published by IISD, the International Institute for Sustainable  Development
in cooperation with UNFCCC

Events convened on Thursday, 5 June 2003

Clemencia Licona Manzur, UNFCCC, emphasizes that the e-learning skills-building course on improving communication in the Expert Review Teams is user-friendly and complements other UNFCCC courses.

Ambassador Beat Nobs, Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests highlights the importance of a healthy, sustainable, well-based greenhouse gas emission inventory review process to create confidence among Parties.

Dennis Tirpak, UNFCCC, said e-learning training for expert reviewers will result in higher quality reviews and better technical inventories. He highlighted that e-learning is an efficient and convenient way to improve skills.

Ambassador Beat Nobs, Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape, stressed the importance of capacity building, transparency, and broad participation in the review process, and lauded the joint efforts of the UNFCCC and the UN Conference on Trade and Development in developing a state-of-the-art e-learning tool.

Clemencia Licona Manzur, UNFCCC, discussed the results of the Geneva greenhouse gas inventories pilot training course. She highlighted that e-learning allows the low-cost dissemination of information around the world and permits trainees to study at their own pace.

Miguel Rapatan, LearnSD, explained that e-learning is a form of distance learning where training or instruction is delivered via the internet and other electronic resources. He emphasized that e-learning is an interactive experience that enables more people to be trained at a lower cost.

Claire Breidenich, UNFCCC, provided an overview of the e-learning module on the UNFCCC review process and general IPCC inventory guidance. She explained that the module is interactive and focuses on cross-cutting issues, but sector-specific modules may be developed in the future.

Gao Pronove, Earth Council, noted that the learning management system allows the instructor to monitor the attendance and participation of each learner. He stated that LearnSD offers many tools to enhance, monitor and support the learning process.

Clemencia Licona Manzur outlined a prototype of an e-learning skills-building course on improving communication in the Expert Review Teams (ERTs), developed jointly by the UNFCCC and IGES. She explained that the course aims to enhance the competence of experts and lead reviewers and to develop a more efficient and effective review process. Davina Boyd, IGES, said the prototype course is interactive, has a dynamic interface, and meets the needs of both novice and more experienced e-learners.

Andrea Déri, IGES, explained that the IGES capacity building programme bridges policy research with policy making, using e-learning as the primary means of implementation.

Roberto Acosta, UNFCCC, provided an overview of the proposed programme for training review experts for the period 2003-2006. He explained that the programme aims to: provide basic technical knowledge and strengthen complementary skills for ERT members; improve the effectiveness, efficiency and consistency of review activities; and contribute to the quality of national greenhouse gas inventories. Highlighting the expected benefits and financial implications of the proposed training programme, he thanked the Government of Switzerland for its financial contribution and urged other Parties to support the programme.

More information:
http://www.unfccc.int
http://www.learnsd.org
http://www.iges.net

Contact:
Dennis Tirpak: dtirpak@unfccc.int
Clemencia Licona Manzur: clicona-manzur@unfccc.int
Miguel Rapatan: miguel.rapatan@learnsd.org
Claire Breidenich: cbreidenich@unfccc.int
Gao Pronove: gao.pronove@learnsd.org
Davina Boyd: boyd@iges.or.jp
Andrea Déri: deri@iges.or.jp
Roberto Acosta: racosta@unfccc.int

Noriyasu Yamada, Japan, supports a balanced approach to AR-CDM projects.

Mutsumi Honda, Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC), introduced the side event.

Noriyasu Yamada, Japan's Ministry of the Environment, outlined the goal of the side event to showcase possible CDM projects for afforestation and reforestation (A&R) and foster agreement for a balanced approach to promote sustainable development through A&R.

Sergio Jáuregui, Bolivia's National Clean Development Office, discussed carbon measuring methods and community work in A&R projects. He highlighted the need to promote community support programme components, on community organization and land tenure, local planning and income generation, health policies, education and research, and communication and infrastructure.

Aquiles Neuenschwander, Chile's Foundation for Agricultural Innovation, discussed environmental, social and economic priorities for selecting A&R CDM projects in his country. He explained why A&R project activities are not "business as usual" for small and medium-size landowners and described the kinds of A&R CDM projects envisaged in Chile.

Darren Goetze, Environment Canada, said delegates must address the two issues of whether A&R projects can deliver environmental integrity and whether they can deliver sustainable development. He stressed the need to provide benefits to people on the ground.

