Lead Partner: Government of France - Institut de l’Énergie et de l’Environnement de la Francophonie - Government of Switzerland - Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Adaptation to climate change is a growing priority for development agencies, governments and vulnerable communities. However, capacity and awareness are often limited, and experiences have yet to be widely shared. The ALM partnership initiative will draw from experiences on the ground, featuring tools and practical guidance to meet the needs of developing countries. Seeking to provide stakeholders with a common platform for sharing and learning, the ALM will also complement the wide range of adaptation knowledge networks and initiatives already underway. For example, the ALM is collaborating with the Nairobi Work Programme, particularly the 'Methods and Tools' and 'Planning and Practices' areas of work, and the interactive weADAPT platform.
The ALM will develop tools and resources to support:
1. Adaptation practices – what can be done to adapt to climate change on the ground?
2. Integration of climate change risks and adaptation into development policy, planning and operations – how can policies and plans support adaptation over time?
3. Capacity building – how can people be better assisted in becoming equipped for adapting to climate change?
Lead Partner: Africalia
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: Africalia was created to set in motion the realization of the objectives laid out in Article 27 of the EU-ACP Cotonou Agreement. The objectives of this article are:
* the inclusion of a cultural dimension in all aspects of development cooperation,
* the facilitating of intercultural dialogue among ACP countries,
* the preservation and valorization of these countries' cultural heritage,
* the development of their cultural industries, and
* the improvement of access for their cultural goods and services to European markets.
Article 27 thus contends that culture can be an important lever of sustainable human development in Africa. The objectives of Africalia derive from this concept. They are:
* to draw attention to the cultural wealth and diversity of the African continent,
* to facilitate the realization of creative and cultural productions in Africa,
* to strengthen the ability of cultural operators to play a constructive role in African society,
* to raise awareness in Belgium of the need for sustainable human development cooperation with Africa [more]
Lead Partner: Government of South Africa - Eskom (South Africa National Electric Utility)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: A primary requirement to assist in the electrification of Africa is to complete the interconnectors between the various countries and their respective utilities, so that Africa has one interconnected transmission grid. The transmission interconnectors are predicated on the basis that, while some countries and/or regions have excess generation capacity, others are experiencing shortages, with serious consequences for their economic and social development. While it is technically possible for each country to develop sufficient energy resources to meet their needs in the medium to longer term, this approach ignores the economic and environmental efficiencies possible through regional co-operation. This is viewed as an important first step, as it allows undersupplied countries, or countries supplied primarily by hydro-electricity, who are subject to fluctuations in supply during drought cycles, to have immediate access to a pool of electricity when required, and to contribute to such a pool when water levels are high. This facilitates uninterrupted power supply throughout Africa.
The initiative supports the diversification of electricity sources and socio-economic development. Apart from supporting NEPAD and adhering to best environmental practice, detailed design of the project will take into account synergies with existing sustainable development initiatives, such as the Peace Parks initiative, eradication of land mines and improvement of local infrastructure. The partnership aims include improving capacity for regional and sub-continental electricity trading. [more]
Lead Partner: Advisory Committee on Protection of the Sea (ACOPS)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Sub-Saharan Africa Summary: * To identify areas, sites or living resources that are either suffering measurable degradation (i.e. hot-spots) or threatened with future degradation (sensitive areas) and to determine, through root-cause analysis, the leading causes of these impacts, taking into consideration scientific, technical and socio-economic factors.
* To design a programme of interventions, including demonstration projects and pre-investment studies, addressing problems of regional priority. Some projects are regional in scope, and focus on groups of countries united by geographic location or identified common problems. Site-specific projects of priority for the participating countries are also included.
* To strengthen existing regional institutions, in particular the Nairobi and Abidjan Conventions, and to establish synergies with relevant programmes and projects.
* To provide a framework for facilitating the mobilization of resources for the sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment, given that available funds for such projects are very limited.
* To produce a self-sustaining model that can be replicated in other regions or thematic areas in order to develop interventions that contribute to the goals of sustainable development. [more]
Lead Partner: Environment General Agency - Environment General Agency - Environment General Agency
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The main objectives of the initiative are:
♦ To critically assess successes and failures in implementing Rio decisions in each member AU country
♦ To focus on the identification of accomplishments and areas where further efforts are needed to implement Agenda 21.
♦ To ensure that all members of African Union must have a safer more prosperous future by dealing with environment protection economic development and social development issues inbalanced manner.
♦ Accelerated economic and social development of Africa with better care for environment
♦ Awareness raising at regional, national and local level and further promote Agenda 21 in Africa. [more]
Lead Partner: EdF/ACCESS
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The objective of the Initiative is to pool the resources of the participants in order to develop models to meet the needs for modern energy services in rural areas of Africa, including their business, institutional, technological, financial and social aspects.
Through this objective, AREA will contribute to achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in the following ways:
* Poverty reduction. The operation of rural energy service systems will create income and jobs:
* directly, at the village level, in the operation and maintenance of the energy service systems;
* indirectly, by increasing the opportunity for village level craft and agro-alimentary activities (wood processing, food processing, welding, ...);
* in the manufacture and assembly of system components;
* Health. The energy systems will contribute to better health in rural areas in the following ways:
* pumping of potable water;
* water for irrigation, thus increasing the food supply;
* refrigeration and lighting in health clinics;
* reduction of indoor air pollution, through the improvement of domestic fuel quality the through better stoves;
* Gender equality. Free women and girls from time consuming tasks such as carrying water (through motorised water pumping), collecting firewood (through improved fuels and stoves for cooking) or from milling grains (mechanical milling);
* Natural resource management. The biomass needed for energy production will be produced through sustainable forestry management techniques and through use of waste products. This will permit better management of land and forest resources, and aid in the fight against deforestation. [more]
Lead Partner: University of Copenhagen - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Benguela Coastal Region Summary: Harmful micro-algal toxins represent a major threat to public health and marine living resources in the Benguela region. The main objective of this Partnership/initiative is to develop an integrated monitoring program to address the adverse effects of harmful algal blooms through the application of isotopic and classic techniques, in order to contribute to the sustainable development and management of the Benguela marine coastal environment. More specifically:
1. To transfer to Angola, Namibia, and South Africa, the identification/quantification method for toxic phytoplankton and the receptor binding assay (RBA) and related assays technologies for algal toxins.
2. To establish the capability to monitor toxic phytoplankton and to perform receptor assay methods for algal toxins in the Member States laboratories. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: To improve the skills of decision-makers to implement sustainable consumption and production policies.
The initiative will create practical training materials (hardcopy and web-based), organize regional and national training courses, monitor results, and provide individual advice for participants. The training is directed at decision-makers in:
- Governments - in particular in developing countries and economies in transition;and
- Civil society.
The project will build upon the results of both UNEP's and Consumers International's ongoing programmes in the area of sustainable consumption and production. It will build on the regional networks of both organisations to implement national and regional training for capacity building for sustainable consumption and production.
Ongoing UNEP programmes in this area include the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, UNEP's Advertising and Communication Forum, the joint UNEP/UNESCO YouthXChange project, the UNEP SCOPE project (Sustainable Consumption Opportunities for Europe), UNEP's Environmentally and socially responsible procurement programme (ERSP) and the UNEP/CDG (Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft) initiative on Eco-design for small and medium-sized companies in developing countries.
Consumers International programme outputs on sustainable consumption include product testing, green claims and awareness raising activities. [more]
Lead Partner: Peace Child International
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Main objectives:
To empower young people to be instruments in the delivery of community development aid, not just the beneficiaries of it;
To support and enable young people successfully to complete simple development projects with the minimum of financial resources and the maximum of peer/community support.
To create a sustainable funding source to which young people can come to get simple community development projects funded and supported with appropriate advice and guidance.
To enable sponsoring schools to reap the maximum educational advantage from their charity fund-raising and learn what sustainable development looks like in practice;
To raise awareness of the outcomes of the World Summit for Sustainable Development and point out effective ways for young people to become involved in active implementation of them;
To promote awareness of the Morocco 2003 International Congress on the role of young people in Sustainable Development and to provide solid evidence of the constructive role they can play. [more]
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: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Development objective: To increase the productivity of water for food and livelihoods, in a manner that is environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable.
The immediate objectives of the Challenge Program on Water and Food:
1. Food security for all at household level.
2. Poverty alleviation, through increased sustainable livelihoods in rural and peri-urban areas.
3. Improved health, through better nutrition, lower agriculture-related pollution and reduced water-related diseases.
4. Environmental security through improved water quality as well as the maintenance of water related ecosystem services, including biodiversity.
These form the four key dimensions in which progress towards the overall goal is measured. [more]
Lead Partner: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The goal of the 'Biofortified Crops for Improved Human Nutrition' Challenge Program is to improve the health of poor people by breeding staple food crops that are rich in micronutrients, a process referred to here as "biofortification." The Biofortification Challenge Program seeks to bring the full potential of agricultural and nutrition science to bear on the persistent problem of micronutrient malnutrition. Micronutrient malnutrition, primarily the result of diets poor in bioavailable vitamins and minerals, affects more than half of the world's population, especially women and preschool children. The costs of these deficiencies in terms of lives lost, forgone economic growth, and poor quality of life are staggering. To reach the Millennium Development Goal's target of halving the proportion of undernourished people by 2015, new technologies and approaches are needed to help address the problem.
The Biofortification Challenge Program will focus on three micronutrients that are widely recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as limiting: iron, zinc, and vitamin A (beta-carotene). Full-time breeding programs are proposed for six staple foods for which feasibility studies have already been completed and which are consumed by the majority of the world's poor in Africa, Asia, and Latin America: rice, wheat, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, and common beans. Pre-breeding feasibility studies are proposed for eleven additional staples: bananas, barley, cowpeas, groundnuts, lentils, millet, pigeon peas, plantains, potatoes, sorghum, and yams. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) - International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: In preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), and in the framework of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, the partners of this initiative have agreed to jointly develop a capacity building programme on the applications of Information and Communication Technologies for the establishment of Environmental Information Systems for Sustainable Development in Africa.
