Vol. 12 No. 220
Monday, 7 July 2003
UNFCCC WORKSHOPS ON SYNERGIES AND COOPERATION WITH
OTHER CONVENTIONS:
2-4 JULY 2003
The workshops on synergies and cooperation with
other conventions were held from 2-4 July 2003, at the Meripuisto
Hotel in Espoo, Finland. The workshops were organized by the
Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) workshop was
convened in response to a request made to the SBI by the seventh
session of the Conference of the Parties (COP), held in November
2001. The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA)
workshop was convened in response to a request made to the UNFCCC
Secretariat by SBSTA-17, held in October-November 2002. Sixty-seven
representatives of governments, intergovernmental organizations and
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended the workshops.
The SBI workshop focused on possible synergies
and joint action with other multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).
It convened in plenary sessions on Wednesday, 2 July, and in plenary
and working group sessions on Thursday morning, 3 July. On Wednesday
representatives of international organizations presented different
approaches to addressing synergies among MEAs, and participants
discussed synergies from the perspectives of preserving biodiversity
and combating desertification. On Thursday, participants met in four
working groups to discuss guiding principles for achieving
synergies, practical ways of achieving synergies at the national
level, the international community's role in providing impetus to
achieving synergies, and ways in which the international community
can enhance synergies at the convention level. Participants later
reconvened in the plenary to identify such possible synergies and
actions.
The SBSTA workshop addressed cooperation with
other conventions. It convened in plenary sessions on Thursday
afternoon, 3 July, and on Friday, 4 July. On Thursday, government
representatives provided an overview of national experiences in
achieving synergies between conventions, and the first of four
panels on cross-cutting areas under the UNFCCC, the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention to Combat
Desertification (CCD), (the Rio conventions), convened to discuss
technology transfer, education and outreach, and capacity building.
On Friday, panel discussions were held on the cross-cutting themes
of research and systematic observation, reporting, and impacts and
adaptation.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNFCCC AND THE WORKSHOPS ON
SYNERGIES AND COOPERATION
Climate change is considered one of the most
serious threats to the world's environment, with negative impacts
expected on human health, food security, socioeconomic development,
water and other natural resources, and physical infrastructure.
Global climate varies naturally, but scientists agree that rising
concentrations of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in the
Earth's atmosphere are leading to changes in the climate. According
to the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), the effects
of climate change have already been observed. Despite some lingering
uncertainties, the majority of climate scientists believe that
prompt and precautionary action is necessary.
The international political response to climate
change began with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). Adopted in 1992, the UNFCCC sets out a framework for
action aimed at stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse
gases to avoid "dangerous interference" with the climate system. The
greenhouse gases to be limited include methane, nitrous oxide and,
in particular, carbon dioxide. The UNFCCC entered into force on 21
March 1994, and currently has 188 Parties. In 1997, Parties adopted
the Kyoto Protocol that includes targets and timetables for reducing
greenhouse gas emissions.
SYNERGIES: Cooperation with MEAs is an
important dimension to the UNFCCC process, with cooperation with
relevant international organizations being a standing item on the
SBSTA agenda. UNFCCC Article 7.2(l) notes that the COP shall "seek
and utilize, where appropriate, the services and cooperation of, and
information provided by, competent international organizations and
intergovernmental bodies," and Article 8.2(e) provides that the
Secretariat shall "ensure the necessary coordination with the
secretariats of other relevant international bodies." Cooperation
between conventions was first considered by SBSTA-5, and from
SBSTA-10 onwards the substantive linkages between the Rio
conventions have been emphasized. At SBSTA-14, held in July 2001,
Parties discussed a proposal presented by the Chair of the CBD
Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA)
on potential areas of cooperation between the CBD and the UNFCCC.
Based on this proposal, the SBSTA endorsed the formation of a Joint
Liaison Group (JLG) between the CBD and UNFCCC Secretariats, and
invited the CCD Secretariat to participate in the group. The aim of
the JLG is to enhance coordination between the secretariats of the
Rio conventions and explore options for further cooperation, such as
a joint work plan. The SBSTA also supported a request made by the
CBD SBSTTA to the IPCC to develop a technical paper on biodiversity
and climate change and called on the IPCC to consider relevant
linkages between climate change, biodiversity and desertification.
SBSTA-16, held in June 2002, took note of the
JLG's first progress report and noted that collaboration should
facilitate synergies towards national-level implementation of the
Rio conventions. SBSTA-17 agreed on the terms of reference of the
SBSTA workshop and recommended the adoption of decision 13/CP.8. The
COP adopted this decision at its eighth session, affirming the need
for enhanced cooperation between the Rio conventions, requesting the
SBSTA to continue cooperation with the CBD SBSTTA and the Committee
on Science and Technology of the CCD, and urging the JLG to continue
its efforts to enhance coordination between the Rio conventions and
their secretariats. Regarding guidance for the SBI workshop,
decision 5/CP.7 on the implementation of Article 4.8 and 4.8
(adaptation and mitigation), also requested the UNFCCC Secretariat
to organize a workshop on possible synergies and joint action with
other multilateral environmental conventions and agreements, such as
the CCD, and to report the results of the workshop to COP-9.
REPORT OF THE WORKSHOPS
Sirkka Hautojarvi, Secretary-General of Finland's
Ministry of Environment welcomed participants and said synergies
between conventions are central to ensuring the cost-effective
allocation of sparse financial resources. She stressed that work on
consumption and production patterns provides an overarching goal
that can facilitate convergence of conventions.
