Lead Partner: Government of Indonesia - Ministry of Forestry - Government of Japan - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan - The Nature Conservancy (TNC) - Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Asia and the Pacific Summary: Asia Forest Partnership(AFP) promotes sustainable forest management in Asia through addressing the following 5 urgent issues;
- Good governance and forest law enforcement
- Developing capacity for effective forest management
- Control of illegal logging
- Control of forest fires
- Rehabilitation and reforestation of degraded lands
The partnership acts as a catalyst for already existing initiatives by increasing synergies and reducing duplication between programs and ongoing efforts. At this stage the AFP provides a formal framework for the exchange of information and experiences. Beyond strengthening existing programs this will facilitate joint identification of new programs and research needed.
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Lead Partner: Velo Mondial / Afribike Nederland
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The Partnership/Initiative will develop a working model in South Africa and in Europe / USA. to establish a Bicycle Refurbishing Industry target of realizing more cycling, contributing to:
* CO2 emission reduction / climate change control /improving air quality
* Road safety & overall traffic management
* Poverty relief
* Sustainable economical development
* Accessibility and Emancipation
* Health promotion
The key action objectives of the Partnership/Initiative are to enhance sustainable development and improve the quality of life in urban rural communities. The Partnership/Initiative contributes to these objectives, by facilitating the implementation of a more sustainable transport system with a significant share of cycling.
The bicycle is a clean, non-polluting mode of transport that consumes no fossil fuels and little space, but still, as an alternative to the private automobile, ensures mobility and accessibility. Facilitating cycling is essential in combating poverty, since it saves time and increases income generation opportunities. The Partnership/Initiative presents a broad practical framework for the facilitation of cycling.
Cycling policy directly relates to the Agenda 21 objectives. Its cross sectoral benefits for the World Summit on Sustainable development relate to the quality of life, economic growth and social equity in urban and rural areas. It promotes economic independence.
It is foreseen that a successful program, once working in Africa, could be replicated in other regions if interest is forthcoming. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Caribbean Summary: The main objective of this partnership is the effective protection of the natural heritage of the Caribbean region through the conservation and sustainable management of their natural biodiversity. This will be done through partnerships - a priority component of this initiative is the partnerships between regional organisations, national government agencies, international and national NGOs, local communities and wider civil society with interest in strengthening and upscaling initiatives that have shown to be successful. Objectives for the partnership include:
* Building capacity to provide support for the recording, compilation, and dissemination of traditional knowledge in order to maximising the benefits accruing to the countries and communities that own this knowledge, as well as focus on the application of this knowledge for the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources.
* Significantly increasing regional population awareness of the importance of biological resources, and what is required for protection of this vital resource. Public education and outreach is necessary to help increase public awareness and lay the foundation for community level participation. Awareness programmes will also be directed to traditional owners and potential users of traditional knowledge.
* Assist in the development of capacity at different levels for the identification, conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.
* Protecting traditional knowledge and IPR, enhancing income, and increasing the value of biological resources and local communities' traditional knowledge.
* Build capacity for the management of protected areas.
* Re-institutionalisation of traditional knowledge systems and traditional use of biological resources in the science, history and social components of formal and informal education curricula in the region. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Carribbean Summary: The overall goal for the partnership is "increased and strengthened capacity of regional tertiary institutions to provide skills for the sustainable manage their island environment and natural resources".
This partnership initiative is intended to further advance the development of graduate education in the area of environment and natural resources management. Previously completed training needs assessments and strategies provide the basis for continued development of University of the West Indies and specifically the Centre for Environment and Development to further capacity building as well as to strengthen collaboration and information sharing amongst training institutions and organizations across and beyond the Caribbean..
The proposed strategy for capacity building is based on promoting synergies, partnerships and collaborative delivery at all levels. It will encompass agreed levels and types of training activities and programmes derived from the Training Needs Assessment finding from the 1999/2000 UWICED regional survey recommendations, include training pathways, strategies to supporting research work, competency levels, train-the-trainer strategies and post-graduate level training delivery mechanisms, and ongoing education. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Australia - National Oceans Office
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Islands Summary: This initiative will be closely linked to the Pacific Islands Oceans Initiative (2003-2007), which aims to "assist with the implementation of the Pacific Islands Regional Oceans Policy, to harmonise and build upon ongoing oceans-related programmes implemented within the region, and to identify and implement coordinated programmes of action that will address all priority aspects of the policy".
Australia is also engaged in implementing a broad oceans policy, Australia's Oceans Policy, which provides the framework for integrated ecosystem-based planning and management for all of Australia's marine jurisdictions. The policy is currently being implemented, primarily through the development of regional marine plans.
Australia, through its National Oceans Office, would like to learn from and offer advice and guidance to CROP and the Pacific island countries and territories in relation to the implementation of the Pacific Islands Regional Oceans Policy. Australia recognises that many of the lessons learnt and challenges faced in the development and implementation of regional marine plans and other elements of Australia's Oceans Policy would be of interest to the Pacific. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Caribbean SIDS Summary: The main objectives of the partnership are to:
1) Strengthen the capacity of Caribbean SIDS sanitation systems to provide basic sanitation and health services in an efficient, affordable and accessible manner;
2) Prevent, control and treat related sanitation health problems;
3) Reduce environmental health threats through effective transfer, access and use of environmentally sound technologies;
4) Integrate the sanitation and health concerns of the most vulnerable populations into strategies, policies and programs for poverty eradication and sustainable development;
5) Protect sensitive ecosystems from pollution. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Caribbean SIDS Summary: The overall goal of this Partnership/Initiative is to boost the capacity of the poor to satisfy the basic needs within a sustainable livelihoods framework.
The secondary objectives include:
* To strengthen the capacity of Caribbean SIDS sanitation systems to provide basic sanitation and health services in an efficient, affordable and accessible manner;
* Preventing, controlling and treating related sanitation health problems;
* Reduction environmental health threats through effective transfer, access and use of environmental sound technologies;
* To integrate the sanitation and health concerns of the most vulnerable populations into strategies, policies and programs for poverty, eradication and sustainable development;
* To protect sensitive ecosystems from pollution. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM) - Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Caribbean Summary: Overall goal of the initiative is "to catalyse action and strengthen partnerships at all levels to enable increased understanding and capacity by the region's population to respond to climate change, climate variability and sea level rise".
Primary objectives for this initiative are:
* Strengthening or developing, in partnership with the wide array of stakeholders in each country, national capacity to provide oversight of adaptation initiatives proposed in response to climate change and sea level rise in support of sustainable development and vulnerability reduction.
* Support the introduction of graduate scholarship and research, specialised diploma and certificate training by the tertiary institutions across the region.
* Mainstreaming climate change and adaptation into planning at all levels.
* Mobilisation of resources for national and local level adaptation measures, including the transfer of technology. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Costa Rica - Costa Rican Tourist Board (ICT)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Latin America and the Caribbean Summary: The Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST), is one of the first systems, if not the first, to achieve the integration of the principle elements of sustainable tourism, analyzing good management practices, the environmental and social impacts of services, as well as the client's perception of image and the congruence between the service offered and the product's promotion. In its four years of operation in Costa Rica, CST has been able to objectively measure sustainability of operating businesses, improve business environmental and social practices, and motivate businesses to improve practices and clients to choose sustainable tourist businesses.
The main objective of this proposal is to transfer CST and make it fully applicable in other countries, in such a way that these countries can share a common foundation for promoting sustainability in tourism. This will achieve a number of goals: economies of scale, greater market recognition of the standard, increasing consumer awareness, and substantial improvement in the environmental and social impacts of tourism.
The widespread implementation of CST will produce direct individual benefits to businesses (reduced costs, increased occupancy, and better image) while offering substantial environmental and social guarantees to the local population. At a regional level, it serves as a unifier and a common basis for the promotion of sustainable tourism. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - U.S. Enivronmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Child survival hinges on having the basic needs to support life; among these, a safe and healthy environment is fundamental.However, children everywhere are negatively affected by adverse environmental conditions. Each year, at least 3 million children under age five die due to environment-related illnesses. Acute respiratory infections annually kill an estimated 2 million children under the age of 15 and as much as 60% of acute respiratory infections worldwide are related to environmental conditions. Diarrheal diseases claim the lives of nearly 2 million children every year; 80 to 90 percent of diarrhea cases are relates to environmental conditions, especially contaminated water and inadequate sanitation.
The United States is committed to improving children's health through increased collaboration among governments, non-governmental organizations, inter-governmental organizations, the private sector, communities, and UN agencies to protect children from environmental health threats. These environmental health threats include early childhood exposure to chemicals and toxic substances, unsafe and inadequate quantity of drinking water, lack of sanitation infrastructure and inappropriate hygiene, polluted indoor and outdoor air, and vector-borne diseases.
Such threats may lead to health effects ranging from developmental disorder and perinatal diseases, diarrhoeal diseases, respiratory diseases (e.g. asthma), insect-borne diseases (e.g. malaria) and unintentional injuries.
The goal of this multi-year initiative is to develop and use children's environmental health indicators to improve children's environmental health at global, regional, national and local levels. These indicators are similar to economic indicators and their development and reporting will help fill gaps between information on environment and information on health, putting into focus the special vulnerabilities of children. Ultimately, these indicators will help guide environment, health and development policy. Global children's environmental health indicators are effective tools to:
- Improve the quality of information available in order to facilitate the ability of policy-makers to improve environmental conditions for all children;
- Assess children's environmental health and monitor the success or failure of interventions to address children's environmental health problems; and
- Measure progress and contribute towards the achievement of the Millennium Development goals.