This partnership aims at initiating a national and sub regional capacity building programme, on the applications of the new information and communication technologies for the establishment of environmental information management and monitoring systems in Africa. It aims at generating adequate conditions for the establishment of a coherent and efficient institutional framework, and the development and appropriation of technological tools for the accessing, exchange and circulation of useful information.
Significant efforts are being made to manage natural resources and the environment, involving scientific and technical research, the implementation of appropriate programmes and projects in the field, and the harnessing of local know-how. The results, in the form of products, information and data, represent a unique scientific, technical and cultural heritage for sustainable development and the fight against poverty in Africa.
However, it has to be recognized that this information heritage is often dispersed on account of sectoral compartmentalization at the inter-institutional level, resulting of an apparent lack of information at the local level which contradicts the existence in reality of an information heritage within national and international institutions or bodies specializing in Africa throughout the world. This loss of "institutional memory" is now recognized as being one of the major obstacles to sustainable development in Africa.
The general objective of this initiative is to provide countries and regional organizations with systems for the validation, circulation and harnessing of relevant environmental information with a view to strengthening the participative approach at the different decision-making and operational levels and thereby promoting enlightened decision-making.
Specific objectives of the partnership are to respond to the needs expressed by a large number of environmental stakeholders in developing countries. As well as being a technological tool, it seeks to encourage the environmental community to share experiences and information heritage, balancing information supply and demand.
This approach aims to create a synergy of both human and financial resources, establishing environmental information systems within national programmes such as national development plans, national environmental action plans, poverty eradication plans, etc. It will also catalyze the development of National and Regional Spatial Data Infrastructures (NSDI and RSDI) for use in planning and decision making for sustainable development [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Japan - Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: This initiative will contribute to expansion and enhancement of science and mathematics education in Africa, and strengthen and expand the network already formulated by JICA and African Countries. Also by the participation of ADEA (Association for the Development of Education in Africa), recommended by BEGIN (Basic Education for Growth Initiative) which introduced by Japanese Government. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Drylands Development Centre
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: To reduce poverty in drylands areas by 50% over the life of the project.
Secondary objectives
To strengthen the capacities of drylands communities to manage their natural resources and farming systems.
To improve livelihoods and food security of drylands communities.
To review and revise the legislative basis for access to land and other resources.
To improve access to markets.
To create the enabling environment needed to improve rural livelihoods.
To improve the access of communities to information through the media (print, radio and television).
To bring about legal and institutional reform to support the socio-economic development of rural communities. [more]
Lead Partner: Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) - Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The objectives of the partnership will be discussed and agreed at the initial partnership workshop, to be held in the last quarter of 2002. The overall objective of the partnership is to bring together universities and governments from Africa and other countries, along with intergovernmental organisations, businesses and civil society groups to design and establish a network of Centres of Excellence for Technological Innovation for Sustainability in Africa (CETISA).
The work done by the centres is expected to include world-class sustainable development related scientific and technological research, collaborations with the private sector to bring technologies to market, and the development of integrated technological innovation strategies for meeting the needs of the poor. African stakeholders will lead the process of setting the specific objectives and identifying the priorities for the individual centres, with strong input and support from universities and other institutions with expertise in technological innovation from both Northern and Southern countries.
Building on existing initiatives and networks, the specific objectives of the partnership are to:
Develop a shared analysis of the potential roles that African universities can play in supporting the development and implementation of effective strategies for technological innovation to meet sustainable development needs;
Develop a shared analysis of the current capacity of African universities to contribute to the development of such strategies;
Develop proposals for strengthening the capacity of African universities to support the development and implementation of effective strategies for technological innovation to meet sustainable development needs, through establishing centres of excellence for technological innovation for sustainability in Africa, drawing on best practice models from around the world, and based on participative assessments of technology needs and opportunities;
Improve African universities' access to world-class expertise and best practice on technology research and policy making through creating strong linkages with universities in both developed and developing countries;
Facilitate the development of research partnerships and other collaborations (e.g. staff and student exchanges, joint implementation projects etc.) between African Universities and other universities and expert institutions in both developed and developing countries;
Engage host and donor governments in the design of the centres of excellence, and encourage investment in building the technological capacity of African Universities. [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: Local Government of Cities of Buenos Aires and Avellameda - Local Government of City of Graz - 7 Brazilian Local Governments - 133 Canadian Local Governments - Local Government of City of Tome - Local Government of City of Krnov - Local Government of City of Copenhagen - 46 Finnish Local Governments - 8 German Local Governments - Local Government of City of Kallithea - Local Government of Cities of Budapest and Miskolc - 17 Indian Local Governments - 10 Indonesian Local Governments - 7 Italian Local Governments - 4 Japanese Local Governments - 8 Mexican Local Governments - Local Government of Cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam - 17 New Zealand Local Governments - 14 Philippines' Local Governments - Local Government of City of Gdansk - Local Government of Cities of Almeda and Lisbon - 12 South African Local Governments - Local Government of City of Barcelona - Local Government of Cities of Goteborg, Stockholm and Vaxjo - 6 Thai Local Governments - 55 U.K. Local Governments - 159 U.S. Local Governments
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Cities for Climate ProtectionTM (CCP) Campaign enlists cities to adopt policies and implement measures to achieve quantifiable reductions in local greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and enhance urban livability and sustainability. More than 650 local governments participate in the CCP, integrating climate change mitigation into their decision-making processes. ICLEI runs this highly successful and widely recognized campaign either regionally or nationally in Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, Latin America, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the United States.
Local governments join the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) campaign by passing a resolution pledging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their local government operations and throughout their communities. To help cities achieve their goals, ICLEI then assists the cities undertake the CCP's five milestones.
Communities that participate in the CCP benefit from the actions that they take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through:
- Financial savings in reduced utility and fuel costs to the local government, households, and businesses.
- Improved local air quality, contributing to the general health and well being of the community.
- Economic development and new local jobs as investments in locally produced energy products and services keep money circulating in the local economy.
In addition, ICLEI provides regionally specific tools and technical assistance to assist local governments in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. [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.
[more]
Lead Partner: WIP Renewable Energies
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The objective of the Competence Platform on Energy Crop and Agroforestry Systems - Africa (COMPETE) is to stimulate bioenergy implementation in Africa. COMPETE will establish a platform for policy dialogue and capacity building in the major multi- and bi-lateral funding organisations and key stakeholders throughout the bioenergy provision and supply chains.
As global fossil energy resources become constrained, bioenergy is emerging as a major potential resource to supply the energy services currently provided by these fossil fuels. Africa and Latin America have, in theory, very large areas of land resources ‘available’ for bioenergy production. However, the production of biomass for energy on the scales necessary to supply significant shares of national and global energy provision, will result in very substantial impacts (positive and negative) on the ecosystems and cultures of these target regions. The protection of biodiversity, rural livelihoods and management of scarce water resources are critical considerations in any analysis of the potential for sustainable bioenergy provision.
Therefore, a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, assessment of current land use, energy demand and technology innovation focused on Africa, will be carried out to identify pathways for the sustainable provision of bioenergy, which will:
• improve the quality of life and create alternative means of income for the rural population in Africa
• aid the preservation of the critical functions of arid and semi-arid regions in Africa as intact ecosystems
• enhance the equitable exchange of knowledge between EU and developing countries
[more]
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
[more]
Lead Partner: Government of Japan - Ministry of the Environment - Conservation International (CI) - The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) - World Bank Group - Global Environment Facility (GEF) - MacArthur Foundation
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Latin America and the Caribbean - Africa - West Asia - Asia and the Pacific Summary: The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) advances the global conservation agenda on several fronts. The objective of the Fund is to serve as a catalyst to create strategic working alliances among diverse groups, combining unique capacities and eliminating duplication of efforts for a comprehensive, coordinated approach to conservation challenges. Investments support such projects as managing of protected areas and coordinating biodiversity corridors; training; transboundary planning; encouraging local dialogue with extractive industries; engaging in conflict resolution; priority setting and consensus building; strengthening indigenous organizations and facilitating partnerships between the private sector and protected areas. [more]
Lead Partner: UNEP - Dams and Development Project (DDP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: To promote improved decision-making, planning and management of dams and their alternatives building on World Commission on Dams (WCD) core values and strategic priorities and other relevant reference materials. Through supporting multi-stakeholder dialogues at country-level, regional and global levels on improving decision making on dams and their alternatives with the aim of engaging all stakeholders with emphasis on governments,and producing non prescriptive tools drawing on all relevant existing bodies of criteria and guidelines for planning and management of dams and their alternatives, which can help decision makers. [more]
Lead Partner: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Geographical Scope: National Summary: The main objective of this partnership is to design and demonstrate the application of a systematic and comprehensive approach for developing Country Profiles on Sustainable Energy Development (CPSEDs). Country leaders, policymakers and energy analysts are faced with the major challenge of assessing their energy systems within a sustainable development framework. Projects, plans, programs and policies need to be developed in a comprehensive manner taking into consideration not only economic issues but also social and environmental impacts as well as institutional and infrastructure requirements. The assessment represents a dynamic exercise in which country experts review past and current energy development and trends while exploring, at the same time, consistent images of future scenarios consonant with their specific sustainable development criteria and goals. This partnership initiative is a first attempt to produce such a comprehensive assessment.
While the CPSED approach could be applied to any country, the initial demonstration phase is being conducted in Brazil, Cuba and South Africa. In Brazil, the IAEA is working with CENBIO from the University of Sao Paulo and COPPE from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. In Cuba, the IAEA is working with CUBAENERGIA and in South Africa with the Energy Research Center of the University of Cape Town. International organizations cooperating in this partnership include UNDESA, OLADE and ECLAC.
At the national level, the partnerships are resulting in an overall assessment of the energy systems of participating countries, a review of potential future energy demand and supply scenarios and the definition of a comprehensive set of sustainable energy strategies specifically designed to help policy makers pursue their sustainable energy development objectives. Indicators for sustainable energy development (ISED) are being used to monitor each country's progress towards meeting national development goals.