SBI Chair Daniela Stoycheva introduced the SBI
workshop theme of maximizing synergies between the Rio conventions
and said that MEA implementation is an important concern for the
international community.
SBSTA Chair Halldor Thorgeirsson said the SBSTA
workshop aimed at providing guidance on how best to realize
synergies between conventions and noted that its results would be
used by the Subsidiary Bodies in their work. He drew attention to a
request to promote cooperation between the subsidiary bodies of the
Rio conventions.
Janos Pasztor, UNFCCC Secretariat, noted past and
present efforts in promoting synergies between the Rio conventions
and in fostering dialogue among Parties to the conventions. He
thanked the Governments of Finland, Norway and Switzerland for
funding the workshops.
SBI WORKSHOP
During the SBI workshop, participants convened in
plenary and working groups to discuss different approaches to
addressing synergies, consider synergies from the perspective of
preserving biodiversity and combating desertification, and identify
possible synergies and joint action with other MEAs.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING SYNERGIES
AMONG MEAS
During this session, held Wednesday morning, 2
July, and chaired by Daniela Stoycheva, representatives of
international organizations gave presentations on different
approaches to addressing synergies among MEAs, and workshop
participants discussed such approaches.
PRESENTATIONS FROM INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
Vijay Samnotra, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),
outlined UNEP's work in improving the effectiveness of MEA
implementation, including, inter alia:
-
harmonizing national reporting;
-
developing compliance and enforcement
guidelines that focus on institutional coordination at national
and international levels;
-
building capacity, providing
information and training;
-
supporting national action plans; and
-
developing a synthesis report on the
implications of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD)
for MEAs.
Noting a new project on achieving synergies
between conventions in Africa, he said that work on information and
awareness raising can be effective only if it addresses the Rio
conventions jointly. Responding to a participant who expressed
concern over the process of developing compliance and enforcement
guidelines, he said that the guidelines were adopted after extensive
consultations with all parties involved in implementation.
Khalid Hussain, United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP), stressed the importance of integrating climate
change considerations into poverty alleviation strategies and
highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in
implementation. He said that UNDP focuses on adaptation and
mitigation measures within a sustainable livelihoods framework.
Hussain outlined UNDP's work related to synergies between
conventions, including an inter-agency paper on poverty and climate
change, which explores adaptation measures and addresses synergies
between conventions at all levels.
Avani Vaish, Global Environment Facility (GEF),
outlined the GEF's policy framework and its efforts to promote
synergy and harmonization of country-level action. He said that
while the GEF can provide feedback on the convention processes, it
is the responsibility of Parties to identify synergies and determine
approaches to their development. He highlighted some of the
multi-focal activities, which the GEF continues to prioritize,
noting that substantial resources are allocated for this and for
cross-cutting capacity building between 2004 and 2006. In response
to a question regarding GEF support to the conventions, he said that
there is no correspondence between the role of the GEF as a
financial mechanism and the allocation of resources, noting that
resource allocation is based on the focal areas.
Jerry Velasquez, United Nations University (UNU),
outlined UNU's Interlinkages Initiative that involves national and
regional case studies and analytical research on the role of
interlinkages in compliance and enforcement. Among lessons learned,
he noted that countries have varied responses and approaches to
synergies, institutional roles and responsibilities are often
confusing and conflicting, social challenges to synergies such as
nepotism and turf wars are enduring, and donor-driven activities are
not always coordinated. Velasquez stressed that synergies should not
be imposed but be demand-driven, should add value and support
sustainable development.
In her presentation, Annie Roncerel, United
Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), discussed the
legal and institutional prescriptions for the implementation of the
Rio conventions and outlined various UNITAR country-based
initiatives. She noted that UNITAR's efforts include comparing data
needs for implementation of conventions at the country level and
stressed the need for a data-sharing agreement between ministries.
Roncerel highlighted a UNITAR capacity-building effort, involving
implementing agencies in the formulation of National Capacity Needs
Self Assessment (NCSA) initiative.
Maria Socorro Manguiat, World Conservation Union
(IUCN), noted that approaches to synergies adopted by the IUCN have
included examining how the Rio conventions can synergize to
contribute towards the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
Programme of Work. She said that IUCN aims to more effectively
incorporate climate change into future surveys of species survival
and noted that the IUCN Task Force on Climate Change, Vulnerable
Communities and Adaptation seeks to strengthen the role of ecosystem
management. Manguiat stated that the objectives of the IUCN Climate
Change Strategy include: informing governments and the public about
climate change impacts; promoting strategies to reduce vulnerability
and adapt to climate-related disasters; and advancing
environmentally-sound approaches to climate change mitigation.
Nick Davidson, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands,
said the Ramsar Convention commits Parties to wisely use wetlands,
designate and manage wetlands of international importance and
cooperate at the international level. He outlined cooperation
between the Ramsar Convention and other global and regional
conventions and agreements, including the Rio conventions, the
Convention on Migratory Species, the World Heritage Convention and
the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea
against Pollution. He highlighted the global nature of most joint
activities and stressed the need to enhance national-level
collaboration. Davidson outlined global-scale challenges including
developing multi-convention work plans, analyzing common issues and
overlap of national implementation requirements, identifying
conflicting national requirements under different conventions, and
streamlining national reporting.