[more]
Lead Partner: Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) Center, Inc.
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Asia and the Pacific Summary: The CAI-Asia Partnership is a multi-sector forum on urban air quality in Asia where partners from different sectors can meet, exchange experiences and engage in dialogue on urban air quality with the aim to promote better urban AQM in Asian cities.
The main goals of the CAI-Asia Partnership are:
(i) Encourage the development and adoption of sound science as the basis of urban air quality management (AQM);
(ii) Stimulate the development and implementation of policies, programs and projects on urban air quality;
(iii) Review progress in urban AQM in Asia and outline future priorities for urban AQM; and
(iv) Foster coordination and cooperation with other regional programs and initiatives on urban air quality management in Asia.
[more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - U.S. Agency for International Development - The Coca-Cola Company
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have created a unique partnership to address community water needs in developing countries around the world. In conjunction with local USAID Missions and Coca-Cola system partners (foundations and bottling facilities), and with support from the Global Environment and Technology Foundation (GETF), the “Water and Development Alliance” (WADA) has committed $14.3 million (2005-2010) thus far to achieve the following objectives in countries where both partners work:
- Establish participatory, sustainable management of water and watershed resources for domestic and productive use and conserve the ecosystems and biodiversity they support;
- Increase the level of access to sustainable, improved sources of water and sanitation services in communities around the world;
- Increase institutional capacity and investments in basic infrastructure;
- Foster improved behaviors in human sanitation and hygiene for positive health impacts.
WADA makes a conscious effort to maximize its impact by aligning multiple goals and pooling diverse resources in creative ways. The alliance makes strategic value-added investments that complement existing long-term development programs of USAID in collaboration with other donors and host country governments. Through engagement with WADA, TCCC also promotes long-term changes in water stewardship within the production facilities of Coca-Cola, as local bottlers are increasingly engaged and demonstrate their commitment to corporate principles by making their own investments to improve water use and management. Building on this, Coca-Cola foundations are able to enhance the positive benefits of their charitable contributions by aligning their community development efforts with WADA projects. The result is a combined partnership impact that is far more than the sum of the parts. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Japan - Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. - Government of United States of America - U.S. Enivronmental Protection Agency (USEPA) - CLASP Secretariat - UNDP-GEF - United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) - United Nations Foundation (UNF)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Energy efficiency standards and labels (S&L) for appliances, equipment and lighting are the most cost-effective means to help countries limit energy demand while stimulating economic growth. The overall result of S&L is to reduce required investments in power plants and reduce fuel consumption for their operation with powerful economic gains (e.g., freeing up capital for investments in non-energy social infrastructure like schools, roads or hospitals) and environmental benefits (e.g., avoiding carbon emissions).
CLASP seeks to serve as the primary international voice and resource for policymakers and practitioners of energy efficiency standards and labeling for residential, commercial and industrial equipment and lighting in South and North countries worldwide. It promotes the cost-effective adoption of S&L throughout the world. The overall development objective of CLASP is to transform the manufacture and sale of appliances, equipment and lighting worldwide by the application of energy efficiency standards and labels so that countries develop in a more environmentally sustainable and economically efficient manner. This application engenders several steps including: 1) deciding whether and how to implement energy efficiency standards and labels, 2) developing a testing capability, 3) designing and implementing a labelling program and analysing and setting standards, 4) communicating with all stakeholders, 5) maintaining and enforcing compliance, and 6) evaluating the labelling and standards-setting program.
Worldwide, the use of energy in human activities related to buildings (including use of appliances, equipment and lighting) accounts for 34 percent of total energy consumption.
The direct outputs of the partnership are designed to lead to the adoption of energy efficiency standards and labels in the partner countries. In the process of achieving these outputs the project will build:
* institutional capability for developing, maintaining, and continuously upgrading efficiency standards and labels by providing direct technical assistance in at least 35 developing countries; and
* a network of collaborators around the world with a common mission, bringing attention and high priority to efficiency standards and labels within key development institutions. CLASP is open to all organizations and individuals who have the ability and interest to serve CLASP's mission and are willing to abide by CLASP's published Guiding Principles. CLASP is comprised of a small secretariat and a worldwide assembly of Sponsoring Partners who fund CLASP activities, Country Partners who are the recipients of CLASP services, Implementing Partners who provide CLASP services, and interested stakeholders as Affiliates.
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Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - U.S. Department of State - Government of United States of America - U.S. Department of State
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Central Africa- Congo Basin Summary: The Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) aims to promote the sustainable management of the Congo Basins' forests and wildlife by improving communication, cooperation, and collaboration among all the partners. It does not intend to create new institutions, but through the partnership forum and transparency and information sharing to assist partners and their associates to work better. Principal objectives include the preservation of the biodiversity and ecology of the forest and wildlife, placing their protection and use on a sustainable basis for the long-term benefit of the region's inhabitants. Examples of support contemplated or extended by partners include support for community-based sustainable forest and wildlife management, better timber harvesting and processing technologies, ecotourism, increasing capacity in public and private sectors, improvement of law and law enforcement infrastructures, realizing their contributions to the alleviation of poverty. Target themes are provided by an updated regional master plan being developed by the Conference of Ministers of Forests of Central Africa (COMIFAC).The Congo Basin forest is the second largest intact tropical forest in the world. It purifies the air and it catches, cleans, and sends to the ocean the waters from millions of hectares of pristine forests upon which the Congo Basin's inhabitants depend for their livelihood and survival. Within their forests are an incredible number of species of plants, trees, animals, and insects. The forest is a global treasure whose resources must be protected and conserved for the environmental and economic good of the citizens of the Congo Basin, of Africa, and for mankind. The forest is concentrated in six countries in the Congo Basin Region.
The framework for the Congo Basin Forest Partnership is the Yaounde Declaration which was agreed to in 1999 by central African heads of State. That framework aims to protect forests through the harmonization of forest policies, protected areas, regulations against poaching and the adoption of practices for sustainable forest use. It recognized the ecological significance of key mixed landscapes which are critical to longer term forest conservation and sustainable management
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Lead Partner: Government of Australia - Department of Environment and Heritage - Government of Japan - Ministry of the Environment - Wetlands International
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Asia and the Pacific Summary: This partnership provides a cooperative framework for conservation of migratory waterbirds and their inland and coastal habitats across the region. The partnership is guided by the Asia-Pacific Migratory Waterbird Conservation Strategy and associated Action Plans for conservation of Anatidae (Ducks, Swans and Geese), Cranes and Shorebirds. Each of these Action Plan calls for recognition of internationally important habitat for the relevant species group through inclusion in 'Site Networks'. The site network concept links internationally important sites across country boundaries and provides for exchange of information and training opportunities. It provides a powerful tool for cooperation to ensure that the chain of sites required by migratory birds along their migration route is conserved.
In order to achieve their potential, the site networks need to include at least 25% of internationally important sites across the migratory flyways. At present the networks include approximately 10% of internationally important sites. The WSSD partnership provides for expansion of the site networks across the region. [more]
Lead Partner: Future Harvest Foundation - Future Harvest Foundation
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Goals: To promote Science, Practice and Policy for Land Use Systems that Jointly increase Food Production, Reduce Rural Poverty, and Conserve Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services by catalysing:
* Research and land-use innovation with farmers and conservationists
* Capacity building
* Education and public awareness
* Enabling policies
* Resource mobilisation
Expected Results:
1. An international conference of ecoagriculture innovators
2. Support for on-going ecoagriculture field projects or community based initiatives
3. Identification and publicize communities managing successful ecoagriculture systems
4. Promotion of ecoagriculture education, training and capacity building
5. Promotion of information dissemination and thus public awareness of the potentials of ecoagriculture [more]
Lead Partner: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: - Building awareness on the importance of Education for rural people as a crucial step to achieve the Millennium goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education , gender equity and sustainable natural resources management
- Contributing to achieve the Education for All goals,
- Overcoming the urban/rural gap in education.
- Increasing access to basic Education for Rural People
- Improving the quality of basic Education for Rural People
- Fostering the national capacity to plan and implement ERP as part of National Education for All and Rural Development Plans.
- Building awareness on the importance of ERP as a crucial step to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals, and particularly, eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education and promoting gender equity.
[more]
Lead Partner: Government of Australia - Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources - Government of Mexico - Secretaria de Energia
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Asia and the Pacific Summary: The United Nations Economic and Social Councils notes that:
"Access to energy is crucial to economic and social development, and alleviation of poverty. Improving accessibility of energy implies finding ways and means by which energy services can be delivered reliably, affordably and in an environmentally sound and socially acceptable manner, particularly in meeting the energy requirements of developing countries, including their rural areas."
"Furthermore, accessibility of energy is conditioned by security of supply and demand as well as by market stability, all of which need to be addressed in terms of their regional and international dimensions, which include cross-border energy transport infrastructure, storage and shipment by tankers."
The EWG has long noted that ongoing initiatives must demonstrate added value in the context of the World Summit. As such, new partnership initiatives to be undertaken by the EWG, in the context of its ongoing activities, are particularly influenced by the need to improve accessibility to energy and the security of energy supplies.
