framework for sustainable development