Carlos Corvalan, World Health Organization (WHO),
noted an existing gap between the work of the conventions and the
health sector. Calling for an ecological perspective to address
public health, he enumerated the negative health impacts of
environmental problems such as air and water pollution, ozone
depletion, persistent organic pollutants, biodiversity loss,
desertification and salinization. Corvalan stressed that there is
great scope for the WHO to work with the Rio conventions.
DISCUSSION: Clarifying the purpose and
mandate of the discussion, Chair Stoycheva explained that while the
SBSTA had provided a clear mandate, the SBI's guidance was not
precise. She said that Parties would determine the use of the SBI
workshop's results at a later stage. SBSTA Chair Thorgeirsson added
that the synergy discussions involve not only the Subsidiary Bodies
but also the convention secretariats that focus on the overall
strategic level.
Janos Pasztor said the workshops were a forum for
information sharing and noted that it was not expected to make
recommendations. One participant expressed preference for presenting
the results of the workshops to the SBI and SBSTA as
recommendations.
Participants then discussed the need for more
synergies at the international level, noting that there are over 500
existing MEAs. One participant stressed the importance of
identifying appropriate governance of the synergy process and
suggested broadening participation in the JLG to secretariats of
other conventions, while another expressed skepticism over the
potential overlaps between existing processes.
Another participant underlined the need to
distinguish between synergies created for saving costs rather than
synergies for creating value. A third suggested defining indicators
across conventions, which could be used in the definition of core
data sets.
BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY PERSPECTIVES
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: David Cooper, CBD,
provided examples of the CBD's cooperation with other conventions,
including: the establishment of joint work programmes with the CCD
and the Ramsar Convention; cooperation on work programmes with the
FAO; and formal recognition of the role of other agreements,
including the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for
Food and Agriculture and the International Plant Protection
Convention. He identified three categories of common interests where
synergies could be possible: biodiversity-linked measures to
mitigate climate change; adaptation measures to mitigate impacts of
climate change on biodiversity; and climate change adaptation
measures. Cooper noted that CBD COP-5 urged the UNFCCC to take all
actions to reduce effects of climate change on coral bleaching,
called on CBD Parties to explore how incentive measures under the
UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol can support CBD objectives; and requested
SBSTTA to provide scientific advice to integrate biodiversity
considerations into the implementation of the UNFCCC and the Kyoto
Protocol. He concluded that: there are significant opportunities for
climate change mitigation and adaptation, while enhancing
biodiversity conservation; land use, land-use change and forestry
activities can play an important role in reducing net greenhouse gas
emissions; and that biodiversity conservation and maintenance of
ecosystem structure and function can contribute to adaptation
strategies.
PANEL DISCUSSION: Outi Berghäll, Ministry of
Environment, Finland, emphasized the usefulness of the IPCC
Technical Report on Climate Change and Biodiversity and noted that
the process of creating interlinkages is being addressed under a
more systematic framework. Alfred Apau Oteng-Yeboah, Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana, highlighted that the Rio
conventions adopt different approaches to fulfilling similar
functions. Ines Verleye, Federal Office for Consumer Protection,
Public Heath and Environment, Belgium, said that synergies should be
developed through both top-down and bottom-up approaches and
stressed the need for the JLG to engage in more specific actions to
improve information sharing. Stas Burgiel, Defenders of Wildlife,
said synergies are desirable within each convention as well as among
conventions. He stressed the need to harmonize terminology used in
the context of different conventions, and suggested broadening the
use of impact assessments, communicating the resulting information,
monitoring incentives, and using the knowledge of indigenous
communities.
In the ensuing plenary discussion, participants
underscored the difficulty of measuring coherence, highlighted the
importance of international institutions in this process, and noted
the challenge of adopting a broader approach to synergies. They
noted that synergies promote coherence and transparency and
commended that the SBI workshop's objective was to exchange
information, rather than streamline convention-specific issues into
other conventions.
DESERTIFICATION PERSPECTIVES
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Grégoire de
Kalbermatten, CCD Deputy Executive Secretary, spoke on promoting
synergies at the national level. He identified key driving forces
for creating synergies, including convergence of environment and
development objectives, and the search for commonalities and
coalition building among relevant actors. He said the CCD
Secretariat aims at strengthening institutional linkages and
supporting country-driven initiatives such as national workshops to
strengthen coordination at local levels and facilitating dialogue
among key stakeholders. He noted that Parties to the CCD have
identified recommendations, including:
-
integrating action programmes of
environmental conventions;
-
linking national action plans and
national adaptation programmes of action;
-
establishing liaisons between focal
points of the conventions and GEF operational focal points through
integrated project development;
-
developing technical and financial
strategic alliances; and
-
increasing the number of national
synergy workshops.
Stressing the absence of a CCD financial
mechanism and highlighting the beneficial linkages between poverty
reduction, biodiversity and desertification, de Kalbermatten called
for making CCD projects eligible for GEF funding.
PANEL DISCUSSION: Javier Gonzales, National
Climate Change Programme, Bolivia, stressed the importance of
finding approaches to respond to different conventions' needs. He
underscored the role of water management in addressing climate
change and desertification, the importance of institutional
capacities, and commitment from the international community to
support national- level synergy development.