In consideration of the challenges to improving accessibility to energy, and in response to the directives of APEC Energy Ministers, the EWG will pursue new initiatives to:
(a) Undertake longer-term actions to improve regional energy security
(b) Advance regional energy security through short-term actions
(c) Improve access to energy by addressing the barriers to the interconnection of power grids between APEC member economies
(d) Address sustainability through practical responses that encompass burning fuels more cleanly, capture and geological sequestration of carbon dioxide, the use of new and renewable energy technologies, and improving energy efficiency
(e) Explore new mechanisms for working more closely with international financial institutions to facilitate infrastructure development within the APEC region.
These activities will complement the EWG's ongoing efforts to diversify its energy mix, improve energy efficiency, deploy new and renewable energy technologies, promote clean energy, facilitate energy business and trade, improve data collection and information sharing and encourage private investment through policy and regulatory reform. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Italy - (Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea); - United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Rome
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The purpose of the Global Bioenergy Partnership is to provide a mechanism for Partners to organize, coordinate and implement targeted international research, development, demonstration and commercial activities related to production, delivery, conversion and use of biomass for energy, with a particular focus on developing countries. GBEP also provides a forum for implementing effective policy frameworks, identifying ways and means to support investments, and removing barriers to collaborative project development and implementation.
The Partnership's main objectives are to:
1. Create a global high-level policy dialogue on bioenergy, support national and regional bioenergy policy-making and market development, and facilitate international cooperation.
2. Favour more efficient and sustainable uses of biomass and develop project activities in the bioenergy field.
3. Foster the exchange of information, knowledge skills and technologies by identifying and promote potential areas of bilateral and multilateral collaboration.
4. Facilitate bioenergy integration into energy markets by tackling specific barriers in the supply chain.
5. Act as a cross-cutting initiative, working in synergy with other relevant activities, avoiding duplications.
[more]
Lead Partner: The Global Conservation Trust
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Global Conservation Trust is a public-private partnership whose goal is to establish an endowment fund that will provide a permanent source of funding for ex situ conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture around the world.
The goal of the Trust is also to assure the availability of genetic material that underpins the global food supply to all researchers and scientists in perpetuity. The Trust will permit international institutions and governments to keep three promises:
* In 1994, the International Agricultural Research Centres of the CGIAR made a commitment to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to hold the plant genetic resources collections housed in the Centres in trust for humanity;
* In 1996, 150 countries adopted the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, pledging to develop and support a rational system of ex situ genetic resources conservation;
* In 2001, 140 countries adopted the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, a promise to promote the development of an efficient and equitable global system of genetic resources exchange. [more]
Lead Partner: World Bank Group
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: This public-private Partnership supports the petroleum industry and national governments in their efforts to reduce the flaring of gas. The Initiative aims to supplement and strengthen efforts already underway, by mobilizing the petroleum industry, national governments, and development agencies in joint actions.
At this early stage of the Partnership, the Bank, in addition to the general global work of enhancing knowledge on gas flaring, disseminating best practices and developing standards, is in the process of identifying a number of specific countries where gas-flaring reduction is possible through a coordinated effort with the industry, and plans to ensure the cooperation from governments and national oil companies.
The Partnership intends to identify ways to overcome the barriers that currently inhibit flaring reduction investments through practicable and economic solutions, aiming to:
1. Improve the legal and regulatory framework for investments in flaring reductions
2. Improve international market access for gas
3. Provide Technical Assistance to develop domestic markets for flared gas
4. Develop financing mechanisms for gas flaring reduction projects
5. Disseminate information, including on international "best practices"
6. Promote the local small-scale use of gas (including LPG schemes) in areas where gas is now flared [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate General for Development Cooperation (DGCS) - Government of United States of America - U.S.A - The World Conservation Union (IUCN) - I.A.O. - Istituto Agronomico per l'Oltremare
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Main objectives: To make geo-referenced data and projects on the environment and natural resources worldwide more accessible, with emphasis on developing countries, as a contribution to consolidating the capacities of both institutional and private decision-makers to effectively and sustainably address their development pursuits. This important objective focuses on relevant planning and management challenges which emerge within the framework of current sustainable development constraints, as summarized hereafter.
Global concerns about food security for the growing populations in developing countries, environmental degradation, and climate change or variation, and civil unrest have underscored the need for consistent and timely biophysical and socio-economic geo-information. Technological approaches are now available to quantify, document, and disseminate information on fluctuations and trends in the environmental parameters and natural resources, climate, changes in vegetation cover, surface waters, wetlands, land quality (including degradation), desert margins, settlements and other land cover features at local, national, regional and global levels.
A number of land cover classification projects have been developed to provide for the growing demand for information at global and regional levels. For example, recent products include the global land-cover dataset (IGBP-DIS for coarse resolution information) and Africover in East Africa for detailed high-resolution assessments. These and other more localized projects produce potentially valuable information on the current status of the environment and natural resources which could help assess trends through time or predict and model future development scenarios. This information from diverse sources, however, can be applied more effectively toward meeting sustainable development needs especially relative to capacity building and applications.
There is a great need to bridge the digital and knowledge divide by consolidating the capacity of both institutions and local-level users to actually manage the technical implications of accessing, integrating, up-dating, and adding local value to geo-information that is used in decision-making. Specific regard must be given to the local and sub-national as well as regional and/or global levels in the provision of on-the-job training, the development of integrated databases, model development, networking, and remote sensing testing and interpretation. [more]
Lead Partner: Velo Mondial - Velo Mondial
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Partnership/Initiative will execute a 10 year program on each continent, to be evaluated mid term in 2006 and finally in 2012, aiming at the development, promotion and implementation of Cycling Master Planning in countries and cities all over the globe with the aim to contribute to:
* CO2 emission reduction / climate change control /improving air quality
* Road safety & overall traffic management
* Poverty relief
* Sustainable economical development
* Accessibility and Emancipation
* Health promotion
The key action objectives of the Partnership/Initiative are to enhance sustainable development and improve the quality of life in urban communities. The Partnership/Initiative contributes to these objectives, by facilitating national and local authorities to develop and implement a more sustainable transport system with a significant share of non motorized modes.
The bicycle is a clean, non-polluting mode of transport that consumes no fossil fuels and little space, but still, as an alternative to the private automobile, ensures mobility and accessibility. Facilitating cycling is essential in a pro-poor policy, since it saves time and increases income generation opportunities. The Partnership/Initiative presents a broad policy framework for the facilitation of cycling.
Cycling policy directly relates to the Agenda 21 objectives. Its cross sectoral benefits for the World Summit on Sustainable development relate to the quality of life, economic growth and social equity in urban and rural areas. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Australia - Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: To establish and sustain ocean data gathering, analysis and predictive systems for the marine environment, accessible to all nations, providing safer and more efficient ocean operations, improved safety and risk management in the marine environment and coastal seas, as well as an improved scientific and information basis for marine and ocean policy development.
The Project will establish a practical and effective approach to providing routine ocean services, supported through the initiatives and technology of developed nations, but delivering products that are widely accessible and of benefit to all coastal states. Products for the open ocean and coastal regions will contribute to and benefit marine ecosystem management, coastal ocean services and warnings, and safety and risk management for the oceans. GODAE will demonstrate the benefits of a cooperative, integrated approach to development of sustained infrastructure that can be shared and exploited by all nations. Coastal states will have immediate access to data and model interpretations of ocean currents and ocean conditions, much as is the case for weather prediction. Through 2003-2005, GODAE will demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of an integrated approach to oceans issues and provide a framework for informed decision-making and policy development. Ongoing and timely access to relevant information will enable early detection of environmental changes and reduce the uncertainties associated with management of the marine environment. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) - United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) -Technical Focal Point
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The goal of the WSSD GHS Partnership is to mobilize support and catalyze partnerships for coordinated activities at the global, regional and national levels to strengthen capacities in developing countries and countries in transition towards effective implementation of the GHS. In the medium and long-term, the Partnership is expected to lead to a decrease in environmental and human health related effects attributable to the use of hazardous chemicals. It thus makes a direct contribution to important objectives of sustainable development including protection of marginalized groups, protection of water supplies and drinking water, and poverty eradication.Specific objectives of the Partnership include mobilization of resources for:
* awareness raising, capacity assessment and GHS implementation at the regional level;
* awareness raising, capacity assessment and GHS implementation at the national level; and
* development of GHS guidance, training and resource material. [more]
Lead Partner: Energy Sector Management Assistance Program - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: GVEP brings together developing and industrialized country governments, public and private organisations, multilateral institutions, NGOs, civil society organizations, consumers, and others to increase access to energy services for those unserved and underserved in a manner that enhances economic and social development, and reduces poverty.
GVEP objectives are fourfold:
· To catalyse country commitments to energy for poverty reduction projects and programmes, and to guide policies and investment in this area.
· To bridge the gap between investors, entrepreneurs, and customers in the design, installation, and operation of replicable rural and peri-urban energy projects.
· To serve as a one-stop-shop for information, best practices, and lessons learned on the effective development and implementation of energy for poverty reduction projects and programmes.
· To create and maintain an effective Global Village Energy Partnership organisational structure.
[more]
Lead Partner: Global Water Partnership Secretariat
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Global Water Partnership is a working partnership among all those involved in water management: government agencies, public institutions, private companies, professional organizations, multilateral development agencies and others committed to the Dublin-Rio principles.
Today, this comprehensive partnership actively identifies critical knowledge needs at global, regional and national levels, helps design programs for meeting these needs, and serves as a mechanism for alliance building and information exchange on integrated water resources management.