Javier Blanco, Colombia's Ministry of the Environment, reviewed the climate change-related actions, objectives and strategies being undertaken taken in his country. Carmenza Robledo, Swiss Federation Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA), presented an alternative financing model for sustainable forest management used for an A&R project in Colombia. Jan Fehse, EcoSecurities, outlined the technical studies and the financial modeling for the project.

Nur Masripatin, Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry, described the potential for A&R CDM projects and their contributions to sustainable development in her country. She reviewed the past role of the forestry sector in Indonesia and the country's strategy to focus on rehabilitation and conservation over the next 20 years.

Yoshikazu Kobayashi, Sumitomo Forestry Company, outlined the methods used in evaluating an A&R CDM project in Indonesia. He described the baseline approach used and the proposed monitoring plan. He said this was an eligible and feasible CDM project and stressed the importance of economic incentives.

Walter Oyhantçabal, Uruguay's Ministry of Agriculture, discussed the opportunities for sustainable development with A&R projects in Uruguay. He described the national forestry policy objectives and achievements in his country, and stressed that Uruguay wishes to develop a portfolio of high-quality A&R projects.

More information:
http://www.unep.or.jp/gec
http://www.minambiente.gov.co
http://www.empa.ch
http://www.ecosecurities.com

Contact:
Sergio Jáuregui: serio@acelerate.com
Aquiles Neuenschwander: aquilesn@fia.gob.cl
Darren Goetze: Darren.goetze@ec.gc.ca
Javier Tomas Blanco: jblanco@minambiente.gov.co
Carmenza Robledo: carmenza.robledo@empa.ch
Jan Fehse: jan@ecosecurities.com
Nur Masripatin: nur_masripatin@indo.net.id
Yoshikazu Kobayashi: kobayashi_yoshi@star.sfc.co.jp
Walter Oyhantçabal: woyha@mgap.gub.uy

Madaleen Helmer, the Netherlands' Red Cross, highlighted the work of the ProVention Consortium, a global coalition and disaster management facility initiated by the World Bank that works to bring together the expertise of different communities. 

Sálvano Briceño, UN/ISDR, said the purpose of the event was to bring together experience gained in disaster mitigation and preparedness with more recent work on climate change. He noted the natural and necessary linkages between the two fields.

Reid Basher, UN/ISDR, discussed disaster reduction, climate change, and steps for the future. He addressed: disasters and disaster reduction; climate variability; interlinkages between the two; and a proposed scoping document highlighting new initiatives. Noting the large number of disasters related to climate, he said the key message is that disaster reduction and climate change adaptation are intimately linked, and the poor are often the most vulnerable. He highlighted the importance of reducing human and social vulnerability, and explained that climate is both predictable and chaotic. He said linkages between disaster risk reduction and climate change include similar sectoral focuses, complexities and challenges, and a duality of benefits. Basher noted that the proposed scoping document would, inter alia: be a vehicle for developing disaster reduction and climate change policies; provide guidance for current activities; be aimed at both policy and technical experts; contain an inclusive iterative consultative process; be accessible and widely endorsed; and be the subject of a side event at UNFCCC COP-9.

Elisabeth Mausolf, GTZ, discussed GTZ's Climate Protection Programme, emphasizing both adaptation and mitigation, and discussed the process of mainstreaming adaptation into development work. She stressed the need for a holistic approach to adaptation, emphasizing social, economic, and ecological dimensions of adaptation, and moving away from a sectoral approach. Regarding challenges in mainstreaming adaptation, she underlined the availability of opportunities, finding the right partners and approaches, and the need to remain open to new ideas. She also noted the importance of risk diversification. Regarding identification of linkages, she highlighted, inter alia: a paradigm shift from reaction to prevention; cooperation with GTZ's Division of Disaster Prevention; the importance of common partners and pilot projects; and the need for incorporating information from regional models into improved early warning systems.

Madaleen Helmer, Red Cross, discussed living with risk in a changing climate and provided an overview of existing initiatives linking disaster reduction to climate change, including gaps and challenges. She noted the large infrastructure of organizations dealing with disaster management and risk reduction, such as research institutes, governments, and humanitarian organizations, and said they are rarely linked to climate change efforts. She stressed the need for more interaction and dialogue. Noting that climate change is a new issue within the disaster community, she highlighted gaps in infrastructure and the environmental connotations of climate change, which cause delays in bringing more knowledge to the concept of mitigation. She also underlined a lack of involvement of civil society organizations in risk reduction. She said the main challenge is to ensure dialogue between research and policy communities and civil society organizations, and noted difficulties in mainstreaming climate change at the community level, as it is an issue with "a thousand faces."

