Multinational Andean Project: Geoscience for Andean Communities (MAP:GAC)

General Information

Partnership website(s)

http://www.pma-map.com/gac

Expected Timeframe

2002 - 2008

Partners

Governments: Government of Canada - Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Government of Argentina Government of Bolivia Government of Canada Government of Chile Government of Colombia Government of Ecuador Government of Peru Government of Venezuela	Major Groups: National Geoscience Agencies of above Countries () Relevant educational organizations ()
UN System:	Other intergovernmental organizations:
Other:

Thematic Focus

Primary Themes:

Means of Implementation (Trade, Finance, Technology, Transfer, etc.)
Disaster management and vulnerability

Secondary Themes:

Human settlements
Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development
Education

Geographic Coverage

Geographic Scope: Sub-regional Andean region
Country(ies) where the partnership is being implemented:
Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

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 current project was made possible as a result of the strong institutional bonds created by a previous four Andean country multi-national initiative (funded through CIDA and NRCan, 1996-2002). The Project goal is to improve the quality of life for peoples of the Andes by reducing the negative impact of natural hazards (volcanoes, earthquakes and landslides). Through the project, updated and integrated geoscience and geospatial information on natural hazards will be provided for: 1- land use planning and, 2- natural hazard mitigation.
The Project will transfer technologies to the National Andean Geoscience Institutions of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela to enhance their capacity to efficiently and effectively provide on a continuous basis the required services:
1. To provide to the governments, communities, and planners geoscientific information fundamental to good decision making with respect to the placement of public works (infrastructure), and human settlements;
2. To contribute to mitigation of the effects of natural hazards on the local population and public works (infrastructure), to support sustainable development with more disaster resistant communities;
3. To increase the capacities of the Geoscience Agencies in the evaluation of geological hazards; and
4. To assist other government organizations such as Civil Protection agencies to incorporate geoscience information into emergency plans.

Targets and Progress

Partnership targets

Specific targets:
1 Establishment of regional standards for digital data interchange to facilitate integration databases and the eventual creation of a regional digital library designed to help disseminate scientific and other types of information to technical and non-technical client groups. This is expected to be completed by the conclusion of the project.
2 National, Binational, and Multinational publications on relevant hazards on border areas subject to geological hazards. This will be done on an ongoing basis throughout the life of the project.
3 Creation of Public Information products aimed at informing non-technical target groups (community planners, men, women, and children, local government officials etc...) in communities subject to geological hazards. The first products will likely be produced during the third year of the project and will continue to be produced during the remainder of the project.

Progress against targets

1. Further to the adoption of a regional Metadata standard in 2003, the MAP:GAC project have also submitted for adoption to their project IT members Open GIS Consortium (OGC), Extensible markup language (XML) and Z39.50 metadata server technologies. These technologies will further strengthen digital links between the countries. Several workshops have been conducted to seed these technologies and to build capacity for sustainability of the Geosemantica servers.

Implementing OGC standard we hope to assure regional integration of geospatial data between the Geosemantica node servers. XML and Z39.50 will allow database integration and interoperability with current world standard for search and retrieval of information.

2. The project supported the translation into Spanish of the globally important book "Living with Risk" into Spanish "Vivir con el Riesgo". The book was produced by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. The Spanish translation was released at the World conference on Disaster Reduction, Kobe, Japan in January to an appreciative Spanish speaking world. The translation of this material gives Spanish speakers access to the latest natural hazard reduction mitigation strategies and techniques for a broad range of disciplines from geoscientists to emergency planners to interested members of the public.

3. During the first half of MAP:GAC primary emphasis has been placed on the development of scientific hazard knowledge and scientific training. The scientific communication component of the project began in mid 2003 with the creation of the Community Communications subproject and subsequent work on strengthening ties between the geoscience agencies and other organizations that reuqire scientific information. One of the primary objectives of the 2005/06 fiscal year will be to create information products from MAP:GAC case studies to be used by authorities and members of affected communities.

Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

Human resources development/training
Education/building awareness
Technology transfer/exchange

1 Short term exchange of geologists between countries; 2 Multinational and binational field trips in areas of mutual interest; 3 Multinational and binational workshops, short course and seminars focused on problems of common concern such as: preparation of Hazard Maps, landslide processes, volcanic processes and mapping, digital libraries and data models; 4 Attendance at international conferences in which results of national activities will be presented and published; 5 Specialized services and advice provided by or for other participants. Technology Transfer will come through: 1.The creation of a group of representatives of all participant countries and supervised by GSC experts. The focus will be on the creation of standards for digital data interchange. 2 Through limited donations of equipment and software for use on project activities. 3 Joint publications (maps, reports) of a multinational and binational nature;

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

Demonstrates how multi-national collaboration in a multi-disciplinary, resources oriented project may contribute to the sustainable social, economic and environmental development of a number of countries. Relevant Sections of the Programme for the Further Implementation of Agenda 21

Means of implementation

Relevant Sections of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation

Protection and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development ; Means of implementation

Coordination and Implementation

Coordination Mechanism of the Partnership

The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) administers the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) contribution through an Administrative Agreement. All participating Geoscience Institutions agreed to collaborate through a signed Inception Agreement. The project is managed by an Executive Council comprised of the heads of each of the National Geoscience Agencies of the countries involved and they are responsible for administering their country's contribution to the project. The GSC provides a project manager and project administration team that is responsible for coordinating all project activities and administering the CIDA portion of the budget.
Where appropriate, the project will collaborate with other projects with similar or parallel objectives (e.g., UNESCO, World Bank etc...).
The GSC will submit quarterly reports to CIDA and all other relevant parties.
The management team will monitor Verifiable Indicators and compare these to baseline data obtained at the beginning the project on an ongoing basis for the duration of the project but will be reported once per year.
The executive Council meets twice per year to monitor project progress and adjust planned project activities. Minutes of these meetings, signed by the official representative from each country, are used to coordinate activities.
GSC administrative team produces a monthly project Newsletter in English (MAP:GAC News), and Spanish (Boletín PMA:GAC), which is available on the project Web Site or in hard copy. The newsletter is read by approximately 700-800 people per month.

Implementation Mechanism of the Partnership

Expected results include:
1. Collection, integration and dissemination of scientific and technical information on geological hazards;
2. Public education and dissemination of information on geological hazards to, among others, school children;
3. National vertical and horizontal integration: Increase cooperation and coordination between geoscience institutions, emergency planners, and other relevant government and non-government organization and departments within each participant country; and
4. International horizontal integration: Increase cooperation between geoscience and other relevant government and non-government institutions in all participating countries and other international organizations;
5. Institutional strengthening principally of the National Geoscience Agencies, but also, some regional academic and Civil Defense/Protection institutions.

Resources

Funding Currently Available Amount in US$: 27257836 Source(s): Approximate Financial Contribution: CIDA: Approximately $12,000,000.00 Other Participants: Approximately $23, 500, 000.00 Total Project: $35,500,000.00 (Note: contribution expressed in Canadian Dollars)	Non-financial resources available Type(s): Source(s):
Funding Sought Required Amount in US$: 0 Source(s) already approached:	Non-financial resources sought Requirement(s): Source(s) approached and details:

Additional Information

Additional Relevant Information

No additional information at present.