The mission of the Global Water Partnership is to "support countries in the sustainable management of their water resources."
The GWP's objectives are to:
- Clearly establish the principles of sustainable water resources management,
- Identify gaps and stimulate partners to meet critical needs within their available human and financial resources,
- Support action at the local, national, regional or riverbasin level that follows principles of sustainable water resources management,
- Help match needs to available resources.
Although it is widely understood that water should be holistically managed, it was not until the Dublin Conference on Water and the Environment in 1992 and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 that a more comprehensive approach to water management was judged necessary for sustainable development. This awareness, together with the need for participatory institutional mechanisms related to water, called for a new coordinating organisation. In response to this demand, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) created the Global Water Partnership (GWP) in 1996.
This initiative was based on promoting and implementing integrated water resources management through the development of a worldwide network that could pull together financial, technical, policy and human resources to address the critical issues of sustainable water management. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Canada - Environment Canada
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The overall goal of the Health and Environment Linkages Initiative is to facilitate and enhance effective actions to reduce adverse environmental impacts on human health. The goals of the initiative can be defined as:
1) defining the specific requirements of decision-makers in environment and health particularly in developing countries;
2) making the necessary scientific information accessible to decision-makers;
3) adapting existing methodologies that support decision-making, so they are applicable in a range of settings;
4) training decision-makers and their support staff to use decision-support tools
5) carrying out pilot studies to gain hands-on detailed information, and to test and refine the tools developed; and,
6) support all phases of the initiative by communicating HELI's aims, activities and outputs, as well as relevant knowledge and experience gained, via appropriate media and media aids including the production and dissemination of a tool kit in both printed and electronic formats.
The tool kit would provide practitioners with comprehensive and accessible guidelines on how to reach evidence-based decision on issues with a potential health and environment linkage, and how to evaluate relevant outcomes. [more]
Lead Partner: Healthy Environments for Children Alliance Secretariat- World Health Organisation (WHO) - World Health Organization
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: HECA'S DRAFT MISSION STATEMENT: A world-wide alliance to intensify global action on environmental risks to children's health that arise from the settings where they live, learn, play and sometimes work, by providing knowledge, increasing political will, mobilizing resources, and catalysing intense and urgent action.
The aim of HECA is to build a global alliance to tackle key environment and poverty-related risks to children's health that are responsible for the loss of millions of healthy years of life each year. The Alliance will focus on, and catalyse action within the environments where children spend their time (i.e., the home, the school, and the community). Particular attention will be given to improving the home environment - traditionally neglected - but where children spend a major part of their young lives, and where the most significant health threats converge. In each setting, the alliance will focus on health risks associated with lack of access to clean water, to sanitation and to clean indoor air and outdoor air. It will also act to reduce risks associated with disease vectors, hazardous chemicals, and non-intentional injuries. Addressing the multiple risks in each setting will necessitate taking a holistic, integrated approach, as health risks are complex, and often interconnected. This approach also provides a framework to highlight the links between issues, and to facilitate action, in an integrated fashion, on the range of health risks in a given setting.
The Alliance will catalyze action that is both participatory and effective, stimulating a world-wide movement. It will concentrate initially on areas where it can add the most value - broadening in scope as it develops.
The Alliances core functions include:
* Ensuring advocacy and awareness raising;
* Providing knowledge, information exchange and expertise for decision-making;
* Promoting effective policies and action, at all levels, in all sectors;
* Supporting countries and communities in creating and maintaining healthy environments for children;
* Monitoring and evaluating progress. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Improves the care of people living with HIV/AIDS in heavily affected countries by increasing the capacity for training of HIV/AIDS care providers, including physicians, nurses, clinical administrators, and other key personnel. The IAETP enhances training capacity in the areas of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HIV disease, including the prevention of perinatal transmission and the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections, including TB. The IAETP also develops training and provides technical assistance on the planning, design, and management of regional or national HIV/AIDS training programs and HIV/AIDS care facilities and programs. Long-term technical support is provided by the IAETP to assist partners in the development of a highly trained cadre of healthcare providers and trainers. [more]
Lead Partner: The City of Knowledge Foundation - The City of Knowledge Foundation
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Panama Center for Sustainable Development is proposed as a strategic solution to the need for an integrated knowledge management system that take into account ecosystems behavior, the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability, and the relationship between local, regional and global processes and actions. The initiative will develop around five major objectives:
1. Promote and conduct interdisciplinary and interinstitutional research programs and activities aimed at supporting plans, policies, and the overall decission-making processes of sustainable development
2. Promote the exchange of experiences and the development of information systems necessary to spur sustainable development
3. Develop scientific and technical capabilities through specific educational and training programs aimed at the formulation and implementation of sustainable development plans, policies and actions
4. To provide a platform that integrates scientific, technological, institutional, legal, and other aspects required to support the decision making processes of sustainable development
5. To contribute to the analysis of trends in the global network of production, dissemination and utilization of knowledge for sustainable development
[more]
Lead Partner: International Coastal and Ocean Organization (ICO) - International Coastal and Ocean Organization (ICO) - Coastal States Organization (CSO)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: There is a need to:
Provide a technical support network for ICM, by identifying best practices, model program efforts, by encouraging "lesson-drawing" and interaction between practitioners and academics
Identify areas of mutual cooperation among academic institutions for research, exchange of faculty and students, "lesson-drawing" of successful ICM experiences, and organization of cooperative initiatives with governmental partners at both national and local levels to assist in the implementation of local coastal plans and in the formulation and implementation of national ocean/coastal policies in Exclusive Economic Zones.
Organize and carry out a program of exchange among subnational authorities in ICM to improve local practice
Monitor international treaty/agreement negotiations and other international fora relevant to ICM and identify issues impacting subnational ICM programs.
Influence key international treaty/agreement negotiations and other international fora through development of joint recommendations on the part of subnational ICM authorities [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - USDA Invasive Species Coordination Program - CAB International
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Globally, the cost of damage caused by invasive species has been estimated to be £1 trillion per year - close to 5% of global GDP. In developing countries, where agriculture accounts for a higher proportion of GDP, the negative impact of invasive species on food security as well as on economic performance, can be even greater.
Globalisation through increased trade, transport, travel and tourism (4Ts), will inevitably increase the intentional or accidental introduction of organisms to new environments, and it is widely predicted that climate change will further increase the threat posed by invasive species.
The partnership:
1) will develop a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge base that will be applied as a powerful reference source improving access to knowledge to assist in the identification of invasive species (IS), determine their impacts, help achieve rapid response to their effects, and deliver management and policy solutions;
2) enhance global knowledge of the threat of invasive species to native species and to native ecosystems;
3) develop a global, web-based Invasive Species Compendium (ISC);
4) commission and compile comprehensive global knowledge on invasive species covering all taxa found in agroecosystems and natural ecosystems;
5) promote and make accessible the ISC to train students and extension staff within national systems so they can manage invasive species more efficiently and effectively;
[more]
Lead Partner: International Land Coalition
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Land Alliances for National Development, or LAND Partnerships, constitute a global initiative to alleviate rural poverty by strengthening country-level collaboration between state, civil society, bilateral and international stakeholders. This collaboration is needed to: a) achieve participatory dialogue; b) improve policy formulation; c) establish joint action to secure resource tenure for households with user rights; and d) increase access to land by the landless and near-landless.
While the resource poor seek a more active role in decision-making, many governments are also recognizing the benefits of robust, stakeholder discussion and, in some cases, collective decision-making. In many countries, this requires new arenas and mechanisms for dialogue. LAND Partnerships respond to this challenge by helping countries to create new ways and means for both those affecting and those affected by decisions about land to work together. LAND Partnerships will help to widen participation, foster open debate and facilitate negotiation at both the national and the community levels.
Furthermore, LAND Partnerships are a means to replicate the best practices learned in one community to other communities for wider benefit. Also, where scaling-up is accomplished, it may be more likely that this experience can be validated as a basis for national policy consideration. More importantly, LAND Partnerships are an opportunity for all parties to move from individual to collective roles, and thereby capture potential synergy.
Since the launch in 2002, the Coalition has been actively promoting LAND in the over 35 countries where it has programmes. The initial goal is to establish LAND Partnerships in a geographically balanced range of pilot countries. These pilot LAND Partnerships are envisioned as focal points to stimulate extension of the concept into surrounding countries.
LAND Partnerships will be developed in response to invitations from governments together with an expressed interest by civil society. The Coalition will support local implementation capacity for all stakeholders involved ¿ civil society, governments and intergovernmental partners. LAND Partnerships will build upon existing and emerging initiatives and activities.
In addition, the Coalition's role will be to foster collaboration and the sharing of lessons with other countries in order to either launch LAND Partnerships in these countries, or to help create the conditions conducive to the subsequent establishment of LAND.
[more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - City and County of Honolulu - Government of United States of America - City and County of Honolulu
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Asia and the Pacific Summary: The APUI Mayors' Commitments Program is a leadership capacity-building program. It will provide a comprehensive capacity-building service to local political leaders (e.g., Governors, Mayors) and city management executives (e.g., Municipal Commissioners, utility executives) in the Asia-Pacific region who wish to implement more sustainable, pro-poor development (SD) and service strategies for their jurisdictions. The APUI aims to work as a parallel and complementary partner to other programs and institutions, such as Local Agenda 21 and City Development Strategies, that are assisting city administrations in developing SD strategies.