Research and governmental organizations will have increased expertise in using energy planning tools and evaluation methodologies for the integrated assessment of energy systems and corresponding strategies and programs. The modelling framework and guidelines developed will permit other countries to construct systematically their country profiles on sustainable energy development.
[more]
Lead Partner: Government of European Community - European Commission, Directorate General Environment
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The initiative provides a platform for strategic partnerships to implement the programmes of action for the WSSD and to contribute to meeting the Millennium Development Goals on water. Under the initiative, the EU seeks to work with its partners to:
* Reinforce political will and commitment to action
The global water crisis is not on the agenda of many political leaders of the world. The initiative seeks to support governments in understanding the links between water, poverty and sustainable development and to help translate this into firm commitments for action. In particular, the initiative seeks to provide a mechanism to develop joint action plans to implement the programmes of action of the WSSD.
* Make water governance effective and build institutional capacity
Making water governance effective is an essential step in supporting healthy and productive lives and safe-guarding the environment. The initiative seeks to promote better water governance arrangements and good practice centred on the principles of integrated water resources management. Capacity to plan, manage and implement programmes of action at all levels is central to achieving the desired outcomes and the initiative seeks to build capacity by providing expertise and knowledge and by facilitating access to information. Research co-operation should form an import part of such these activities.
* Improve co-ordination and co-operation
A vast range of water-related activities are currently underway or planned but their inter-relationship is not always apparent. The initiative seeks to provide a platform to co-ordinate and streamline activities and to establish multi-stakeholder processes to bring partners together, including south-south collaboration and co-operation. The initiative seeks to support regional and sub-regional activities where clear commitment to collaboration exists. As a contribution to peace and security it seeks specifically to support the build-up of river basin organisations and to assist in the development and application of river basin approaches in transboundary waters.
* Increase the efficiency of existing EU aid flows
Meeting the Millennium Development Goals will require considerable financing efforts and although no exact estimates are available it is evident there is a major financing gap. The initiative seeks to make the most of available funds and to increase the effectiveness of existing and future EU aid flows. It seeks to use official development assistance as a lever for other forms of finance, including user finance and private finance, and to encourage the development of innovative funding mechanisms to create higher efficiencies. It also seeks to finance water projects with a particular focus on meeting the needs of poor customers and a sustainable environment. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - European Space Agency (ESA)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The TIGER-SHIP partnership aims at developing sustainable earth observation information services for integrated water resources management in developing countries, with a particular focus on Africa as special contribution to the NEPAD/AMCOW process and the achievement of WSSD goals.
Specific Objectives include:
* To establish a network of multidisciplinary experts and institutions for the identification and definition of space technology applications and contribution to the sustainable water resources management in Africa.
* To promote the integrated assessments of water resources availability and use in Africa.
* To identify several case studies and support multidisciplinary experts teams to conduct detailed projects in Africa.
* To learn, from case studies the issues relevant to sound management of surface and groundwater resources in Africa.
* To raise the awareness of policy and decision makers of the significance and importance of space technology for water resources management.
* To set up training facilities and disseminate the lessons learnt from case studies.
* To contribute to the improvement of the socio-economic situations of African countries.
* To contribute to the formulation of strategies to cope with water scarcity.
* To develop a pre-operational information services on water resources management in Africa using space technology. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Sweden - Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) - Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Swedish initiative to promote and develop ecological sanitation in Asia, Africa and Latin America and to provide a base for global communications on the topic.
The overall goal is to set up a long-term program of ecological sanitation around the world including pilot projects, promotion activities and capacity development. To involve additional bilateral and multilateral agencies so that they will also initiate their own programs: [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.
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Lead Partner: The EOLSS Publishers Ltd. - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), EOLSS Joint Committee
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), the world biggest web-based archive as transdisciplinary knowledge base of sustainable development.
It is, in fact, a global partnership among thousands of scholars aimed at creating an integrated knowledge base in support of sustainable development efforts. Thus, the EOLSS Project is a project in support of all other projects related to sustainable development irrespective at the level they have been carried out: local, governmental, regional or global.
* It addresses the issue of knowledge and education for sustainability
* It is a unique archive created as a valuable source of knowledge to help other projects related to sustainable development.
* It provides a basis for inspiration. In the words of Leon M. Lederman, Nobel Laureate in Physics, the EOLSS is 'the theme of humanity, embedded in nature and constrained to find ways of maintaining a relationship with nature based on understanding and respect'
* The EOLSS has been regularly updated to be a living encyclopedia, not merely a replicated publication.
* It is innovative project- a global effort towards the creation of an integrated knowledge base in support of sustainable development
* It need not be replicated but it should be continued to enhance and update the knowledge base it develops
* It is first to inform decisions in the process of development and to inspire leadership. It is innovative in the sense that it is aimed at developing a base of integrated knowledge that addresses the contemporary issues of the world. [more]
Lead Partner: North South Initiative e.V. - SUDERETA
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: Decentralised systems for the use of renewable energies can contribute to a sustainable development in rural areas in Africa. Photovoltaic systems provide electricity for lighting, medical systems, water pumping and communication systems for communities and institutions. Wind power can pump water and generate electricity. Fuel efficient cookers, biogas or solar cookers can relieve women and children from their daily work of collecting fire wood, or they can save expenses for wood or charcoal. Beyond cooking, biogas can feed lamps and engines.
Together with the local partner SUDERETA in the 'South' the association NorthSouthInitiative, NSI e.V. in the 'North' has set up several small enterprises called 'Enterprises of Trust' in rural areas for the production and sale of systems based on renewable energies. The production of such devices can provide the momentum for self-sustaining local economic cycles. Capital will thus be accumulated step by step in rural areas. Employment in technical professions is created and technical skills will be taught. Technical equipment is installed serving multiple usage in the area. The money earned can will support directly or indirectly local social services, such as schools or health services, and help protect the environment. The living conditions become sustainable in their ethnic surroundings. [more]
Lead Partner: The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Environmental Law Programme
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Effective implementation will not occur without capacity building and 'good governance'. This initiative provides a framework for environmental law capacity building for sustainable development at all levels, one that serves to forge links between existing institutions and processes, and to facilitate 'good governance' for sustainable development.
The long term objective of this initiative is: 'In every country governments and stakeholders have the capacity to actively participate in the international policy debate, to implement what is agreed through co-ordinated policies, laws and institutions that respect the rule of law and to ensure effective compliance.'
To be effective, such a programme requires global coordination, regional and national delivery and effective collaboration through a partnership of leading international, regional and national organizations.
IUCN's Environmental Law Programme is the world's oldest and largest environmental law network. It has the ability to mobilise and co-ordinate the efforts of the best environmental lawyers and organisations from countries all over the world. This includes a rich network of partners drawn from UN agencies, IGOs, NGOs and academic instiutions, in addition to the 900 volunteers in 130 countries who comprise the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law.
The development of this co-ordinated programme provides a context within which to develop and promote specific projects, including ECOLEX, the web based access to FAO, IUCN, and UNEP environmental law and policy information, the IUCN International Academy on Environmental Law, and targeted publications and training projects.
This partnership programme for capacitiy building integrates the broad suite of partnerships that comprise the IUCN Environmental Law Programme, with a view to achieving maximum leverage and to get resources 'on the ground' as effectively and efficiently as possible. Identified partners (other than the IUCN CEL, ELC and Academy) are involved in specific projects rather than the entire initiative ie FAO, IUCN and UNEP re ECOLEX.
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Lead Partner: Government of Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The initiative intends to set-up a global research and training programme, specifically directed to African scientists, in collaboration with the Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDDMM) at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), with the aim of finalising a feasibility study fro the set-up an African Regional Centre for Infectious Diseases.
The initiative is also in line with the "Cape Town Declaration" and the "Cape Town Initiative", endorsed by the Governments of South Africa and Italy, in March 2002, during the State Visit to South Africa of the President of the Italian Republic, which identifies the essential role of science and technology for sustainable development.
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Lead Partner: Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) - Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Southern Africa Summary: The Expanded OUZIT Project is an integrated tourism development strategy aimed at establishing a comprehensive tourism and resource development zone in SADC.
The agreed project roll out would see the Expanded OUZIT project proceed on two parallel tracks:
a) As an integral part of the WSSD - focused on presenting SADC's TFCA's (Transfrontier Conservation Areas) - proposed and existing, as a unifying theme demonstrating the region's commitment and leadership in the preservation of bio-diversity, the conservation of two of the region's last remaining and largely untapped river systems (i.e. Okavango, and Zambezi), and as a vehicle for the upliftment and sustainable development for the rural poor.
b) The second track for progressing the Expanded OUZIT will be project driven and draw upon the TFCA scoping study.
Accordingly the agreed project roll out will:
1. Identify and prepare documentation for at least three (3) new large-scale investments in Resort Hubs around which to network TFCAs.
2. Support Capacity Building in the management and expansion of Gateway/Resort Hubs in participating member states.
3. Identify high profile and active global investors (including airlines and major tour operators) and organize a programme to engage them.
4. Address bottlenecks (infrastructure, policy, financial, load factors) impeding the provision of long haul and inter-regional air transport services. [more]
Lead Partner: International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: GloBallast Advanced, A programmatic framework for the sustainable continuity of the Global Ballast Water Management Project- Building regional partnership for the effective implementation of international arrangements for ballast water control and management in developing countries
Main objectives of the Partnership/Initiative
The ultimate goal of this Initiative is to assist developing countries to reduce the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships' ballast water and to establish regional, integrated strategies to address the threat posed by invasive marine species.
This initiative is a logical extension of the initial project 'Global Ballast Water Management' (GloBallast) executed by IMO since March 2000 and will have a greater regional focus and more emphasis on integrated ocean and coastal zone management.
The development objectives of the Initiative can be summarized as follows:
* To build regional partnership towards effective implementation of global regulations on ballast water management and control;
* To develop and implement national and regional, integrated invasive marine species strategies and action plans; and
* To integrate regional ballast water and invasive marine species programmes with other marine and coastal environmental management arrangements.