Stressing the need to consider ecosystems other
than forests, Gisela Alonso Dominguez, Environmental Agency, Cuba,
underlined the role of coastal management in combating
desertification, addressing climate change and preserving biological
diversity. She underscored the role of traditional knowledge and
South-South cooperation, and added that while desertification was
often perceived as a local problem, it had ramifications for global
stability. She expressed hope that the GEF would be approved as the
CCD financial mechanism.
Halldor Thorgeirsson, speaking in his capacity as
representative of the Ministry of Environment, Iceland, outlined the
impacts of desertification in Iceland and the links between the Rio
conventions and their relation to different ecosystems. He stressed
the need for an ecosystem approach to defining synergies and said
synergies will not be possible if there are fundamental differences
in understanding the reality of the interlinkages.
Pierre Du Plessis, Namibia Committee on Climate
Change, noted that the UNFCCC focuses on the global, the CBD focuses
largely on the national and the CCD on the local level and said this
is reflected in the resources made available for their
implementation. He said that sustainable development is feasible
only if it is compatible with the market system. On institutional
capacity building, he stressed the importance of enhancing local
capacities.
In the subsequent plenary discussion,
participants stressed the need to identify ways of obtaining
international support to implement existing national-level
programmes. One participant called for the adoption of concrete
projects that address commitments under different conventions.
POSSIBLE SYNERGIES AND JOINT ACTION WITH OTHER
MEAS
On Wednesday, 3 July, participants convened in
four parallel working groups to stimulate a more free-flowing
discussion on several key questions outlined by the SBI workshop
Chair, relating to possible synergies and joint action with MEAs.
The working groups included participants from developing and
developed countries, and representatives from intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations, and addressed an identical set of
questions. The results of the working groups were reported to the
plenary, where discussion continued. The questions raised in the
working groups, participants' responses and the resulting plenary
discussion are set out below.
WHAT PRINCIPLES SHOULD GUIDE EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE
SYNERGIES? Participants identified sustainable development as
the overall guiding principle, together with transparency,
subsidiarity and efficient resource use, and highlighted operational
principles, including: capacity building, compliance, coherence, and
coordination. Participants underscored the need to adopt an
ecosystem approach, avoid duplication of activities, and ensure the
environmental integrity of the Rio conventions while maintaining
their legal distinctiveness. They also stressed that synergies
should contribute to efficient and effective implementation of the
Rio conventions, add value, be implemented at appropriate levels and
promote cooperation. Participants agreed that while opportunities
for synergies exist at the local level, the international community
needs to build national-level awareness and capacity. Noting that
current efforts to create synergies are compartmentalized by
conventions, one participant stressed that the search for synergies
should be problem-driven and not convention-driven.
WHAT ARE PRACTICAL WAYS TO ACHIEVE SYNERGIES AT
THE NATIONAL LEVEL? Participants agreed on the importance of:
-
involving high-level politicians and
stakeholders;
-
balancing bottom-up and top-down
approaches;
-
incorporating synergies into national
strategies;
-
facilitating communication between
national focal points for different conventions and agencies
responsible for their implementation;
-
using the ecosystem approach at the
national level; and
-
establishing and strengthening
clearing-house mechanisms.
Participants underscored the importance of
incentives to focus on the long-term goals of the Rio conventions,
rather than on more immediate objectives. They agreed that different
approaches are needed at different levels, and that local efforts
and practices need to be identified in a gradual and incremental
way. They also stressed the importance of recognizing and creating
enabling environments for improving donor funding, developing strong
legal frameworks, building political will, and raising awareness.
WHAT ROLE SHOULD THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PLAY
IN PROVIDING IMPETUS TO ACHIEVE SYNERGIES? Participants noted
the importance of learning by doing, and said that the international
community should play a catalytic rather than a prescriptive role,
and provide technical advice. They emphasized the need for
international funding for national-level synergy initiatives. Some
suggested that partnerships be created between international
agencies with similar mandates, and called on the UNEP Environmental
Management Group to address synergies. Others noted the need to
identify best practices, encourage regional solutions, develop local
expertise, and optimize reporting requirements. Participants
identified bodies and institutions, which should be involved in
synergies, including regional organizations, the UN Commission on
Sustainable Development, and the UNEP Governing Council.
HOW CAN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ENHANCE
SYNERGIES AND INTERLINKAGES AT THE CONVENTION LEVEL?
Participants agreed on the importance of developing specific terms
of reference for the JLG. They also suggested promoting
national-level synergy workshops and convening side events on
synergies at Subsidiary Body meetings and underscored the need for
coherence between convention-specific scientific processes. They
suggested learning from issues where consensus had been reached
under other conventions, while others cautioned that the
applicability and relevance of concepts and issues may differ.
PLENARY DISCUSSION: Facilitator Kilaparti
Ramakrishna, Woods Hole Research Center, noted that recommendations
emerging from the working group discussions could be grouped into
intergovernmental mechanisms, interagency coordination,
national-level cooperation among focal points, and other
interventions. He said that despite existing studies and agency
activities, progress on achieving synergies is weak.
One participant underscored that the search for
synergies is a rational approach to efficiency and not a hidden
agenda to reduce development assistance. Another stressed the
importance of comprehensive approaches to convention implementation,
calling for developing concrete policy projects and more specific
cooperation among COPs. One participant stressed the need to focus
on synergy activities at the national level, and, referring to a
UNITAR project, said that the primary role for the international
community is to promote national-level integration and coordination
among focal points.