A biennial, regional Summit of participating Governors, Mayors and city executives will be held to report and reward achievements, build new implementation partnerships, and prepare recommendations for policy reforms to provide a better enabling environment for Commitment implementation
The APUI believes that leadership to implement SD strategies involves more than individual skill and will. Leadership is the mobilisation of a community's diverse resources to address a common challenge or to achieve a common strategy. Leadership, therefore, is the product of both personal/professional abilities and an operating environment that enables innovation and sustained collaboration.
Partnership results would include:
- Improved local input into the design of infrastructure, housing, and service systems for their communities, including better consideration of long-term financial sustainability;
- Stronger involvement of sub-national and local political leaders in the preparation and implementation of local strategies and initiatives for sustainable development;
- Development of a tradition, within in the regional community of local government, to base political leadership on clearly defined commitments, objectives and reportable results;
- Improved national-level support and enabling conditions for bottom-up sustainable development initiatives;
- Identification and clarification of policy barriers to the effective participation of local communities in the implementation of Agenda 21 and related sustainable development agreements;
- Stronger representation and voice for sub-national and local government in national and regional processes for pro-poor sustainable development;
- Improved co-ordination of capacity-building support for sub-national and local leaders in the region;
- Increased partnerships between local authorities and national/regional/international NGOs and Major Group organisations to support implementation of local sustainable development strategies. [more]
Lead Partner: Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Methane to Markets Partnership is an international initiative that advances cost-effective, near-term methane recovery and use as a clean energy source. The goal of the Partnership is to reduce global methane emissions in order to enhance economic growth, strengthen energy security, improve air quality, improve industrial safety, and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.
The Partnership currently focuses on four sources of methane emissions:
- Agriculture (animal waste management)
- Coal mines
- Landfills
- Oil and gas systems [more]
Lead Partner: Association of American Geographers
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The general goal of My Community, Our Earth -- Geographic Learning for Sustainable Development is to build geographically literate generations able to use this knowledge in their everyday lives to bring about true sustainable development. In particular, the Program seeks to provide students and international leaders with the opportunity to discover and address real issues in their communities and their regions with respect to sustainable development issues, particularly Agenda 21, WSSD topics, UNCSD themes, and the Millenium Development Goals. [more]
Lead Partner: Academy for Educational Development (AED)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: Building on the partnership efforts at the WSSD, the United States expanded its existing NetMark Program, making it an expansive and cutting edge model for achieving public health objectives through joint investment with the commercial sector. What was originally a 5 year, $15.4 million program designed to create sustainable commercial markets for insecticide-treated mosquito nets in four countries, became an eight year, $65.4 million program with a much broader goals. NetMark Plus is USAID's primary mechanism to support the Roll Back Malaria Partnership in achieving its goals of making high quality, and affordable ITNs available across the continent of Africa. Now looking to build commercial markets for ITNs in at least 10 countries, NetMark is expanding its partnerships, playing a critical role in defining best practices for delivering targeted subsidies, advocating a positive policy environment, creating integrated approaches through partnerships with NGOs that link commercial and subsidized product delivery, and helping to introduce state-of-the-art products (some of which will be manufactured in Africa).
NetMark Plus expects to create fully sustainable markets for ITNs across sub-Saharan Africa that can provide a sustainable source of quality products for a large percentage of at-risk populations. NetMark Plus will also link these markets with targeted subsidies being provided through other donor-funded activities, helping both the public and commercial sectors to create a model for sustainable development through mutually beneficial collaboration and investment on a large scale. This will result in a reduction of malaria morbidity and mortality, a positive effect on the African economy, and reduction of the burden on the international community and ministries of health in procuring and distributing ITNs. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - U.S. Enivronmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: NEISGEI consists of 1) a globally distributed database of air pollutant emissions information in well documented formats at the local, regional, national, and global scales; 2) computer software that will enable users to retrieve, compile, and analyze relevant emissions information from the globally distributed database using the World Wide Web; and 3) a global network of air emissions experts in government, industry, and academia. [more]
Lead Partner: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - World Health Organization (WHO)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: This partnership aims to contribute to the implementation of recommendations developed in the joint WHO/FAO expert consultation on diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases (Geneva, Switzerland, 28 January - 1 February 2002; draft report available via lfriberg@earthsummit2002.org).
"Obesity prevention policies must go hand in hand with strategies to prevent undernutrition." (WHO). Nutrition is a major determinant of health. Unhealthy diet (and a sedentary lifestyle) effectively handicap people and contribute to premature deaths from cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity related illnesses (particularly Type 2 diabetes). The shift to diets high in saturated fats, sugar and refined foods (the 'nutrition transition') has contributed to worsening nutrition and significant growth of obesity in children and adults in developed and developing countries.
The links between good health and economic improvement have been well documented. Good nutrition contributes to development of human capital, increased productivity, reduced poverty, etc. The delivery of nutritious food to every household, at all levels of income, is an achievable aim. [more]
Lead Partner: Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: To promote intelligent and sustainable use and management of the oceans through
(i) Promotion of collaboration and co-ordination among major oceanographic institutions committed to ocean science;
(ii) Development of capacity in the weaker countries for using and managing their ocean space under UNCLOS intelligently;
(iii) Advocacy for sound use and management of the oceans [more]
Lead Partner: South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: The overall goal of this initiative is "to catalyse action and strengthen partnerships at all levels to enable the Pacific Island's region understand and respond to climate change, climate variability and sea level rise". The primary objectives for this initiative are:
* Effective coordination of adaptation initiatives in support of sustainable development
* Support for enabling activities in accordance with the UNFCCC
* Mainstreaming climate change and adaptation into national and regional planning
* Mobilisation of resources for national level adaptation measures
The Pacific Island Adaptation Initiative is intended to implement the Pacific Island Framework for Action on Climate Change, Climate Variability and Sea Level Rise (2000) in the area of response measures. This Multistakeholder Framework outlines urgent action required within the Pacific region to enable PICs to understand and respond to climate change, climate variability and sea level rise. [more]
Lead Partner: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) - South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: The main objectives are:
* Increased availability of adequate, affordable and environmentally sound energy for the sustainable development of all Pacific islanders.
* Accelerate the transfer and adoption of clean and renewable energy technologies.
* The partnership is to assist with the implementation of the Pacific Island Energy Policy (PIEP. [more]
Lead Partner: The University of the South Pacific (USP) - Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: The goal is to improve governance at all levels (communities (including local governance), national, regional, global) in the Pacific. This is a regional initiative to support good governance in all key sectors and at all levels. The initiative will be developed through three phases:
* Programming Phase aimed at a study or series of studies (some of it could be desk studies) establishing the clear links between, and the status of, governance and sustainable development in the region. Because of its linkages to sustainable development, good governance will need to be examined in the context of all the key sectors and levels in the Pacific region. It should also include a stakeholder analysis and information, by sector and by level, on who is doing what and why. This will establish baseline information for monitoring and evaluation purposes.
* Design Phase aimed at producing program/project document that addresses the needs identified through the Programming Phase and meets the standards of multilateral funding programs like GEF.
* Implementation Phase aimed at ensuring the successful implementation of the program/project.
Throughout these phases, there will be an attempt to strengthen the partnership of the Forum Secretariat and the University of the South Pacific, which is expected to complement the Forum Secretariat in providing strong advocacy for good governance, to provide high-level HRD and research, and to assist in the monitoring of good governance. [more]
Lead Partner: Council of Regional Org. in the Pacific (CROP)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: The overall goal of this initiative is "A healthy ocean that sustains the livelihoods and aspirations of Pacific Island communities".
The Pacific Island Ocean Initiative is intended to assist with the implementation of the Pacific Islands Regional Ocean Policy, to harmonise and build upon ongoing ocean-related programmes implemented within the region, and to identify and implement coordinated programmes of action that will address all priority aspects of the policy.
Expected results include:
* Improved Understanding of the Pacific Ocean
* Sustainable Management of the Pacific Ocean Resources
* Continued Pacific Ocean Health
* Peaceful Use of the Pacific Ocean
* Creation of Partnerships and Promotion of Co-Operation [more]
Lead Partner: World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), South Pacific Program - Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) - South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: The initiative aims to achieve its objective through the mainstreaming of biodiversity at all levels, including such issues as:
* Methods (both scientific and traditional) and field activities for the identification, protection, conservation and sustainable use of Pacific biodiversity access and equitable benefit sharing from the use of genetic resources protection and strengthening of traditional knowledge, practises innovation and management systems putting real economic value on biodiversity.
* A complementary and participatory approach to conservation will be promoted, including both ex situ and in situ strategies, developed on the basis of both scientific and traditional knowledge.
* A key strategy will be to protect and strengthen traditional knowledge on the use of biodiversity - including agricultural, forestry, wildlife and marine resources - for food, medicine, fibre, shelter and ceremonial purposes - and other relevant expressions of culture in the Pacific Islands. [more]
Lead Partner: Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: To provide access to information and communication technology in support of sustainable development for every Pacific islander.