Participants discussed, inter alia, building bridges and learning each others' "language," attracting financial resources, bringing advocacy communities together with relief and development organizations, impacts of other issues such as AIDS, and the need for better early warning systems.

Noting risk management strategies to reduce vulnerability, Elisabeth Mausolf, GTZ, emphasizes the importance of risk diversification through, inter alia, building on rich traditional knowledge, drought resistant crops, coping strategies, further development of technical knowledge, and promoting income-generating activities. 

Listen to Elisabeth Mausolf

More information:
http://www.unisdr.org
http://www.proventionconsortium.org
http://www.ifrc.org
http://www.gtz.de/climate

Contact:
Sálvano Briceño: briceno@un.org
Reid Basher: reid.basher@un.org
Elisabeth Mausolf: elisabeth.mausolf@gtz.de
Madaleen Helmer: mhelmer@redcross.nl

Bo Lim, UNDP-GEF, stresses that UNDP can provide on-going support throughout project implementation.

Annie Roncerel, UNITAR, presents the report published by UNDP, UNITAR and the GEF on "Developing human and institutional capacity to address climate change issues in LDCs: Preparing for NAPAs." 

Alan Miller, GEF Secretariat, explained that the event would provide information, inter alia, on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as implementing agencies, the status of GEF projects, and how to access GEF funds.

Janos Pasztor, UNFCCC, welcomed the further engagement of least developed countries (LDCs) in the climate change process and encouraged LDCs to express their needs. He thanked the GEF for quickly operationalizing the LDC Fund and for organizing this meeting.

Richard Muyungi, Tanzania's Division of Environment, said the preparation of National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA) are advancing and a number of NAPA proposals have been approved. He expressed hope that by UNFCCC COP-9, all 49 LDCs will have the necessary resources to start implementing their NAPAs. Noting the difficulties faced by Francophone countries in dealing with English documents relating to preparing and implementing NAPAs, Muyungi queried whether GEF could produce a French summary of such documents.

Avani Vaish, GEF, explained that his organization has mobilized resources to assist preparation of NAPAs. Highlighting that the LDC Fund is full in operation, Vaish noted that GEF received guidance at UNFCCC COP-8 on providing assistance for regional workshops through the LDC Fund.

Bo Lim, UNDP-GEF, outlined the type of support provided by GEF and how countries can access GEF funds via UNDP. She said that the interested country needs to first request the funding, and prepare a project brief, which should be submitted to the GEF Secretariat for project approval. She noted that after approval, the GEF Secretariat would produce a project document to be signed by the country's national government and UNDP. She informed participants that staff members in Africa and the Asia/Pacific can be contacted regarding the progress of NAPA applications.

Ravi Sharma, UNEP, said UNEP project proposals follow similar steps as UNDP project proposals. He highlighted that UNEP proposals are in various stages of preparation. Sharma highlighted that UNEP decided to establish a separate trust fund for climate change projects in response to GEF's decision on separating LDC accounts.
 
Annie Roncerel, United Nations Institute for Training and Research, (UNITAR), said LDC workshops assist in sharing information and benefit all countries. She highlighted that country-driven workshops will be held in Ethiopia, Burkina Faso and Bhutan in 2003.
 

More information:
http://www.undp.org/climate change/napa.htm
http://www.unitar.org/ccp
http://www.gefweb.org

Contact:
Alan Miller: amiller@thegef.org
Janos Pasztor: jpasztor@unfccc.int
Richard Muyungi: sotchair@africaonline.co.tz
Avani Vaish: avaish@thegef.org
Bo Lim: bo.lim@undp.org
Ravi Sharma: ravi.sharma@unep.org
Annie Roncerel: annie.roncerel@unitar.org
 

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) on the side is a special publication of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in cooperation with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat. This issue has been written by Fiona Koza < fiona@iisd.org >, Karen Alvarenga de Oliveira
< karen@iisd.org > and Hugh Wilkins < hugh@iisd.org >. The Digital Editor is David Fernau < david@iisd.org > the photographers are David Fernau and Leila Mead < leila@iisd.org > and the online assistant is Diego Noguera <diego@iisd.org>. The Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston James "Kimo" Goree VI < kimo@iisd.org >. Funding for publication of ENB on the side at UNFCCC SB-18 is provided by the UNFCCC Secretariat. The opinions expressed in ENB on the side are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD and funders. Excerpts from ENB on the side may be used in non-commercial publications only and only with appropriate academic citation. For permission to use this material in commercial publications, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services at < kimo@iisd.org >. Electronic versions of issues of ENB on the side from SB-18 can be found on the Linkages website at http://enb.iisd.org/climate/sb18/enbots/