Participants noted the need for a common
framework for the ecosystem approach. They emphasized that
governments have ultimate responsibility for synergy creation and
underscored the importance of coordination. In response to a
question on how synergies with non-environmental conventions can
minimize conflict with environmental issues, one participant
stressed the need for mutually supportive synergies between all
conventions and agreements. The working group rapporteurs emphasized
recommendations that the value-added of synergies be long term,
representatives of lending agencies be involved in future
discussions on synergies, and that MEAs have a legal standing
similar to that of the World Trade Organization.
SBI CHAIR'S CONCLUSIONS
Summarizing the key points of the discussions,
Chair Daniela Stoycheva said that synergies have an important role
to play in furthering sustainable development and noted that they
add value. She said synergies should be built at local and
international levels and noted that the SBI workshop's findings will
be made available to the next session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary
Bodies.
SBSTA WORKSHOP
Participants convened in plenary sessions for the
SBSTA workshop, chaired by SBSTA Chair Halldor Thorgeirsson, to hear
presentations on national experiences in achieving synergies and to
discuss cross-cutting issues under the Rio conventions, including:
technology transfer, education and outreach, and capacity building;
research and systematic observation; reporting; and impacts and
adaptation.
On Thursday afternoon, 3 July, Chair Thorgeirsson
opened the SBSTA workshop, saying that the workshop aimed to prepare
guidance to national focal points, enhance cooperation and
coordination between focal points, and identify options for
increased cooperation. He outlined the legal basis for cooperation
between the Rio conventions and reviewed relevant SBSTA activities.
He noted that cooperation between conventions was first taken up by
SBSTA-5, and that from SBSTA-10 onwards, the substantive linkages
between the UNFCCC, CBD and CCD were emphasized. He noted that the
SBSTA considered this issue in detail for the first time at its 14th
session, where it stressed the need for enhanced cooperation and the
importance of coordination at the national level, endorsed the
formation of the JLG, and supported the CBD SBSTTA request to the
IPCC to compile a technical paper on interlinkages between
biodiversity and climate change. He summarized key conclusions
reached by the SBSTA, including that synergies be based on
coordination and cooperation, cooperation be carried out at the
national level, and that areas of cooperation include technology
transfer, education and outreach, reporting, and impacts and
adaptation.
Presentations on national experiences
Suhel al-Janabi, German Agency for Technical
Cooperation (GTZ), spoke on synergies and coordination in GTZ
projects in Mauritania, China and Tunisia. He said that early
warning systems, identification of vulnerability indicators, and
economic risk assessments represent linkages between the UNFCCC and
the CCD. On interlinkages between the UNFCCC and the CBD, he noted
that the ecosystem approach adopted by the CBD can be useful for the
UNFCCC. He recommended increased cooperation on the impacts of
adaptation measures and urged the GEF to link thematic areas. Al-Janabi
stressed that local-level action should address the Rio conventions
simultaneously, taking into consideration poverty alleviation,
economic and social development, combating environmental
degradation, and developing education and health policies.
Virginia Sena, Ministry of Environment, Uruguay,
stated that the National Capacity Self Assessment (NCSA) project in
Uruguay builds the capacity of national institutions. Sena said the
anticipated benefits of the NCSA include efficient resource use,
enhanced national domestic awareness and knowledge about the Rio
conventions, and greater opportunities for public participation in
these activities.
Gisela Alonso Dominguez, Environmental Agency,
Cuba, provided an overview of Cuba's natural resources,
environmental problems, and domestic environmental laws and
institutions. Dominguez drew attention to Cuba's Committee on the
Environment, which oversees policy actions on all MEAs, and whose
principal goals include integral environmental management, pollution
reduction, enterprise management, and environmental education. She
outlined a hydrographical basins programme that integrates policies
on soil degradation, deforestation, waste, water management,
biodiversity, natural disasters, climate studies, health, education
and employment.
Outi Berghäll, Ministry of the Environment,
Finland, said that to achieve synergies, Finland has to focus on the
regional level and on forest owners in particular. She noted that
Finland addresses synergies through the Interministerial Committee
on Climate Change, the EU institutions and the National Council of
Sustainable Development. As a concrete example of an integrated
approach, she highlighted the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
Project, which is a comprehensive assessment of climate change and
its impacts on the Arctic Region.
Rawson Yonazi, Division of Environment, Tanzania,
presented an overview of the national efforts to address UNFCCC
provisions on adaptation, technology transfer, and education and
outreach. Describing the formal and informal processes of
institutional coordination, he noted that the Vice President's
office is the national focal point for the GEF, the Rio conventions,
matters relating to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and
poverty alleviation initiatives. He noted that most of the
conventions are implemented separately by sectoral ministries.
Yonazi said the main challenge in the work on synergies is
mobilizing resources for national synergy workshops, enhancing the
focal points' capacities, mainstreaming conventions into national
policies, generating information and establishing national
databases.
Dora Kulauzov, Ministry of Environment and Water,
Hungary, outlined the Hungarian experience in reinforcing synergies
among the Rio conventions. She listed a number of relevant laws,
programmes, and strategies, and discussed environmental, policy,
financial, and institutional aspects of synergistic approaches.
Kulauzov noted the need to, inter alia: take into account the
impacts of policies on all ecosystems, systematically observe the
state of the environment, conduct integrated assessments of proposed
policies, strengthen the scientific base of decision making, and
effectively use financial resources.