This Initiative provides a framework to accomplish the above objectives ensuring that maximum benefits accrue from the foundation work achieved since March 2000 [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: Alliance to End Childhood Lead Poisoning
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The purpose of the Global Lead Initiative is to achieve the expeditious completion of global leaded gasoline phase-out and to reduce and eliminate other exposure sources according to a partnership process with specific milestones and targets. The Global Lead Initiative would translate the many existing international commitments on leaded gasoline phase-out and lead
poisoning prevention into concrete action aimed at eliminating environmental lead hazards. Actions will be developed based on the successful model provided by the Summit of the Americas Partnership for Pollution Prevention and on the principles of the Alliance's International Action Plan for Preventing Lead Poisoning.
The goal of the Global Lead Initiative is to catalyze expedited completion of leaded gasoline phase-out and to identify and eliminate other exposure sources, by achieving the following objectives:
Institute a partnership process for implementation and monitoring, including the development of specific milestones and targets;
Build on progress and lessons learned by highlighting "best practices," models of successful implementation of phase-out and prevention, in each region;
Coordinate disparate projects, technical assistance programs, and other efforts being carried out by UN agencies, national governments, and NGOs, to avoid duplication of efforts; and Maximize the benefits of phase-out and prevention by linking efforts to related environmental health objectives, such as clean fuels and healthy housing. [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.
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Lead Partner: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Main objective of the Partnership is to lift the threat of imminent or medium term extinction faced by the four main kinds of great apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.
The immediate objectives leading to the achievement of the Partnership's goal include;
- To promote the Global Strategy for the Survival of Great Apes and Their Habitat;
- To determine the potential of sites, monitor populations of great apes and establish a database of great ape population information;
- To collate and analyse existing projects and initiatives at different levels, in order to identify gaps and set priorities in action and to encourage coordination and cooperation;
- To encourage range States to prepare and implement national action plans for the survival of great ape populations and their habitat and ensure that they have the necessary resources to do so;
- To prioritize the use of resources for optimum effectiveness and identify funding areas that are currently neglected and underfunded;
- To promote and enforce a legal framework for the survival of great apes and their habitat in the countries concerned;
- To identify and support income-generating initiatives for the benefit of communities living in and around great ape habitat and protected areas, with due consideration for indigenous communities and to ensure, where it becomes imperative to resettle indigenous people in conformity with United Nations guidelines, that compensation is paid with international support;
- To educate and raise awareness among local populations;
- To help generate new and additional funds for the survival of great apes and their habitat and to ensure that the international community in the widest sense (donor States, international organizations and institutions, non-governmental organizations and representatives of private business and industry) provides effective and coherent support to the efforts being made by the great ape range States.
Lead Partner: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), GPA Coordination Office
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The H20 Partnership aims to further the environmental, economic and social importance of oceans, coasts, and islands, and to facilitate the realization of the Montreal commitment by governments to mitigate water pollution and resource degradation from the hilltops to the oceans.
The overall objectives of the H20 Partnership include:
* To facilitate Governments and the international community recognition of the linkages between the freshwater and marine environments and to foster closer collaboration and partnerships between river basin authorities and coastal managers since action must be taken on land to reduce, remediate and prevent pollution and degradation of the coastal and marine environment.
* To assist countries and regions in making better use of existing domestic resources and in raising new and additional financing, particularly within the context of the regional seas
* To assist countries and regions in evaluating alternative options for funding projects that address priority problems of river, coastal and marine pollution.
* To assist Governments and intergovernmental organisations in identifying opportunities for effective partnerships, including through the establishment of specific cooperative activities, alliances and networks with financial institutions.
* To assist the public sector in involving the private sector and the civil society in addressing priority problems of river, coastal and marine pollution.
* To involve civil society further in the implementation of the Global Programme of Action Wastewater Emission Targets (WET) [more]
Lead Partner: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The project on Indicators for Sustainable Energy Development (ISED) has three major objectives: (1) to fill the need for a comprehensive and consistent set of energy indicators that can be used in an effective manner to assess progress towards a sustainable energy future, (2) to assist countries in energy and statistical capacity building necessary to induce energy sustainability and (3) to supplement the general indicators effort being undertaken by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development.
The project consists of two phases. The major objective of the First Phase was to identify and define a set of indicators for sustainable energy development applicable worldwide.
The Second Phase of the project aimed to demonstrate the practical applicability and utility of the ISED set as a policy tool in a variety of analytical cases. The objectives of this phase include: (1) to test the original set of energy indicators in a number of countries; (2) to provide assistance to countries in the implementation and use of the ISED for the formulation of their energy strategies in conformity with their sustainable development criteria; and (3) to incorporate the ISED into the relevant databases and analytical tools so that energy indicators can be used in on-going statistical analyses (capacity building). [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The main objective of the programme will be to provide significant opportunities and scope for the deployment of energy efficiency technologies in developing countries.
Expected results include:
That developing countries and economies in transition integrate energy efficiency strategies for can GHG emissions reduction and control in a way it enables their participation in CDM and JI. [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: Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) - International Development Law Organisation - International Law Association Committee on ILSD
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: This initiative focuses on implementation significant legal development in the field sustainable development. The main goal is to strengthen sustainable development governance at the international, regional and national levels, laying the foundation for policy implementation by facilitating access to, compliance with, and enforcement of coherent, integrated economic, social and environmental law. This project is geared to both lawyers and non-lawyers in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The objectives are:
- To found a user-friendly web-based legal resource centre, based on links to networks and databases of experts and contacts, engaging developed and developing country jurists, to assess, promote and implement international law for sustainable development.
- To carry out legal research and experts workshops, and develop a series of new legal briefs and capacity building manuals on intersections of social, economic and environmental law. These shall be made widely accessible to scholars, decision-makers and civil society, in particular those in developing countries (and countries in transition).
- To undertake capacity building and training in international sustainable development law (ISDL), so as to assist developing country governments, IGOs, judges, parliamentarians, local communities and the media to effectively address inter-linked environmental, economic and social challenges. [more]
Lead Partner: Cap-Net - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Global Water Partnership (GWP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Many developing countries have not yet been able to develop and integrate the requisite suite of human and institutional capacities into an effective water management regime.
What is urgently needed is a new water paradigm, one of integrated, holistic capacity development based on country ownership, adaptive homegrown policies, inclusive stakeholder participation and greater equity in the North-South development relationship.
Through partnership with national and regional capacity building networks in integrated water resources management, and as GWP's spearhead for capacity building, with support of IHE, UNDP/Cap-Net supports the establishment of networks and facilitates their access to global information. It also facilitates the exchange of information between the regions and responds to demands from regional and country networks. It aims to improve access to capacity building materials and in partnership with the networks to develop new tools and materials based on capacity building needs analysis. UNDP/Cap-Net strongly advocates local ownership of networks and capacity building activities and materials being developed for integrated water resources management. At the global level Cap-Net takes the role of ensuring access to information and experience for local practitioners. Local adaptation must then take place to ensure cultural and technical relevance to specific country situations. This way local ownership and responsibility is being enhanced. In collaboration of specialized international agencies, UNDP/Cap-Net develops adequate tools and materials to be put at the disposal of regional and country networks based on their demands and to improve their capacities in addressing capacity building for integrated water resources management. [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: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Mountain Partnership is a voluntary alliance of partners dedicated to improving the well-being, livelihoods and opportunities of mountain people and the protection and stewardship of mountain environments around the world. The Mountain Partnership taps the wealth and diversity of resources, knowledge, skills and expertise of its members to support positive change in mountain areas. The Partnership was launched as a type-2 outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2002: the basic concept and guiding principles of the Mountain Partnership resulted from a consultative process that took place during the preparatory sessions of the WSSD with its core document (known as the Bali Document) finalized at the Fourth Session of the Preparatory Committee for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Bali, Indonesia, 27 May - 7June 2002). Commitment to the Mountain Partnership has increased rapidly at the country, regional and international levels and concrete action is now underway to improve the lives of mountain people and protect mountain environments around the world. By March 2009, 50 countries, 16 intergovernmental organizations and 96 major group organizations (e.g. civil society, NGOs, private sector) had already joined the Mountain Partnership. A Mountain Partnership Secretariat, with financial support from the governments of Italy and Switzerland, is hosted at the central level by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Decentralized hubs of the secretariat have also been established in Latin America (hosted by CONDESAN), Asia Pacific (hosted by ICIMOD) and North America (hosted by the Banff Centre) and an Environmental Reference Centre is hosted by UNEP to provide guidance and support on environmental issues related to the Mountain Partnership.
The Mountain Partnership facilitates the effective and efficient implementation of Chapter 13, Agenda 21 and promotes, inter alia, joint initiatives based on paragraph 42 of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and other related instruments regarding mountains, by enhancing on-the-ground action and by working at the policy, programme and project levels. Specific partnership initiatives have been identified by members and are focussing on priority areas of action, such as biodiversity, education, gender, policy and law, research, sustainable livelihoods, sustainable agriculture and rural development in mountains (SARD-M) and watershed management. Additionally, geographically-focussed Initiatives have been launched and are operational in the Andes, Central Asia, Europe, the Hindu Kush Himalaya and other regions. New initiatives are developed as new priority areas are identified by members. Linkages between partnership initiatives are being encouraged at the local, national, regional and global levels, with members entering into specific initiatives according to their priorities, needs and capacities.
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Lead Partner: International Solar Energy Society
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: ISES has been serving the needs of the renewable energy community since its founding in 1954. A UN-accredited NGO present in more than 50 countries, the Society supports its members in the advancement of renewable energy technology, implementation and education all over the world. Its goals include:
* Towards a Sustainable World:Encouraging the use of Renewable Energy everywhere, through appropriate technology, scientific excellence, social responsibility, and global communication.
* Realising a Global Community: Bringing together industries, individuals and institutions in support of Renewable Energy technologies - through communication, co-operation, support and exchange.