Expected results to be determined by countries on the basis of national assessments and stakeholder consultations undertaken for WSSD. These could include:
* Pacific Tele-health Project
* Community Telecentres Project
* Human Resources Capacity Building
* National Strategy Development [more]
Lead Partner: World Health Organization (WHO) - Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) - Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: The main objectives are:
* Improved health surveillance
* Coordinated and strategic approach to the reduction of environmental health threats
This initiative is in-line with international WHO strategies for the surveillance and response to epidemic communicable diseases (Global Outbreak and Response, IHR). PPHSN was launched to coordinate, harmonize, and develop public health surveillance activities in the region: it allows to avoid duplication and to optimize the use of scarce resources. [more]
Lead Partner: South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Pacific Summary: The main objective of the Initiative is to achieve sustainable water and wastewater management in Pacific island countries through:
* the establishment of a regional water network of persons and organisations, inclusive of country governments, development agencies, professional associations and donors, that work in the different fields of water resources management and service delivery in the region, to improve regional coordination and collaboration;
* the implementation of the Pacific Strategies for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene that aim to build and increase the capacity in Pacific Island Countries to deliver sustainable management of water and wastewater as a means to contributing to poverty alleviation. Sustainability has to be achieved in the technical, institutional, financial, environmental and social-cultural areas. SOPAC Member Countries have endorsed these strategies during the 30th SOPAC Annual Session (Majuro, October 2001), which are complimentary with the efforts towards the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the 3rd World Water Forum;
* implementation of the ¿Regional Action Plan for Sustainable Water Management¿, as agreed upon by Ministers, Heads of Delegation and representatives of civil society groups with responsibilities for water affairs from 16 small island countries in the Pacific, as well as East Timor and the Maldives as part of the regional consultation and preparation for the ¿Water in Small Island Countries¿ and ¿Dialogue on Water & Climate¿ themes of the 3rd World Water Forum, during the ¿Pacific Regional Meeting on Water in Small Island Countries¿, held in Sigatoka, Fiji from 29 July to 3 August 2002. The consultation process included the identification of national priority actions as determined by the participating countries on the basis of their national water strategies, national assessments and stakeholder consultations undertaken for WSSD and the 3rd World Water Forum, and the development of agreed regional actions through the consultation meeting process of plenary discussion, working group review and delegation approval.
[more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Division of Policy Development and Law (DPDL)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The partners will work to:
- Help developing countries to develop action plans to complete the elimination of leaded gasoline by end 2008
- Start to phase down sulfur in diesel and gasoline fuels, long-term objective to be 50 ppm and below
-Concurrent with the aboveadopting cleaner vehicle requirements;
- Support the development and adoption of cleaner fuel standards and clean vehicle requirements by providing a platform for exchange of experiences and successful practices in developed and developing countries as well as technical assistance;
- Develop public outreach materials, educational programs, and awareness campaigns; adapt economic and planning tools for clean fuels and vehicles analyses in local settings; and support the development of enforcement and compliance programs, with an initial focus on fuel adulteration;
- Foster key partnerships between government and industry, NGOs, and other interested parties within a country and between countries to facilitate the implementation of cleaner fuel and vehicle commitments. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - U.S. Enivronmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Partnership for Clean Indoor Air is bringing together governments, industry and non-governmental organizations to increase the use of affordable, reliable, clean, efficient, and safe home cooking and heating practices. More than 147 Partner organizations are contributing their resources and expertise to improve health, livelihood and quality of life by reducing exposure to air pollution, primarily among women and children, from household energy use. The Partnership for Clean Indoor Air is focusing on four priority areas: addressing social/cultural barriers to adopting improved technology; supporting the development of local business models and markets for improved cooking and heating techniques; improving the design and performance of improved fuels and technology; and demonstrating reduced exposure to indoor air contaminants. [more]
Lead Partner: World Agrofrestry Centre
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Asia and the Pacific Summary: Institutional mechanisms will be developed for recognising and rewarding environmental services generated by upland poor communities who implement sustainable production systems. New methods for transfer payments to upland communities will tested and monitored through action research; working models or best practices of successful environmental transfer payments adapted to the Asian context will be built.
The Program will develop an international partnership/consortium of research and development institutions, local community groups, government institutions, national and international NGOs, the private sector and funding institutions to create the knowledge to deploy rewards to upland, poor, communities who supply environmental services. The rewards for environmental services may include: secure land rights, secure resource user rights; access to markets; public infrastructure; revenues from environmental trust funds and carbon credits; financial incentives. Payments for environmental services by beneficiaries may include: payments to trust funds; user fees for recreation, hydropower and watershed protection; payments for carbon credits; budget allocation by national and local governments for environmental protection. [more]
Lead Partner: Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation whose primary goal is to improve the ability of developing countries to manage, protect, or challenge intellectual property in the public interest. To this end, PIIPA was formed to help governments, government agencies and non-government public service organizations acquire intellectual property expertise on a pro bono basis, in order to meet the health, agricultural, environmental and cultural needs of developing countries. PIIPA seeks to promote volunteerism among intellectual property professionals worldwide to serve developing country public interest needs. PIIPA serves as a mechanism for networking between intellectual property legal professionals in different countries, and as outreach to such professionals. PIIPA offers services to those who need assistance from a broad range of areas, including: intergovernmental organizations (e.g., WHO, UNAIDS, FAO, South Centre); non-industrialized country governments and government agencies; certain research institutions (e.g., universities and government funded public laboratories in developing countries); international research consortia (e.g., CGIAR centers, disease specific public-private partnerships); non-governmental organizations and non-profit entities (e.g., MIHR, PIPRA); and certain qualifying small-to-medium enterprises and individual innovators. For these applicants, PIIPA seeks to arrange professional representation for a wide range of intellectual property services. These include: patent prosecution, counseling, licensing and litigation; trademark prosecution, counseling, licensing and litigation; copyright counseling, licensing and litigation; trade secret protection, counseling, licensing and litigation; legislative counseling (e.g., drafting legislation and regulations in relation to intellectual property matters); and national, international and multinational dispute resolution. PIIPA has developed a worldwide corps of IP professionals ("IP Corps") able and willing to provide pro bono representation to developing country clients. At the present time our members number 200, and represent countries around the world. Members of the IP corps are solicited via professional associations, direct solicitations, and professional firm networking. [more]
Lead Partner: Tropical Forest Foundation (TFF)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Asia and the Pacific Summary: On a pilot demonstration basis, this initiative will seek to:
* Identify forest management units (FMU) or companies committed to the achievement of sustainable forest management.
* Integrate key aspects of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) principles into Forest management through introducing and verifying chain of custody arrangements.
* Provide reporting mechanism of SFM and chain of custody arrangements in order to satisfy USA distributors of forest products
* Ensure that Indonesian producers can be assured of market access for sustainably managed and produced forest products.
* To foster responsible and sustainable development through the encouragement and stimulation of sustainable forest management using a market orientated mechanism. [more]
Lead Partner: REN21 Secretariat - REN21 Secretariat
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: REN21 is a global policy network that provides a forum for international leadership on renewable energy. Its goal is to bolster policy development for the rapid expansion of renewable energies in developing and industrialised economies.
Open to a wide variety of dedicated stakeholders, REN21 connects governments, international institutions, non-governmental organisations, industry associations, and other partnerships and initiatives.
Linking the energy, development and environment sectors, REN21 strengthens the influence of the unique renewable energy community that came together at the “renewables 2004” conference in Bonn. REN21 is the network in which ideas are shared and action is encouraged to promote renewable energy worldwide. [more]
Lead Partner: REEEP International Secretariat
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Accelerate a global market for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficient Systems (REES).
Tremendous financial resources from the private and public sector will be needed to meet developing and transition countries' future energy demand in a sustainable way. Obstacles prohibiting this development include a lack of reliable policies and regulatory measures, and the perceived high risk and low return investments in REES.
The removal of the obstacles to sustainable energy is urgently needed:
- Robust policies and favourable, transparent and stable regulatory frameworks are required to attract private investors and to guarantee affordable energy services to the consumers.
- New forms of financing, risk mitigation and guarantee models will be necessary to make small sized renewables and energy efficiency projects bankable and economically attractive.
REEEP aims to work as an enabler, multiplier and catalyser of institutional change, and to have a real impact over the next decade with the following objectives:
1. Significant global increase of investments in renewable energy
2. Significant global increase of energy efficiency measures
3. Significant increase in access to sustainable energy services for the poor
[more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) - Population Services International (PSI)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The main objective of this partnership is to reduce diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years old and other vulnerable populations through provision of locally-produced water disinfectant, safe water storage containers, and behavior change techniques directed towards improved hygiene.