PANELS ON CROSS-CUTTING AREAS UNDER THE RIO
CONVENTIONS
Following keynote presentations, panels convened
to discuss the following cross-cutting areas under the Rio
conventions: technology transfer, education and outreach, and
capacity building; research and systematic observation; reporting;
and impacts and adaptation.
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND
CAPACITY BUILDING: Keynote Presentation: Jerry Velasquez, UNU,
outlined key challenges in implementing the Rio conventions with
regard to technology transfer, capacity building, and education,
awareness and training. He highlighted the need to increase
awareness, mainstream the conventions in national strategies,
enhance capacities to translate the convention provisions into
actions and establish information systems to support the fulfillment
of countries' obligations. He drew attention to linkages between the
Rio conventions relating to approaches adopted to achieve their
goals, the nature of their activities, and the information,
monitoring and reporting requirements. Velasquez highlighted similar
processes and mechanisms under the conventions relating to
technology transfer, capacity building, education, training and
awareness. He noted that the main challenges in addressing these
include the lack of awareness, the need to bridge the local and
global interface, involvement of all stakeholders, creation of
incentive systems and mobilization of technologies and financial
resources.
Panel Discussion: Joyceline Goco,
Environmental Management Bureau, Philippines, agreed that achieving
synergies should focus on national-level actions and stressed the
role of the international community in increasing institutional
capacity and technology transfer, developing education materials,
generating and sharing information, and raising awareness.
Alfred Apau Oteng-Yeboah, Council for Scientific
and Industrial Research, Ghana, noted that technology transfer can
be North-South, South-South, South-North and North-North, and
stressed that it can be effective only if there is an enabling
environment to receive and use the technology. He said that MEAs can
learn from non-MEA experiences, such as UNESCO's work on outreach
and awareness-raising.
In the subsequent discussion, one participant
drew attention to the IPCC Special Report on Technology Transfer and
encouraged relevant parties to consult it. Several participants drew
attention to developed-country projects and initiatives on
technology transfer. One participant highlighted the use of NGO
networks that exist within the framework of each of the Rio
conventions in creating public awareness. He referred to the role of
the Global Biodiversity Forum in creating dialogue between different
stakeholders.
RESEARCH AND SYSTEMATIC OBSERVATION:
Keynote Presentation: William Westermeyer, Global Climate
Observing System (GCOS) Secretariat, emphasized the importance of
high-quality, long-term observation data to address the needs of the
Rio conventions, and outlined the GCOS strategies and global
networks for observing atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial systems.
Based on past experience, he recommended, inter alia:
adhering to the GCOS Climate Monitoring Principles for in situ
and satellite systems; improving data exchange and availability;
and building capacity and improving observation systems by creating
a donor fund and developing a global observation framework for
defining regional impacts. He stressed the need for global-level
initiatives and for a regional approach to observation and
implementation.
Panel Discussion: Outi Berghäll, Ministry of
Environment, Finland, stressed the need for: policy-relevant cross-sectoral
research; dialogue between policy makers and researchers at national
and international levels; and the representation of developing
country views in developed countries. Referring to the technical and
policymakers' summaries of the IPCC Third Assessment Report and
similar research projects, she said they should be tailored to the
needs of policymakers at various levels.
Klas Österberg, Swedish Environmental Protection
Agency, presented an overview of Swedish forest monitoring
activities related to the Rio conventions. He outlined the Swedish
policies for nature conservation and described two initiatives where
the same inventories are used for different purposes under the
UNFCCC and CBD.
Underscoring the importance of a clear definition
of synergies, Jun Zhao, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China, noted
the differences between synergies and cooperation. He underlined the
need for research cooperation at national and international levels.
Awadi Abi Egbare, Togo, said that West African
countries lack observation equipment, data and capacity, and called
for bilateral and multilateral cooperation in this area. He stressed
the importance of data for socioeconomic and environmental impact
assessments, policy formulation and development planning.
In the ensuing plenary discussion, a participant
said that observation capacities relating to the Rio conventions are
disparate and expressed regret at the shortage of donor help and
financial resources. Participants underscored the need for more
specific core sets of biodiversity data and indicators and for
multidisciplinary analysis of data at the country level.
Summarizing the panel discussion, Chair
Thorgeirsson noted the considerable overlap between the needs of the
Rio conventions, insufficient observation systems, inadequate
policy-relevant data, and the need for an international mechanism to
devise standards for establishing terrestrial observation systems.
REPORTING: Keynote Presentation: Vijay
Samnotra, UNEP, outlined UNEP's activities on harmonizing
information management and reporting for biodiversity-related
treaties. He highlighted potential obstacles to harmonization,
including:
-
limited understanding of the link between focal
points at the national level;
-
jurisdictional conflicts between focal points;
-
inconsistent national-level reporting formats;
-
limited international-level funding and human
resources; and
-
Parties' different economic, legislative,
social, administrative and statistical systems.
He outlined ways to overcome these barriers,
including a clearer understanding of the conventions' objectives and
benefits at all levels, enhanced multilateral cooperation and
adoption of tested procedures for further implementation. Stressing
differences between streamlining and harmonization, he said benefits
of harmonization include improved awareness of national obligations,
identification of gaps in national legislation and enhanced linkages
between international monitoring agencies.