* Supporting Development: Applying practical projects, technology transfer, education, training and support to the issue of global energy development.
* Supporting the Science of Solar Energy: Stimulating and encouraging both fundamental and applied research in solar energy.
* Contributing to Growth: Ensuring individual and community growth through support of private enterprise and empowerment in the area of Renewable Energy.
* Information and Communication: Rapid access to information through tailor-made communication and exchange platforms utilising modern technology.
ISES is a multi-faceted, global membership organisation. With its long history and extensive technical and scientific expertise provided by its members, the Society is a modern, future-oriented non-governmental organisation (NGO). Clearly defined goals, extensive communication networks and practical, real-world projects are the hallmarks of ISES. [more]
Lead Partner: The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Johannesburg Climate Legacy (JCL) will measure the CO2 emissions of the Summit (from aircraft flights to electricity used at the event itself), and then offset them by investing in carbon-reducing, sustainable projects across South Africa, (e.g. solar power, energy efficiency initiatives etc.) The JCL is a flagship project of the Greening the Summit process, which is being managed by IUCN in South Africa. [more]
Lead Partner: World LP Gas Association (WLPGA) - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: This initiative is designed to support the achievement of critical energy-related sustainable development goals, specifically poverty reduction, environmental protection, and economic growth. This partnership addresses concrete barriers to meeting the thermal energy needs (heating, cooking, and heat using productive processes) of rural and peri-urban populations in developing countries through expanded use of a clean-burning, readily-available fuel: liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Over 2 billion people in developing countries depend on traditional fuels including wood, animal and crop residues, and charcoal, to meet their heating, cooking and industrial needs. This has adverse health effects on women and children, degrades the local natural resources base and contributes to global environmental degradation through the emission of unburned hydrocarbons. Social and economic limitations for women, low quality energy services in heat using industries due to fuel inefficiency, and lost opportunities for agricultural product processing, are all directly related to traditional fuel use patterns.
The LPG Challenge will bring LPG to rural populations by linking UNDP's knowledge and experience in rural development and community consultation together with industry suppliers of LPG and the appliances required for its utilization. The key issue is to address market and technical barriers to the expanded use of LPG and to design local partnerships, business models and financing mechanisms to overcome these barriers. This will be accomplished through local dialogue processes and partnerships involving government officials, consumer representatives, current LGP market participants (local and international business), local entities that operate in rural communities, UNDP and other multilateral and bilateral funding agencies committed to bringing modern energy (electricity and clean fuels) to rural communities. [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.
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Lead Partner: Government of Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - The World Conservation Union (IUCN) - CESVI- Working for Water
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Limpopo Corridor Summary: This partnership supports participation of communities living in areas adjacent to the Great Limpopo Trans-frontier Park (GL-TFP) in the TFP establishment process. The TFP is being establishment by the Governments of Zimbabwe, RSA and Mozambique as a first step in the process of developing a broader TFCA: this in its broad concept encompasses a vast area of almost 100.000 km2, including two National Parks and a Reserved Hunting Area in Mozambique (Banhine NP, Zinave NP and Limpopo NP), Kruger NP in South Africa and Gonarezhou NP in Zimbabwe.
This partnership programme focus on poverty alleviation and the conservation of biological diversity and ecosystem functioning through institutional capacity building, and the involvement and livelihood enhancement of local communities. Its components target selected rural areas mediating nodal ecosystemic and economic fluxes (e.g. wildlife and commercial corridors and buffer zones) within the programmed large scope multipurpose cross-boundary conservation area. the Great Limpopo Trans-frontier Park (GL TFP). Ecosystem management in these areas holds the potential to make or break the GL TFP and, at the same time, to make or break the economic future of its own rural communities. With appropriate land use planning and development, the target areas can act as links between the components of the Transfrontier Park, can enhance their ecological and economic values and can provide an ecologically sound economic engine for the disadvantaged target areas.
The partnership programme will be based on two components:
1. Foundation component: this will build on a pilot project implemented in the southeast lowveld of Zimbabwe (1998-2003) by CESVI in cooperation with the Rural District Councils of Beitbridge, Chiredzi and Chipinge: this pilot component has promoted community-based natural resource management in communal lands in the Limpopo and Save valleys, along the border with South Africa, Mozambique and Botswana. The target areas of the project include, inter alia, rural areas bordering the Gonarezhou National Park which have strong historical and social links with neighboring areas in Mozambique and South Africa.
2. New partnership component: this component will comprise two projects (sub-components), which will address country specific issues in a coordinated manner:
* The South African sub-component, to be implemented in cooperation with the Department of Water Affairs and SANP in areas adjacent to Kruger NP.
* The Mozambican sub-component, to be implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to address the requirements of a vast rural area between the Limpopo NP, Banhine NP, Zinave NP and the border with Zimbabwe. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Decentralized Cooperation Programmes (DCP) objective is to encourage lasting South-South city-to-city cooperation for sustainable and economic development. For this purpose, DCP has established a global network of 11 associated training centres (as of Feb. 2006), which are located in Atlanta / United States; Barcelona and Bilbao / Spain; Curitiba / Brazil; Divonne-les-Bains and Lyon / France; Durban / South Africa; Kuala Lumpur / Malaysia; Ouagadougou / Burkina Faso; Plock / Poland and Shanghai / China. Each of these International Training Centres for Local Authorities and Local Actors is a hub for capacity building and knowledge sharing between local and regional authorities, international organizations, the private sector and civil society to enhance local public services. The training sessions for local authorities focus on four main areas:
- Environment and sustainable development
- Urban services
- Economic development and local governance
- Human security.
[more]
Lead Partner: ICLEI European Secretariat
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Governments spend some several thousand billion Euro every year on public purchasing, adding up to 12-25% of respective gross national products (GDP). Products and services bought include transport machinery, construction and IT equipment, but also food for canteens, energy and cleaning services. Depending on the government structure, local and regional authorities spend up to 90% of this amount. Spending this money responsibly, governments have the opportunity to foster sustainable development with money they have to spent anyway.
Public Procurement has been used as a policy tool often in the past and present. Although the conflict between policy objectives and market principles is often raised and subject to committed discussion, practical implementation and regulatory frameworks have shown, that in reality win-win situations for policy implementation and market efficiency can be found.
In recent years, environmental objectives have become a major topic in procurement, many public administrations have implemented "green purchasing policies", mostly in the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, Japan, North America). In this context it is often requested, but only partially implemented, to take all dimension of sustainable development into account in purchasing. Among others, purchasing could include are social considerations such as labour conditions and international market prices, and economic considerations such as protection of Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and domestic suppliers, quality or life-cycle costing.
Within this context, the partnership has two key objectives:
* Integrate all dimensions of sustainable development in procurement policies and by this contribute to better living and healthier working conditions, ensure social standards and protect the environment
* Accelerate penetration of sustainable products in export and domestic markets in order to foster an economic development that helps overcome poverty as well as over-exploitation of human work-force, economic assets and natural resources.
The partnership will lead to:
* A breakthrough for eco-efficient domestic supply in developing countries: Four well-documented examples of implementing responsible procurement policies under difficult economic framework conditions of emerging economies.
* A breakthrough for integration of sustainable development in all its dimensions to the procurement agenda: Well documented examples and national policies to integrate global concerns in (Northern) public procurement (for selected economic sectors) [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Germany - Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety - UNEP - Regional Office for Africa
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: - Strengthening existing organisational structures and establishing new ones when it is necessary to promote sustainable consumption and production in all African countries (e.g. supporting the development of national action plans on SCP);
- Developing and supporting projects for implementing sustainable consumption and production methods: Initiating the development of an eco-labellinbg mechanism for African products; supporting the development of networks and knowledge based information tools in selected fields of action (e.g. waste management and recycling, biofuels, drinking water);
- Supporting the integration and mainstreaming of environmental education in African schools and universities;
- Promoting sustainable procurement by governmental organisations through training courses and awareness-raising in cooperation with the Marrakech Task Force on sustainable public procurement.
[more]
Lead Partner: International Center of Resources and Innovation for the Sustainable Development-CIRIDD (former Association Agora 21) - Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (IEPF - Institut de la Francophonie Numérique - Unité Jeunesse)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The aim of the project is to create an information and discussion platform for sustainable development that is accessible to the various groups concerned (States and public administrations, local governments and international bodies, associations, the economic sector, scientists and the academic community, and ordinary citizens) by facilitating exchanges and integration of the available data on a network of Internet sites distributed throughout the French-speaking world.
The second objective is to develop the use of French regarding these topics for the sake of linguistic plurality at the international level, thereby helping to reinforce the capacities of French-speaking participants, especially in the organization of preliminary debates for major conferences. This platform is also an experimental ground for research and development into new tools and approaches that will be transferred to the partners. It will be an extension of various projects and actions. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of France - Ministère des Affaires Etrangères - Government of France - The French Geological Survey (BRGM)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: Mineral resources are one of the essential components of the natural capital of numerous African countries, and one of the key components of their economies. The complex linkages existing between this economic sector and sustainable development still remain poorly understood and subject to numerous controversies. The sustainable development of this sector is a considerable stake, for the mineral producing countries as well as for the consumer countries, like those of the European Union, the largest minerals importer in the world. If the investments necessary to put these resources into production are to be made by the private sector, there is a need to reinforce the capacity of the sectoral institutions to better regulate and promote the sustainable development of the sector. The range of actions to be supported is wide, from training to infrastructure.
The objective of the partnership is to strengthen the contribution of geological and mining activities to sustainable development.
To start with, it is proposed to organise a Forum with the concerned African countries to raise the awareness of the various actors concerned by the sustainable development of the mineral resources, on the issues and on the conditions to implement to improve the sector's promotion. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: This initiative seeks to revive south-south transfers of know-how, expertise and technology to address critical social, economic and environmental issues associated with urbanisation and globalisation. A key indicator of success will be the revival of institutional programmes and support mechanisms for South-South cooperation. It also seeks to enhance the collective efficiency of international support programmes through harmonised approaches and the systematic sharing and exchange of working tools and instruments.
