International Partnership for Sustainable Resource Management
[last updated January 16, 2008 11:11 AM]

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General Information
Partnership website(s)
Expected Timeframe
November 2007 - Open Ended
Partners
Governments:
  • Government of Canada - Natural Resources Canada
  • Government of China - SEPA
  • Government of Egypt - Environmental Affairs
  • Government of European Community - DG Environment
  • Government of Finland - Ministry of Environment
  • Government of Germany - BMU
  • Government of Hungary - Ministry of Environment and Water
  • Government of Italy - Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea
  • Government of Japan - MoE
  • Government of Netherlands - Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment
  • Government of Norway - MoE
  • Government of Russian Federation - Ministry of Natural Resources
  • Government of South Africa - Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism
  • Government of United Republic of Tanzania - Vice President's Office (Environment)
Major Groups:
  • International Council for Science (ICSU) (France)
  • The World Conservation Union (IUCN) (Switzerland)
  • World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) (Switzerland)
UN System:
  • UNEP DTIE (France)
Other intergovernmental organizations:
    Other:
      		 
      Thematic Focus
      Primary Themes:
      • Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development
      • Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production
      		 Secondary Themes:
      • Sustainable development in a globalizing world
      • Industrial development
      Geographic Coverage
      Geographic Scope: Global
      Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented:
      Canada, China, Egypt, European Community, Japan, Norway, Russian Federation, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania
      National Focal Points
      This partnership has not made any contact with the national focal points for sustainable development in the countries involved
      Goals and Objectives
      Summary of the partnership's goals and objectives
      The Partnership's objective is to provide coherent and authoritative scientific assessments on the environmental impacts of resource use over the full life cycle. This will contribute to a better understanding of how to decouple economic growth from resource use and resource use from environmental degradation, and in particular of ways to increase resource-efficient economic growth, of ways to reduce the identified impacts, and of ways to stimulate sustainable innovation.
      Targets and Progress
      Partnership targets
      1. Gather information on the use of natural resources and related environmental and sustainability impacts;
      2. Provide coherent and authoritative scientific assessments on environmental impacts and ways to improve efficient use of natural resources;
      3. Support social learning, institutional building and international knowledge exchange.
      Progress against targets
      A first Steering Committee meeting of the Partnership was held in Budapest, Hungary, November 2007, where the panel composition (members and chairs) was confirmed. An inaugural meeting of the Panel (Budapest, Hungary, November, 2007) has resulted in the adoption of a first tentative work plan which will be elaborated by a few small working groups. The Partnership itself was officially launched at the occasion of World Science Day, Budapest, Hungary, November 2007.
      Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
      Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
      • Human resources development/training
      • Education/building awareness
      • Institutional strengthening, including local participation
      • Technology transfer/exchange
      The Resource Panel will identify knowledge and capacity gaps in a global context and suggest options to overcome obstacles, by means of capacity building, training, education, demonstration projects and international knowledge exchange. In this way and through the geographical balance in the composition of the Panel as well as its Working Groups, capacity will be developed in countries where most needed.
      Relationship to International Agreements on Sustainable Development
      How the partnership contributes to the implementation of Agenda 21, the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21, and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
      The Partnership contributes in particular to Agenda 21, Section II (Conservation and Managment of Resources for Development), and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, Chapter III (Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production).
      The International Partnership for Sustainable Resource Management is a partnership that promotes sustainable development in the context of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and its follow up. It follows the criteria and guidelines for partnerships as decided at the eleventh session of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD 11, 2003).

      Relevant Sections of Agenda 21
      Changing consumption patterns; Scientific and technological community
      Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation
      Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production ; Protection and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development
      Coordination and Implementation
      Coordination Mechanism of the Partnership
      The International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management (Resource Panel) is the main substantive body of the Partnership, and may have working groups on specific issues. The Steering Committee brings together the supporting partners (governments and relevant stakeholders, e.g. major groups and institutional stakeholders).
      Implementation Mechanism of the Partnership
      The Secretariat supports the Partnership with administrative tasks as needed.
      Resources
      Funding Currently Available
      Amount in US$: 1.000.000
      Source(s): Government - IGO
      Governments of Canada, European Commission, The Netherlands, Hungary, and UNEP
      Non-financial resources available
      Type(s): Computers - Office space - Staff - Other
      Source(s): IGO
      In kind contribution UNEP
      Funding Sought
      Required Amount in US$: 1.000.000
      Source(s) already approached:
      Non-financial resources sought
      Requirement(s):
      Source(s) approached and details:
      Additional Information
      Additional Relevant Information
      The Partnership has been launched in Budapest, 9 November 2007, which included an inaugural panel meeting and a steering committee meeting. Membership, composition of the panel, operating rules and procedures, elements for a first working programme and budget issues were discussed. Main meeting outcomes, progress and other relevant information are available on the web (www.unep.fr/sustain), or by writing to sc@unep.fr.