Panel Discussion: Diann Black-Layne,
Environment Division, Antigua and Barbuda, noted the different
reporting requirements under the Rio conventions, emphasizing the
varying degrees of difficulty in report preparation. She underscored
the need to mainstream reports, noting that they contribute to
fulfilling convention-specific commitments. She said that they also
serve as educational material for the Caribbean region.
Ines Verleyne, Federal Office for Consumer
Interests, Public Health and Environment, Belgium, stressed the need
for a more practical approach to synergies, which includes the
identification of potential conflicts. She proposed requesting the
Rio conventions' secretariats to identify overlaps between reports
and their potential synergistic uses. Verleyne said as the reports
influence project funding, they should be compiled along with the
financing institutions.
Dora Kulauzov, Ministry of Environment and Water,
Hungary, said that institutional cooperation on reporting in Hungary
is constrained by the lack of data, duplication of efforts, and
limited exchange of data between domestic agencies. She said the
different deadlines for report submission under MEAs affect the
comparability of the data and reduce domestic interagency
coordination.
Álvaro José Rodríguez, Ministry of Environment,
Colombia, supported the need to streamline the reports' contents and
synchronize their submission timing, but noted that simultaneous
reporting would burden national institutions. He highlighted his
country's lack of success in:
-
integrating convention implementation
into policy development;
-
coordinating national policies with
regional and local-level policy;
-
building capacity with practical
applicability; and
-
harmonizing information systems.
José Romero, Swiss Agency for the Environment,
Forests and Landscapes, noted that there is a need to, inter alia:
bridge the gap between different conventions through reporting;
harmonize reporting and report-timing for MEAs; and improve
reporting on issues relevant to desertification.
In the ensuing plenary discussion, one
participant commented on the need for improved reporting guidelines
and cautioned against over-harmonizing reporting. Another suggested
that report harmonization could reduce duplication of efforts.
Another stated that there may be potential for conflict of interests
between those preparing and relying on the reports for funding, and
those advocating harmonization. He questioned the absence of the CCD
in the UNEP report harmonization exercise.
One participant stressed the need for strategic
use of the reports and called for "preventive reporting," whereby
policies and measures proposed under one convention are analyzed in
the context of related conventions. Another participant said that
while interlinkages between conventions are desirable, reporting
requirements remain specific to environmental issues that are
distinct from each other, and noted the funding implications. Avani
Vaish, GEF, informed participants that GEF provides financial
assistance to countries for assessing the state of their knowledge.
Summarizing the panel discussion, Chair
Thorgeirsson stressed the relevance of reports at the national and
international levels. He highlighted the difference between
streamlining and harmonizing, the former facilitating reporting and
the latter making data comparable. Thorgeirsson emphasized that
reports contribute to identifying potential synergies and conflicts,
and stressed the need for building national reporting capacity.
IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION: Keynote Presentation:
Avani Vaish, GEF, provided an overview of the GEF's work on climate
change adaptation. He said that the GEF addresses adaptation as a
cross-sectoral issue, and that its actions are both guided and
constrained by the COP's guidance. He said the GEF has addressed
adaptation through strengthening enabling environments including the
preparation of initial national communications and by incorporating
adaptation components into existing GEF projects.
Panel discussion: Susan Edwards, Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand, presented an overview of
forestry policies in New Zealand. She stressed that these policies
integrate biodiversity, forestry and climate change concerns. Among
lessons learned, she listed the need for cooperation in achieving
multiple objectives related to climate change and biodiversity, and
the importance of developing good working relations among focal
points.
Javier Gonzales, National Climate Change
Programme, Bolivia, highlighted the challenge of applying lessons
from successful local experiences to regional and subregional
policies. He stressed the need for domestic institutional frameworks
that provide market incentives for maintaining environmental
services. He also noted the importance of enhancing local scientific
capacity and using traditional knowledge to facilitate adaptation.
Noting that climate change will have an impact on
biological diversity, Benoit Gauthier, Department of Foreign Affairs
and International Trade, Canada, underscored the need to devise
conservation strategies to address climate change impacts. He also
outlined climate change impacts on cultural diversity and stressed
the need for capacity building to facilitate adaptation, using
indigenous knowledge systems.
Karine Hertzberg, Norwegian Pollution Control
Authority, presented an overview of the work on impacts and
adaptation in Norway. She suggested that the IPCC Fourth Assessment
Report include a section on areas where synergies can be developed
between the Rio conventions.
Pierre de Plessis, Namibia Committee for Climate
Change, emphasized the role of indigenous technical knowledge.
Drawing attention to the fact that Namibia was implementing a
rights-based approach to land degradation, he said this could
classify as an adaptation activity. He expressed concern over
implementing adaptation in the context of a globalized economy and
stressed the role of public-private partnerships.
In the ensuing plenary discussion, one
participant said that acceptable levels of impacts depend in part on
the cost of adaptation. Another noted that enhancing ecosystem
resilience is important for all MEAs, and stressed the need to
develop effective and rapid adaptation tools and decision-making
procedures.
Chair Thorgeirsson summarized the discussion,
highlighting:
-
adaptation is a cross-sectoral issue because of
the multiple and diverse impacts of climate change;
-
actions on adaptation can accrue significant
benefits for a variety of socioeconomic sectors;
-
there is a need to strengthen adaptive
capacity; and
-
regional assessments and regional specificity
in global assessments are important.
He said climate change might render local
traditional knowledge that was accumulated under old climatic
conditions irrelevant.