Expected results
(i) More effective and operational transfers of know-how and technology in sustainable urban development between cities and their civil society partners based on the matching of supply with demand for knowledge, expertise and experience;
(ii) More coherent and efficient support systems for city-to-city cooperation based on collective sharing of tools, methods and support mechanisms;
(iii) Renewed mechanisms for international support programmes for south-south city-to-city cooperation, technology transfers and exchange of expertise. [more]
Lead Partner: French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Partnership aims at putting into place a specific technological and institutional model for meeting the needs for modern energy services in rural areas, using locally available renewable biomass resources, and through South-South technology cooperation.
The Partnership will be based on the following major components:
institution of sustainable mechanisms for collection and processing of biomass for energy production, through:
specific energy plantations, applying sustainable forestry management techniques, or;
collection and processing of forestry/agricultural waste products (rice hulls, wood chips, ...). [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: Government of Japan - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: * To develop appropriate NERICA varieties through crossing African rice species, resistant to disease and drought, and Asian rice species - high yield potential, in the West Africa Rice Development Association(WARDA) with the assistance from Japan, UNDP and other organizations.
* To help alleviate hunger in Africa through further promoting research, development and dissemination of NERICA. [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 Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - University of Trieste - Southern African Development Community Forestry Sector Technical Coordination Unit (SADC-FSTCU)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional SADC Summary: Building upon regional development potentials and institutional consensus of the SADC Secretariat and its member states, the capacity building and development contribution of the previous DGCS_SADC cooperation project (SECOSUD I) represents a solid foundation for the present partnership initiative.
The general aim of this partnership is to produce and establish a network of management oriented spatial decision support systems (SDSS) to promote the sustainable use of natural resources by private and public stakeholders while ensuring the durable social and economic development of rural areas situated in the SADC region affected by strong growing human pressure. The SDSS will be addressed specifically to Sustainable Management of Biological Resources (SMBR) by promoting the conservation of native plants economically useful compatibly with the long-term equitable economic growth and enhancement of productive capacity in rural areas. The network will comprise informatics tools with nodes located at selected Institutions that will:
- help understand the interactions between economically useful plants and the environment where they spontaneously grow and where they are cultivated,
- provide services to improve plant productivity without compromising the biological diversity of the region. [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: International Association of Scientific Technical and Medical Publishers - United Nations Environment Programme - Yale University
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Through Online Access to Research in the Environment (OARE), a new international public-private partnership, the world’s most prestigious scientific publishers, societies and associations are now offering one of the world’s largest collections of peer-reviewed natural and environmental science literature to more than 1500 national institutions in 106 least-developed nations of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe.
Launched October 30, 2006 in New York, OARE has a mission to improve the quality and effectiveness of natural and environmental science research, education and training in low-income countries. In doing so, OARE will help achieve four primary development objectives:
• Growth in the number of national scholars and experts who will, through their knowledge and reputation, integrate into and facilitate the development of more progressive science-driven policy development processes, regulatory frameworks, and governance structures.
• Strengthen the intellectual foundation of universities and research institutions so as to enable faculty to perform research on a par with peers in industrialized countries, develop their own publishing record, and enable students to conduct research and seek education in new and emerging subjects.
• Build the capacity of independent national organizations to gather, interpret, and disseminate and use global scientific research. Local rather than foreign organizations will engage/empower end-users of information.
The average annual US institutional subscription fee of each title provided through OARE is approximately $1,500. Each institution enrolled in OARE will receive access to more than 1200 serial titles and search engines with a US annual retail subscription value of more than $1 million. The total US annual retail subscription value of scholarly literature and scientific search engines to be provided through OARE to all enrolled institutions is more than $200 million per year.
Research is provided in a wide range of disciplines, including biotechnology, biology, botany, climate change, wildlife conservation, ecology, energy, environmental chemistry, environmental economics, environmental engineering and planning, environmental law and policy, environmental toxicology and pollution, forest and fisheries sciences, geography and population studies, geology, meteorology, natural disaster prevention, natural resource management, oceanography, urban planning, water and hydrology, zoology, and many others. In addition to obtaining direct access to vast quantities of scientific findings, developing countries will be provided access to the world’s most powerful scientific abstract and information databases and indexes, critical intellectual tools the scientific community uses to identify information located in tens of thousands of articles across thousands of international publications.
[more]
Lead Partner: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Government facilities and services -- national and local -- are often the largest energy users within a country, and government "leadership by example" can be a powerful driver for a national energy efficiency strategy. Every country has important opportunities for more efficient energy management in government facilities and operations such as roads and transit, water and wastewater, and other public services and infrastructure. Government, as a large buyer of energy-using equipment and services, can also lead the entire economy toward greater energy efficiency, creating entry markets for domestic suppliers and stimulating competition in providing high-efficiency products and services. PEPS aims to help spread the concept of public sector energy management to developing countries, encourage new or expanded initiatives, and promote information exchange among countries. The overall goal of the program is to achieve direct energy and cost savings in these countries, and to play a key role in sustainable development by harnessing governments purchasing power to create or expand domestic markets for energy-efficient products and services. [more]
Lead Partner: Partners for Water and Sanitation (PAWS) Secretariat
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: Partners for Water and Sanitation's aim is to help improve access to safe water and sanitation for people in four African countries, using expertise from the UK water industry.
PAWS is a not-for-profit partnership whose members come from government, private sector and civil society. PAWS uses the wide range of skills from these partners to provide advice and support to projects on the request of our partner countries.
PAWS works on projects that aim to build capacity through knowledge transfer in the water and sanitation sector to help to provide a sustainable solution.
Mission Statement: Helping others, in partnership, to promote sustainable water and sanitation provision through our sector expertise.
Lead Partner: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
Geographical Scope: National Summary: The Belgian partnership with the CGIAR includes an important part devoted to the education and training of young scientist of the South in highly specialised laboratories for agricultural research in Belgium and in other developed countries.
The main objectives of the agricultural research activities for development, in the frame of this partnership and of the CGIAR in general, are to contribute to food security and poverty eradication in developing countries through research partnerships, capacity building, and policy support, promoting sustainable agricultural development based on the environmentally sound management of natural resources.
Expected results:
* contribute to the promotion of sustainable agriculture and rural development through an increase of the food production and a better organisation of local and regional markets
* contribute to the well being of poor farmers in the South so that they take part, effectively and in a socially acceptable way, in the economic development of their countries while conserving biodiversity and the environment
* strengthening the involvement of all the partners in international agricultural research for development especially those of the Southern countries
* capacity building and participatory approaches to sustainable development [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: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: This initiative will tie together several ongoing and new initiatives through a comprehensive knowledge management system. It will link and harmonise databases, case studies, casebooks, training tools and materials, technical cooperation tools and instruments, and policy and partnership endeavours of global programmes and technical advisory services.
The initiative is also designed to work closely with other Level 2 partners' commitments for WSSD in, inter alia, Water for African and Asian cities, City-to-City Cooperation, and Training local authorities for sustainable urban development.
The initiative aims to mainstream lessons learned from successful practices, policies and legislation in pro-poor, gender-sensitive urban development and in decentralisation and the empowerment of local authorities.
The initiative aims to learn from Best Practices, good policies and enabling legislation: aimed at feeding the lessons from best practices into the capacity development of local authorities, supported by UN-HABITAT, research & training institutions and individual cities.
Expected results include -
(a) More socially-inclusive and environmentally-sound urban development, particularly in developing countries, through the adoption of pro-poor, gender-sensitive urban policies;
(b) More sustainable urbanisation processes and urban governance frameworks through decentralisation and the empowerment of local authorities. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: To promote cohesion and collective efficiency in the international support available to the development of local capacities for sustainable urbanisation. This will be accomplished by facilitating joint policy formation between leading international associations of local authorities, international support programmes, and funding agencies on the basis of a systematic information service.
Key Objectives
1. To improve international support to local authorities and their partners in the area of local capacity development for sustainable urbanisation
2. To provide an effective framework for developing city-to-city cooperation ideas, practices and dialogue among the key partner sectors (local government associations, support programmes, donors)
3. To provide an information service on city-to-city cooperation practice promoting a better match between capacity development demand and supply as well as permitting the analysis of trends and policy issues, with ready access by practitioners to all relevant information
4. To facilitate a dialogue on policy and co-ordination issues arising in this field [more]
Lead Partner: World Resources Institute (WRI)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The Partnership for Principle 10 seeks to improve national public participation systems to ensure access to information, public participation, and justice in decision-making that affects the environment. Improved public access to information, participation, and justice in decision-making makes decisions more fair, legitimate, and sustainable. At the national level, a working public participation system enables individuals and groups to make informed choices and integrate social and environmental objectives in decisions on economic policies and specific development activities. As such, a public participation system is an essential mechanism for sustainable development.
National systems for public participation have many common elements, including policies, supporting legislation, institutional infrastructure, methods of dissemination, and timing of participation. Diverse national systems of public participation share areas of achievement as well as weaknesses and gaps. Recent assessments conducted by The Access Initiative of national public participation systems in nine countries, including Chile, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, and the United States, provide a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation of the strengths in these countries as well as specific needs for improvement in both policy and practice.
The Partnership for Principle 10 will work to address these implementation gaps and strengthen public access in areas identified as weaknesses. Based on independent assessments of national public participation systems, the Partnership will provide a vehicle for stakeholders to work together to strengthen areas of weakness.
The Partnership for Principle 10 is built around a set of common commitments, to which all partners agree. These common commitments serve as a statement of the Partnership's values and principles. The common commitments set the parameters for the scope of work of the Partnership. All partners, by joining the Partnership for Principle 10, commit to support the accelerated implementation of Principle 10 in their country and in their own practices. They also:
* Recognize that national public participation systems have common elements, and should be regularly and independently assessed by civil society organizations using a common framework of indicators-such as those developed by The Access Initiative-to identify strengths and weaknesses in implementation.