The goal of providing piped, treated water for all is desirable, but will take considerable resources and time to achieve. While this goal is being pursued, innovative, practical, interim solutions are needed to provide underserved populations with safe water in a more timely fashion. To address this need, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) developed a household-based water quality intervention that employs simple, easily disseminated technology. The basis of the intervention, which is called the Safe Water System (SWS), is:
treatment of contaminated water with locally-produced sodium hypochlorite solution;
safe water storage in plastic containers with a narrow mouth to reduce the risk of water being touched and contaminated;
behavior change techniques, including social marketing and community mobilization. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Japan - Ministry of the Environment
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Scientific Capacity Building and Enhancement for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries (CAPaBLE) Programme is a concrete initiative introduced by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan and Hyogo Prefecture Government, Japan to specifically realize parts 107 to 114 of the Plan of Implementation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), and was registered as a WSSD Type II Partnership/Initiative by the Japanese Government in Johannesburg, September 2002. The programme was endorsed by the APNâs Inter-Governmental Meeting in March 2003 and launched in April, 2003. The objectives of the Programme are targeted to enhance scientific capacity in developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region to improve their decision-making in target areas related to climate change, water and food security, and global change that are directly linked to their sustainable development. Of particular relevance to the CAPaBLE Programme is Part 111 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation: Establish regular channels between policy-makers and the scientific community for requesting and receiving science and technology advice for the implementation of Agenda 21, and create and strengthen networks for science and education for sustainable development, at all levels, with the aim of sharing experiences and best practices, and building scientific capacities, particularly in developing countries. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The purpose of UNDP's Shared Rivers Governance Project is to build on and complement existing activities to:
- Support regional dialogue and build political will among decision makers in developing countries to jointly address integrated management and development of shared rivers, and
- Build capacity and provide support for the development of legal mechanisms and associated institutional structures for shared rivers management
The development objective of the Shared Rivers project is to improve natural resource management, improve the livelihoods of poor people, maximize benefits across the basin and promote regional stability. This will be achieved by providing strategic support for improved water governance of international rivers to advance socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically efficient management and development of the water resources. [more]
Lead Partner: Sister Cities International (SCI)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Sister Cities International is creating a network of sister city partnerships committed to implementing the concepts of sustainable development, as outlined by the international community. Through innovative, cross-cultural projects, sister city partners will demonstrate that locally based actions can: (a) be a catalyst for advancing sustainable development concepts throughout the world; (b) improve the quality of life for citizens within their communities; (c) advance the knowledge and practice of sustainable development through long-term, sustainable relationships; (d) mutually reinforce and integrate the goals of good governance, sustainable economic development, social development and environmental stewardship; and (e) achieve concrete results through partnerships with the public and private sector.
The Sister Cities Network for Sustainable Development will involve sister city communities and their citizens, international and U.S. non-governmental organizations, multilateral organizations, corporations, foundations and other major donors to address a variety of issues related to sustainable development as outlined in the United Nations' Agenda 21, the Plan of Implementation adopted at the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) and the Millennium Development Goals. Using the Sister Cities Internaitonal "model," sister city partnerships will promote the participation of local citizens in all levels of program development, including identifying project areas, suggesting and designing solutions, overseeing implementation and evaluating results. [more]
Lead Partner: The National Academies
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The overarching objective of the partnership is to facilitate better communication among scientists, policymakers, and other decision-makers so that scientific knowledge can more effectively inform public policy and private sector decisions relating to sustainability in developing countries. To achieve this objective, the partners are organizing a series of "science in decision-making workshops" in developing countries on key issues of particular concern to the host country such as water and sanitation, persistent organic pollutants, and biodiversity. The workshops convene representatives from the host country and U.S. scientific institutions, government, industry, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and other relevant organizations. Crosscutting themes include monitoring and evaluation; elements of good science advice; facilitating the flow of scientific information; and the roles of institutions that link scientists and decision-makers. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Regional
Summary: A major source of economic pressure for the Caribbean Islands, with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago, is the cost of petroleum importation. Among the regions that scientists expect to be most adversely affected by the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, is the Caribbean. The major contributor to the GHG that drives climate change comes from the burning of fossil fuels like petroleum which contributes more that seventy-five percent of GHG. The region therefore seeks partnership for sustainable energy development that would reduce dependence on petroleum and demonstrate the viability of renewable energy to meet development needs.
Main objectives of the Partnership/Initiative
* Accelerate the transfer and adoption of cleaner and renewable energy technologies.
* Implementing pilot energy efficiency projects to help influence energy.
* Increased availability of adequate, affordable and environmentally sound energy for the sustainable development of the Caribbean islands.
* Build capacity for the training of energy sector professionals who will provide the technical guidance to help the region transition to sustainable energy. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of South Africa - Eskom (South Africa National Electric Utility)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: Eskom proposes to facilitate the establishment of a NEPAD Funding Commission ("NFC"), a body proposed to be aligned with both NEPAD and the Investment Advisory Council ("IAC"), an alliance of the United Nations Council on Trade and Development and the International Chamber of Commerce. The intention of the NFC is to create a facilitating body for the investment of funding by donor and development agencies into infrastructure projects in Africa. This is consistent with one of the aims of the New Partnership for Africa's Development ("NEPAD"), which is increased overseas development assistance ("ODA") through a reformed ODA delivery system, to ensure that flows are more effectively utilized by recipient African countries.
The aim of the Fund would be to harness and leverage financing from Eskomr, together with funds made available by various international development and financing agencies, such as the South African Industrial Development Corporation ("IDC") and the Development Bank of Southern Africa ("DBSA"), to maximize the benefits of new energy and electricity infrastructure projects undertaken in Africa, whilst minimizing the risks associated with such projects in Africa, to private investors.
The intention of this initiative is to assist in the creation of economic sustainability, so that, while the focus is on energy, the intention is to seek integrated projects, which cover a longer value chain, through the integrated approach assisted by the NFC. One of the key features of NEPAD is the promotion of value-added processing on the African continent. the initiative will support job creation as one of the most important determinates of economic growth for the African continent. The Fund will not only generate jobs in the energy sector, but will greatly influence sectors such as construction, telecommunications, information technology and financial services. Associated economic opportunities are to be investigated in the areas of transport, mining, manufacturing, agricultural processing and tourism.
The purpose of the fund is to promote sustainable socio-economic development in Africa. Projects to be funded must adhere to the principles of best practice. They must also identify related social and environmental initiatives in order to realise synergies [more]
Lead Partner: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: This is a civil society led, government supported, FAO facilitated undertaking.The preliminary focus of the SARD Initiative has currently been focusing on three themes, which were discussed in the International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Mountain Regions (Adelboden, Switzerland, 6/2002), in the SARD Electronic Forum (6/2002-present) and in a number of local consultations in different regions of the developing world and among some of the NGOs/CSOs attending the World Food Summit: five years later (6/2002). Sub-Initiatives can be organized around the following or other thematic areas of action, based on the interests, priorities, commitment and resources of specific partners involved:
* Access to resources
* Fair conditions of employment
* Good Agricultural Practices for SARD
Given the critical mass of Mountain Governments supporting the SARD Initiative in the Adelboden Declaration, the relevant sub-Initiatives outlined in the Adelboden Plan of Action, and that 2002 is the International Year of the Mountains, it has been proposed that the Initiative should begin with a mountain focus, subject to the interest and resources of concerned stakeholders. The Initiative may capitalize on other key conferences and International Years, for instance, 2003 is the International Year of Fresh Water. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Caribbean Summary: The overall goal of this initiative is to develop capacity to address the current threats to the environmental quality of the Caribbean Sea. This growing threat endangers the sustainable provision of goods and services that is the basis of the economy of the majority of countries across the region. A healthy Caribbean Sea is essential to the livelihood and aspirations of Caribbean people.
The special initiative is intended to assist with the implementation of the Plan of Action for sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea. The initiative will help harmonize and build upon ongoing programs being implemented within the region, and to implement priorities identified at the first ever meeting between leading environment and sustainable development actors from government, academia, NGOs and donors from Central America and the Caribbean, at which sustainable development of the Caribbean Sea was identified as the priority for collaboration and partnerships. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM) - University of the West Indies
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Caribbean Summary: The overall goal of this initiative is more sustainable management of land resource across the region in order to reverse land degradation and desertification. Current management of land resources need significant improvement in order to address loss of fertility, reduction in fresh water resources, loss of biological diversity, and degradation of coastal ecosystems that are part of the unintended consequences of current land use and management practices. To increase the capacity for sustainable land use (including agriculture, settlement development, tourism, forestry and livestock) in the region, a partnership of national, regional, and international organisations with farming and forestry communities is being proposed. The components of the partnership will be integrated land use management, appropriate technologies, food security, economic development, and environmental protection. [more]
Lead Partner: National Institute of Public Finance and Policy - Prayas Energy Group - World Resources Institute
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Electricity Governance Initiative seeks to enhance global understanding of electricity sector governance, and build the capacity of governments and civil society to implement good governance. The electricity sector globally has undergone fundamental transformations over the past decade. With new forms of organization, ownership, and technologies have come new and complicated questions about how decisions in the electricity sector are made and who makes them. Electricity reform has raised questions of governance that are increasingly recognized as important, but seldom answered. The Initiative is a partnership of civil society and electricity sector actors, whose goal is to create space for voices representing social and environmental considerations to be included in electricity sector decision-making, and advance implementation of Agenda 21. We seek to develop a common language for understanding governance and to build the capacity of civil society and governments to practice good governance. The partnership complements the efforts of civil society, governments, and private sector actors to advance public interests in the electricity sector. [more]
Lead Partner: Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The SEED Initiative inspires, supports and researches exceptional, entrepreneurial, nascent, multi-stakeholder partnerships for locally-led sustainable development in order to contribute to the delivery of the Millennium Development Goals and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.
The initiative focuses on 'business as unusual' - innovative action delivering real solutions through project cooperation among small and large businesses, local and international NGOs, women's groups, labour organisations, public authorities and UN agencies, and others working in the field of sustainable development.
Through an international award scheme, intensive capacity-building activities and a research programme, the SEED Initiative endeavors to stimulate and build the capacity of outstanding start-up enterprises executing action on the ground; create a conduit for investment in partnerships; disseminate good practice and lessons-learned from successful partnerships to inspire further new partnerships; and generate evidence-based research to assist policy makers.