CLOSING SESSION
Chair Thorgeirsson opened the closing session and
underscored the importance of regional assessment information. One
participant stressed the need for better information management,
noting that a gap exists between the international, regional and
local/indigenous knowledge levels. The usefulness of the CCD's
thematic regional and subregional networks for identification of
synergies was noted.
On the conventions' reporting requirements,
several participants stressed the need for communication between all
focal points, including the GEF focal points. One participant
suggested requesting the JLG or the Rio conventions' secretariats to
facilitate the production of joint information and to facilitate the
wide distribution of the conventions' reports.
Several participants supported the idea of
developing a checklist for identifying opportunities for synergies
and proposed harmonizing the reporting process as a way of
developing the checklist. One participant expressed reservations
over establishing a checklist of activities and suggested instead
listing scheduled work products. Some noted that the development of
synergies was an intense process and urged undertaking a practical
approach that starts with selected thematic areas such as forests
and land degradation and involves all stakeholders.
In summarizing the SBSTA workshop discussions,
Chair Thorgeirsson highlighted the need to determine ways to
facilitate information exchange on outcomes and products. He noted
that the consideration of synergies must be mainstreamed, and
appreciated the valuable input from different convention
secretariats and international organizations to the SBSTA workshop.
Regarding the report of the meeting, Thorgeirsson noted that the
proceedings of the workshop will be contained in the Earth
Negotiations Bulletin and will be accessible to all convention
focal points.
Janos Pasztor said the official SBI and SBSTA
workshop reports would be available on the UNFCCC website and would
be disseminated through the formal channels of the Executive
Secretary. He thanked the Government of Finland and
participants, and closed the workshops at 5:20 pm.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR
MEETING ON THE FURTHER ELABORATION AND GUIDELINES
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH: This meeting,
to be convened by the Convention on Biological Diversity, is
scheduled to take place from 7-11 July 2003, in Montreal, Canada.
For more information, contact: CBD Secretariat; tel:
+1-514-288-2220; fax: +1-514-288-6588; e-mail:
secretariat@biodiv.org;
Internet:
http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.asp?wg=ECOSYS-01.
SIXTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION
TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION (CCD): CCD COP-6 will be convened from
25 August to 5 September 2003, in Havana, Cuba. The sixth session of
the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee for the
Review of the Implementation of the Convention will also meet. For
more information, contact: CCD Secretariat; tel: +49-228-815-2802;
fax: +49-228-815-2898; e-mail:
secretariat@unccd.int;
Internet:
http://www.unccd.int/cop/cop6/menu.php.
THIRD WORLD CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE:
This conference will be held from 29 September to 3 October 2003, in
Moscow, Russian Federation. The conference will address key
scientific issues and policy responses to the problem of climate
change. For more information, contact: Organizing Committee; tel:
+7-95-255-2143; fax: +7-95-255-1707; e-mail:
wccc2003@mecom.ru; Internet:
http://www.wccc2003.org/index_e.htm.
21ST PLENARY SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL
PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE (IPCC): The 21st IPCC Plenary session
will be held on 3, 6, and 7 November 2003, in Vienna, Austria.
Sessions of IPCC Working Groups I, II, and III will meet from 4–5
November in Vienna. For more information, contact: IPCC Secretariat;
tel: +41-22-730-8208; fax: +41-22-730-8025; e-mail:
ipcc_sec@gateway.wmo.ch;
Internet:
http://www.ipcc.ch.
NINTH MEETING OF THE CBD SUBSIDIARY BODY ON
SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ADVICE: CBD SBSTTA-9
will be held from 10-14 November 2003, in Montreal, Canada. For more
information, contact: CBD Secretariat; tel: + 1-514-288-2200; fax:
+1-514-288-6588; e-mail: secretariat@biodiv.org; Internet:
http://www.biodiv.org/convention/sbstta.asp.
COUNCIL MEETING OF THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT
FACILITY (GEF): The GEF Council meeting will be convened from
19-21 November 2003, in Washington, DC, US. NGO consultations will
precede the Council meeting. For more information, contact: GEF
Secretariat; tel +1-202-473-0508; fax: +1-202-522-3240; e-mail:
secretariatgef@worldbank.org; Internet:
http://www.gefweb.org.
NINTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNFCCC:
UNFCCC COP-9 will be held from 1-12 December 2003, in Milan, Italy.
For more information, contact: UNFCCC Secretariat; tel:
+49-228-815-1000; fax: +49-228-815-1999; e-mail:
secretariat@unfccc.int;
Internet: http://www.unfccc.int
and
http://www.minambiente.it/cop9.
THIRTIETH MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE TO
THE RAMSAR CONVENTION: The 30th meeting of Ramsar's Standing
Committee will be convened from 12-16 January 2004, in Gland,
Switzerland. For more information, contact: Ramsar Secretariat; tel:
+ 41-22-999-0170; fax +41-22-999-0169; e-mail:
ramsar@ramsar.org; Internet:
http://www.ramsar.org/meetings.htm.
SEVENTH CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE
CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD): CBD COP-9 will be
convened from 9-20 February 2004, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For
more information, contact: CBD Secretariat; tel: + 1-514-288-2200;
fax: +1-514-288-6588; e-mail:
secretariat@biodiv.org;
Internet:
http://www.biodiv.org/convention/cops.asp. |