* Commit to collaborate across sectoral boundaries to identify implementation gaps, prioritize needed actions, and implement programs to strengthen capacity and improve performance.
* Commit to promote implementation of Principle 10 internationally through engagement with regional and international organizations, international trade agreements, and financial institutions, as appropriate. [more]
Lead Partner: UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The mission of the Partnership for Water Education and Research (PoWER) is to combine the strengths of all partners and enhance the capacity of each partner in order jointly to:
- Deliver capable professionals in the water and environment sectors.
- Find innovative solutions for water and environmental challenges.
- Build up the capacity of institutions and communities with respect to better management of water and environmental resources.
In the process of combining strengths and levelling the capacities of the individual partners (visualized in the figure below), joint products in the field of education, training and collaborative research will be developed in a multi-disciplinary manner. These shall be demand-responsive, duly accredited and approved through UNESCO-IHE.
By stimulating global connectivity for life-long learning through the generation and sharing of knowledge a partnership will be created that will address priority educational and research issues.
The PoWER partners will be an integral component of the UNESCO-IHE operating environment, and as such, collaborating partners keep ensure that organisational processes are redesigned in alignment with the mission and objectives of this partnership. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Mexico - SEMARNAT: Subsecretaría de Fomento y Normatividad Ambiental - Rainforest Alliance - United Nations Environment Program - DTIE
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Sustainable tourism works to protect the environment and the rights and livelihoods of local communities. Tourism businesses – including hotels, lodges, and tour operators -- can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by meeting the standards for social and environmental practices that have been created by leading national and international certification programs. These objective, third-party organizations offer an authoritative “seal of approval” to those businesses meeting standards that conserve biodiversity and promote the well-being of workers and communities. There are more than 50 certification programs worldwide that have created national and international standards for sustainable tourism and ecotourism, and more are being created every year. However, key questions arise about them:
How can the public tell which of these programs are credible?
How can tourism businesses choose which sets of standards will have legitimacy?
Which programs can show that they are making a difference – that certified tourism businesses have tangible impacts on workers, communities, and the environment and that businesses benefit from being certified?
And how can tourists be confident that the programs audit, certify, and provide continuous monitoring of those businesses that are serious about social and environmental sustainability and accountability.
In response to these challenges, a coalition of tourism industry associations, nonprofit civil society organizations (NGOs), private foundations, and U.N. and government agencies has been working to create a global Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council (STSC) -- an umbrella organization that would set universal minimum standards for certification programs and accredit those that meet them. This effort is currently being led by a board of directors that includes 17 organizations including representatives from international NGOs and the private sector and a Technical and Scientific Council that with participation of the United Nations Environment Program, the UN World Tourism Organization, and Rainforest Alliance, the international conservation organization that has provided technical and administrative leadership for the effort since 2001.
[more]
Lead Partner: UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Asian Development Bank
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Transport in developing countries is the one of the largest, and fastest growing, source of GHG emissions. Transport related CO2 emissions are expected to increase 57% worldwide in the period 2005 – 2030, and it is estimated that transport (passenger and freight) in developing countries will contribute about 80 percent of this increase. At the same time transport is largely missing in climate change mitigation policies and actions worldwide and in particular those aimed at the developing countries. Growing GHG emissions from the transport sector in developing countries are inextricably linked to an overall lack of sustainability expressed by poor urban planning, increased motorization, increased air pollution and noise, growing congestion and decreasing road safety.
Technological improvements by themselves will not be enough for the transport sector to make a significant contribution to mitigation of GHG; a sector wide re-orientation to low carbon sustainable transport is required which combines policies and measures to (a) avoid/reduce the need for travel, (b) shifts to, or keeps transport at the most efficient mode, and (c) improves efficiency of motorized modes of transport.
Developing countries should seize the opportunity to make their transport systems and infrastructure low carbon and more sustainable through a combination of: increased public awareness, low-carbon, sustainable transport policies, supportive policy instruments, institutional capacity development, appropriate pricing mechanisms and mobilization of financial resources.
The Partnership has as its overarching goal to mobilize global support to reduce the growth of GHG emissions generated by land transport in developing countries by promoting more sustainable, low carbon transport. The partnership has four specific objectives:
a. The integration of sustainable, low carbon transport in climate negotiations, as well as national and local climate policies and programs,
b. The integration of climate considerations in regional, national and local transport policies,
c. Mainstream Sustainable, Low Carbon Transport in strategies and operations of international development organizations,
d. Contribute to sustainable development and the millennium development goals especially providing access to or for goods and services by lower income groups.
The thematic scope of the Partnership is on land transport in developing countries and includes freight and passenger transport. Both motorized and non-motorized transport is included. The geographical scope of the Partnership is developing countries. The Partnership will initially focus on Asia, Latin America and Africa.
The Partnership builds on previous work on sustainable transport by UN-DESA within their mandate as defined by Agenda 21 and the CSD and a large series of events on sustainable transport and climate change by the members of this Partnership in both Asia and Latin America.
[more]
Lead Partner: PhytoTrade Africa Executive Office
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: PhytoTrade Africa, the Southern African Natural Products Trade Association is a regional trade association, involving members from six countries in Southern Africa (Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe). Its primary objective is to supplement the income of poor rural communities, particularly those living in marginal dryland areas, through the commercialization of a range of natural products, derived from sustainably managed, indigenous floristic resources. PhytoTrade operates as a conventional trade association with a substantial set of additional functions as a development institution. It is a regional not-for-profit service provider, acting as a mechanism for community-based natural product producers and traders to generate business for themselves. It also provides an operational focus for development interventions on behalf of the sub-sector. PhytoTrade does not itself engage in trade or in financing the business of members, but facilitates the trade of members and other community-based operators in the natural products sector.PhytoTrade has been developed within the context of the WSSD, and will use the Summit as a platform to expand its membership, strengthen its financial resource base, and forge new and complementary partnerships with governments, inter-governmental agencies, the private sector and NGOs. [more]
Lead Partner: The Asia-Pacific Regional Technology Centre
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: APRTC's Web-based online eLearning programme agLe@rn - uses modern information, communication and educational technologies to provide individuals working with small holder farmers with the updated knowledge and skills they need to be effective agents of change for sustainable agriculture. The value and feasibility of eLearning is proving itself and has a demonstrated potential to help bridge the knowledge and technology gaps that exist between what is known in centers of learning and what information and knowledge is needed among the millions of the developing world's rural population. [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Sweden - Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) - East African Community (EAC) Secretariat - East African Community (EAC) Secretariat
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Lake Victoria Basin Summary: In the Partnership Agreement between EAC and the Development Partners the following objectives are set out:
* To exploit the opportunities for development in the Lake Victoria Basin in a sustainable manner and address the present problems relating to economic and social development, poverty and environment
* To identify and investigate specific aspects of threats and obstacles to sustainable, economic, social and environmental development, and their underlying causes and propose relevant interventions
* To assist in the formulation of policies to guide the various actors involved with activities relevant to sustainable development in the region
* To build capacity through the development and strengthening of local institutions and organizations concerned with these issues
* To promote co-ordination of the development efforts undertaken by various authorities, institutions and bodies established within EAC with an interest in supporting the developments in the Lake Victoria Basin
* To provide consultative fora and focal points for various actors with an interest in the developments in the Basin
* To broaden the co-operation between EAC, the EAC member states and donor agencies
* To identify investment opportunities and work to create a climate conducive to investments
* To mobilize resources for the implementation of identified Programmes
* To promote the involvement of a broad spectrum of actors in the development process [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Japan - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: International trade plays an important role in the promotion of economic development and poverty reduction. From this perspective, we have to make efforts in providing technical assistance and promoting capacity building in order that developing countries may benefit from the multilateral trading system.
* Especially, we confirmed the important role of technical assistance and capacity building in the Doha Declaration. In this regard, we will work actively to ensure the success of the Fifth Ministerial Conference in addition to the above-mentioned strategy.
Expected results include:
To deepen knowledge and understanding of developing countries (especially countries in Africa) related to WTO negotiation in the new issues (investment, competition, trade facilitation, transparency in government procurement), which are supposed to be one of the focuses at the new round. [more]
Lead Partner: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: - To promote the mainstreaming of rainwater harvesting into water policies and strategies in particular the integrated water resources management (IWRM) at global, regional and national levels.
- To promote implementation of rainwater harvesting as part of IWRM.
- To encourage governments and their development partners to allocate human and financial resources for implementing rainwater harvesting.
- To promote the effective cooperation between different institutions and networks involved in rainwater harvesting. [more]
Lead Partner: Rainforest Alliance - Sustainable Food Lab
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: 1. To develop a set of business models that support sustainable smallholder and rural laborer inclusion in high-value, formal export and domestic markets in four distinct product clusters (dried beans, fresh vegetables, bananas, cocoa).
2. To apply these new business models (through value chain analysis and upgrading) in sub-Saharan Africa.
3. To expand these validated business models through existing and new supply chain partnerships that provide direct benefits to 158,000 smallholders and 301,000 laborers while using project results to influence existing standards.
[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 France - General Directorate for International Cooperation and Development
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional North Africa Summary: The irrigated agriculture sector is the primary water consumer in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia). These countries have mobilized most of their resources and should now continue to improve management of demand to guarantee the environmental and socio-economic sustainability of the sector. National agricultural water economy strategies have been defined. The aim is that these measures be implemented by local bodies (from the perimeter manager to the agricultural water user) in spite of the difficulties associated with the major technical, social and economic constraints involved. The aim of the research project is to develop new management tools and procedures (via modelling) to try and balance water resources, the needs of plants and social and economic practices in the irrigated perimeters. The aim is to "co-construct " new practices with the irrigated perimeter managers then, via modelling and further trials, to select those which are most suitable and to apply them to other irrigated sites. [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: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The main objective of this partnership initiative is to facilitate and enhance advanced scientific and technological methodologies such as the Isotopes Techniques to the sustainable use of water resources and coastal zone management.