The SEED Initiative aims to:
• support outstanding and innovative start-up entrepreneurs working in partnership in developing countries to improve livelihoods and manage natural resources sustainably
• develop practical tools to help social and environmental entrepreneurs to scale up
• influence policy-makers to create enabling environments for sustainable development businesses
• inspire new entrepreneurial ventures to deliver social and environmental benefits.
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - Department of State
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Clean Energy Initiative (CEI) is an umbrella energy partnership comprising U.S. activities in the Global Village Energy Partnership, Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles Partnership, Partnership for Clean Indoor Air, and Efficient Energy for Sustainable Development. Collectively, these components will increase access to modern energy services, promote clean transportation fuels, indoor cooking and heating practices, and improve the productivity and efficiency of current energy systems reducing waste, saving money, and improving reliability. [more]
Lead Partner: U.S. Energy Association
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: These partnerships provide an invaluable opportunity for senior executives of overseas utilities and regulatory agencies to observe and learn how their U.S. counterparts are structured, financed, managed and regulated. The program also enables U.S. energy executives to understand the dynamics of non-U.S. energy markets and to forge international strategic alliances.
Partnership Benefits to U.S. Partners:
- Helps identify and develop strategic partners
- Identifies short and long-term business opportunities
- Develops staff capabilities and international awareness
- Develops climate change mitigation activities
Partnership Benefits to Non-U.S. Partners:
- Allows for a transfer of knowledge on market-based planning, international energy sector restructuring, and development experiences by peers
- Establishes advisory/commercial relationships to discuss changes affecting the industry, corporate structure and regulation of the energy industry
- Improves management performance
- Increases energy efficiency [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - Dept of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional USA-Mexico Summary: Rapid industrialization and population growth have produced profound environmental stresses along the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite efforts by both governments, risks to human health remain a significant problem. The goal of this project is to reduce exposure to environmental hazards, with a focus on children, by improving the capacity of lay community health workers (promotores) in U.S. communities along the US-Mexico border to raise public awareness and inform their peers about such hazards and how to minimize exposure. A seondary goal is to improve the capacity of health professionals in the same communities to recognize, manage, and report pesticide related illnesses. The objectives are: 1) improve knowledge of sources of environmental hazards and ways to minimize exposure; 2) improve knowledge of basic sanitation, referral resources for medical care and legal assistance, 3) understand how to report exposure to agricultural pesticides, 4) improve leadership and communication skills, 5) strengthen public participation through community mobilzation, and 6) develop mechanisms facilitating cross-border sharing of environmental health information. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Geographical Scope: National Summary: Since the UN World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in August 2002, the United States has been committed to doing its part to provide safe drinking water and basic sanitation to communities around the world that currently do not enjoy these basic privileges many in the developed world take for granted. On behalf of American Indians and Native Alaskans, EPA included this UN development goal in its 2004-2008 Strategic Plan; and committed to leading the Federal Government in the challenge to reduce the number of tribal households that lack access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 50% by 2015. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - HHS/CDC
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Flour fortification with iron is an important component of any public health strategy for the prevention of iron, folic acid and other vitamin and mineral deficiency. It works well to deliver iron in constant small needed amounts to a majority of the population. There is widespread recognition that iron and folic acid deficiencies are prevalent throughout the world. The consequences of this are decreased cogitative capacity of the next generation, decreased work productivity, increased maternal deaths, increased disease and increased birth defects.
Cereal flours are a major staple food throughout [g1]the world and in more than 30 countries fortified flour is being used to deliver essential vitamins and minerals in the diet. Flour fortification needs to be supported and expanded globally on an accelerated basis through stronger collaboration between private, public and civic organizations. [g2]The Association of Operative Millers (Africa and Middle East Chapter) is holding its annual meeting October 21-23, 2002in Mauritius. This is one of the largest meetings of flour millers outside of the US to be held this year.
The Micronutrient Initiative, Ottawa, Canada and the HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA would like to take advantage of the occasion of the Annual Meeting of AOM to hold a forum immediately following the AOM meeting [g3]for a select number of senior staff from key public and private organizations to plan a joint strategy for Universal Flour Fortification wherever it is necessary and feasible.
Forum Objectives
To reach general agreement by key private, public and civic organizations to
* support the concept of universal flour fortification,
* identify key needs and actions to achieve this objective and
* understand more clearly ways in which each organization could support this
There is an invitation to other organizations interested to join the policy forum and contribute to this initiative. [more]
Lead Partner: The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The mainstreaming of an ecosystem approach into catchment policies, planning and management. [more]
Lead Partner: Caribbean Community Secretariat (CARICOM)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Summary: The limited fresh water resources and high dependence on rainfall make water resource management a growing priority for Caribbean SIDS.
Specific objectives of the partnership are to:
* Assist in strengthening regional training capacity to provide the professional skills and the institutional capacity for more efficient management of water resources.
* Establishment of a regional network of persons and organisations whose responsibilities either interact with water resources supply or demand in a way that influences fresh water quality of quantity. The actors are often unrelated, where they should be integrated. Through the partnership, stakeholders that are important players, who, however, are not actively involved in water management, can effectively participate in improving management efficiency by exchanging views and experiences and helping lay the foundation for the full integration of the management of water resources.
* Improve access to safe water by poor communities.
* Increase availability and efficient utilization of water to the agricultural sector.
* Minimize pollution of water resources through capacity building and transfer of technology.
* Enhancing public awareness emphasising the need for better watershed area, water and wastewater management. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of India - Karnataka Urban Development Infrastructure and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) - Government of United States of America - USAID
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Purpose: The Alliance Watergy Program works with local and regional partners in developing countries to develop sustainable strategies for increasing energy efficiency within municipal water supply systems. While water provision is the immediate concern of water utilities, energy for water pumping and treatment is one of the main components of a water utility¿s costs. In many developing countries the energy used for the basic service of water provision to urban residents accounts anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of a municipality¿s total budget. The fact that large numbers of people in the developing world still lack ready access to water places more pressure upon decision makers to develop sustainable energy and water management strategies. The Alliance Watergy Program¿s efforts are based upon a holistic model that incorporates the participation of important stakeholders involved in sustainable development of the urban area, and the sustained development of their technical, managerial and financial capacities to overcome the energy inefficiencies in municipal systems. This is done by systematically addressing a range of issues that affect municipalities such technical and managerial capacities, education and awareness, team building, equipment rehabilitation and maintenance, non-revenue water reductions, proper pressure management, effective demand side management, pre-paid water metering, etc. Through these efforts, the Alliance Watergy Program aims to achieve the larger purpose of providing local and regional institutions and organizations with a sustainable framework and the proper tools for addressing the long-term water and energy needs of their peoples.
Goals: The Watergy program evolves and changes as efficiency models are developed and new opportunities emerge. Goals for the program include:
- Build institutional capacity to improve water and energy resource management
- Advocate and assist in the integration of energy efficiency considerations in developing countries, primarily in the efficient operation and maintenance of systems supplying water services
- Promote energy-efficient technologies and practices, especially in optimizing and modernizing municipal water supply systems
- Increase education and awareness concerning energy efficiency and environmentally sound water and energy systems
- Develop innovative financing mechanisms to implement projects aimed at improving energy use in water delivery
- Develop centers of excellence on energy for sustainable development to support and promote capacity building efforts and technology transfer activities and serve as information clearinghouses [more]
Lead Partner: WAWI Secretariat
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional West Africa Summary: The West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI) works with communities and governments in Ghana, Mali, and Niger:
1) To increase the access to sustainable, safe water and environmental sanitation for poor and vulnerable communities in rural and peri-urban settings.
2) To reduce the prevalence of water-borne and sanitation-related diseases, particularly trachoma, guinea worm and diarrheal diseases through the promotion of personal hygiene and environmental sanitation practices.
3) To ensure ecologically, financially, and socially sustainable management of water quantity and quality.
4) To foster a new model of partnership and institutional synergy to ensure technical excellence, programmatic innovation, and long-term financial, social and environmental sustainability in water resources management that may be replicable in other parts of the world. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of United States of America - U.S. Department of State
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Caribbean Summary: The White Water to Blue Water Partnership designed to promote integrated watershed and marine ecosystem-based management in support of sustainable development, is underway in the wider Caribbean.
Objectives:
1. To increase coastal state and regional capacity for cross-sectoral approaches to management of watersheds and marine ecosystems.
2. To develop a framework for regional management programs that will promote a common vision, the efficient use of program resources, and address the entire scope of watershed and marine ecosystem management from forests to the sea.
3. To reverse the downward trend in fisheries.
[more]
Lead Partner: World Nuclear Association
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The mission of the World Nuclear University (WNU) is to strengthen the international community of people and institutions so as to guide and further develop:
- The safe and increasing use of nuclear power as the one proven technology able to produce clean energy on a large global scale; and
- The many valuable applications of nuclear science and technology that contribute to sustainable agriculture, medicine, nutrition, industrial development, management of fresh water resources and environmental protection.
Through a worldwide network that coordinates, supports and draws on the strengths of established institutions of nuclear learning, the WNU promotes academic rigour and high professional ethics in all phases of nuclear activity, from fuel and isotope supply to decommissioning and waste management.
While looking to the future, the WNU will strengthen capabilities to manage, and responsibly dispose of, the waste legacy of early weapons and power programmes in compliance with rigorous standards of custodianship and environmental protection. [more]
to collapse the Summary of Partnerships.