Expected results include:
* Improved understanding of the groundwater discharge to the ocean and sea water intrusion in the coastal aquifer processes by the application of wide spectrum of isotopes techniques.
* Increased capacity of coordination among experts in hydrogeology, oceanography, coastal resources management
* Improved capacity for efficient water resources and coastal zone management and related policy development achieved by more effective collaboration between the partner agencies.
* Increased capacity of national scientific and technical institutions to use advanced techniques such us Isotopes applications in relation to water resources and coastal zone management.
* Increased capacity for long-term sustained training capability on isotopes techniques applications through development of academic centers. [more]
Lead Partner: Stakeholder Forum for Our Common Future - Stakeholder Forum for Our Common Future
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: SEAL is a South-South partnership of civil and academic organizations that recognizes the importance of intra-Southern co-operation in promotion sustainable development.
The Secure and Equitable Access to Land (SEAL) partnership aims to secure equitable access by
* Furthering a pragmatic and programmatic approach to land development for food security in Africa
* Sharing the experience from other regions of Asia and Latin America, strengthening the networking structure of civil society in Africa
* Facilitating the adoption and replication of Southern initiative projects on securing access to land for the promotion of poverty eradication and food security within Southern countries with similar climatic and socio-political conditions
SEAL is the result of organizations agreeing to develop a unique collaborative programme to strenthen the networking structure of African civil society and share experiences from Asia and Latin America.
SEAL is a pragmatic networking partnership that is receptive and prepared to work with other networks in partnership for development
Specific Objectives include
* To strengthen civil society initiatives on land
* Strengthening community groups to form a cooperative society for food production and the diversification of land and agricultural resources
* To empower girl-child and women's groups, given the salience of gender equity and the advancement of women in promoting optimal
* To encourage best practices on land use issues, strengthening levels of mutual support and assistance through institutional training and exchange programs. [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: Southern Caucus Of NGOs For Sustainable Development
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: THE PARTNERSHIP SHALL:
1. Establish Five Multi Regional Centers to assist in recruitment, mobilization and development of human resources and strengthen Southern Major Group NGO Institutions on Local, National and Regional Levels and increase their Capacity to participate in and contribute to the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation Locally, Nationally and Regionally.
2 Seek resources to implement National NGO Action Plans to Eradicate Poverty, complementary to Government Plans
3 Report on the impact of reduction of poverty programs using UN CSD measurements and report on NGO Sustainable Development achievements and obstacles to participation in Local, National and Regional Sustainable Development.
4 Increase participation of Southern Major Group NGO¿s as observers and experts at Government Regional Meetings with feedback to local communities.
5 Replicate to NGOs in the countries served by the Centers best practices and expert programs developed by National and Regional NGO Major Groups that contribute to Sections IV to VIII of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, including the following:5a Reduce digital divide problems through Digital Divide Centers linked to Distance Learning, Technology Exchange, Higher Education, Research, Technical Assistance and Communications Programs,
5b Provide .
5c Participate in Monitoring and Management of Watersheds, Forests and Carbon Exchange programs [more]
Lead Partner: The Global Mechanism of the UNCCD
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional Southern Africa Summary: This partnership seeks to link inter-governmental processes in Southern Africa with activities of the Non-governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations. The partners commit to prepare and implement, disseminate information about, and follow-up to, activities supporting the implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification. In particular, the partnership is, on a long-term basis, focusing on activities following-up to the WSSD. The partnership will additionally provide a series of constructive input to the process of establishing the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
Specifically, the partners will seek to engage in complementary activities, joint meetings, enhanced communication, information exchange and co-ordination, which will:
* Enhance the resources available for the implementation of the CCD;
* Promote desertification issues following-up to the Legislators'Conference and WSSD in 2002;
* Create awareness among politicians and legislators about the implementation of the CCD in SADC;
* Establish linkages between the three Conventions of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, 1992;
* Assist communities affected by land degradation and poverty in building capacity for resilience and improved livelihood; and
* Enhance capacity within the NGO community to assist in implementing the Sub-regional and National Action Plans of the CCD. [more]
Lead Partner: International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) - Kenyan National Research Institute
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: Overall goal: Increased household food security in arid and semi-arid areas
1.To promote the development of affordable and low-cost irrigation technologies to ensure the efficient water resource utilisation in agriculture
2.To ensure low-cost irrigation technologies meet the needs of small-scale farmers, by developing research agendas through multi-stakeholder collaboration.
3.To strengthen farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-researcher information exchange on appropriate, low cost irrigation technologies
Background: Sustainable agriculture and rural development are essential to the implementation of an integrated approach to increasing food production and enhancing food security. Therefore it is vital to encourage and support programmes that enhance, in a sustainable manner, land productivity and the efficient use of water resources in agriculture.
Low-pressure drip irrigation and treadle pumps have presented ways for smallholder farmers to produce high value crops. The technologies are affordable and easy to understand after initial training.
Drip irrigation reduces water use, increases crop yield and gives good quality produce within less time and money as compared to traditional ways of cultivating and irrigating commercial crops.
However the majority of small holders within developing countries are deprived of this technology due to its high initial cost and problems of appropriately adapting it to the specific needs of small holdings. Until recently it has been too expensive to be affordable for poor families and too large for tiny plots of land.
Since 1996, The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) has worked with low head drip irrigation kits that include a range of small and easy to use, affordable micro irrigation kits to produce high value crops. In addition, a local NGO - Approtec has been promoting treadle pump technology in Kenya since 1998 with good rate of success.
The development of supply chain for affordable drip irrigation kits and treadle pumps through manufacturers, assemblers, dealers, nursery growers and farmers will help in creating small enterprises in particular areas and make the technologies available to smallholder farmers in the arid and semi arid areas.
The main aim of the project is to build upon this initial success in small -scale irrigation within Kenya by initiating a process to up-scale current rates of uptake within pilot areas.
The partnership will employ a multi-stakeholder approach to aaddress the problems faced by farmers in their efforts to use irrigation for food production.
The partnership will enable farmers¿ organisations and research the opportunity to learn, and thus build upon the strengths of this multi-stakeholder approach.
The partnership will also offer the opportunity to transfer knowledge and affordable technology.
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: Government of Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The initiative aims at ensuring a thorough involvement of African countries, through their competent ministries, offices and research institutions, in the activities implemented by the Biosafety Unit, on a basis similar to the one that has allowed the implementation of a series of activities that are being already successfully implemented with the Italian Ministry for the Environment. The objectives mentioned below will be reached through the implementation of programmes that will have to be complementary to the projects being implemented by other intergovernmental organisations, and in particular those mentioned above which are part, together with the ICGEB, of the Inter-Agency Network for Biosafety (IANB).
The initiative is also in line with the "Cape Town Declaration" and the "Cape Town Initiative", endorsed by the Governments of South Africa and Italy, in March 2002, during the State Visit to South Africa of the President of the Italian Republic, which identifies the essential role of science and technology for sustainable development.
The initiative will therefore pursue the following objectives:
* protection and exploitation of genetic resources;
* technical cooperation in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity;
* identification of research priorities (definition of the priority traits for viable crops: improvement of the nutritional value, resistance to insects, pesticides, high salinity, other stresses);
* testing facilities and field trials (containment, availability of land);
* genetically modified organisms: procedures for risk assessment and management, national legislation(s) and public information;
* international instruments: the Cartagena Protocol, the Biosafety Clearing House, Risk Assessment Searching Mechanism.
Lead Partner: Government of Italy - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate General for Development Cooperation (DGCS) - The World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional WESCANA - West/Central Asia and North Africa Summary: This partnership reflects the spirit and supports the endeavours of the EU Water Initiative. It aims at contributing to sustainable, ecosystem-based freshwater management on the basis of an integrated, systemic approach linking two of the core development components related to water. The first component, water resource, refers to aspects such as water supply and storage, and their related technologies, institutional and policy frameworks and networks (e.g. on the development of dams, embankments, irrigation, schemes, etc.). The second component, water quality, pertaining to the maintenance of the freshwater ecological balance, biodioversity, and environmental and human health, etc, and related institutions, policies and networks (e.g. on land use planning, pollution control, biological requalification including biological and chemical monitoring and treatment, etc). The project will contribute to facilitating effective and informed policy and decision-making on integrated freshwater management by supporting the above interlinking through the creation of a strong regional systemic network of networks of national excellence and expertise. Further, this initiativ
Expected results include:
* Regional Water Programme Centre Jordan consolidated as focal point for the regional network of networks of sustainable water management expertise;
* Capacity of network partners built with the support of the Regional Water Programme Centre (including access to on-line information as well as regional training and monitoring), in propping up national systemic planning and management processes and, in turn, providing services to the partner countries of WESCANA;
* Institutional set-ups and legislative foundations analysed and synthesised as a basis for the development of sustainable water management policy in the WESCANA;
* Water conservation and sustainable use techniques inventorised, classified and analysed against sustainable, integrative water management;
* A number of pilot planning and management action implemented, jointly and/or in coordination, by two or more partner countries on transboundary/regionally shared management problems and/or development potentials, such as in water catchments/watersheds, groundwater basins, etc.e will support the implementation of partnership pilot planning and management action at transboundary/regional level. [more]
Lead Partner: The Barefoot College
Geographical Scope: National Summary: The Global Rain Harvesting Collective (GRWHC) has been established is to provide drinking water to schools facing an acute shortage all over the world, through roof top rain water harvesting in schools.
Rural communities all over the world have been collecting rainwater where it falls from time immemorial. In their fields, in open tanks and in traditional open wells. It was a technology that was accepted and applied on a large scale in the deserts, tribal regions and in the mountains.
This age old method is suggested as an alternative to the wasteful and costly use of hand pumps and piped water supply systems. Rural communities have the technical competence to collect rainwater where it falls. It also wants to provide this facility to community service centers.
The aim is to deliver tangible and sustainable results through a large number of small projects in many different countries at minimal operational and management cost. The `Demonstration Effect¿ of these projects may induce other stakeholders to replicate the process.
Collecting rain water in public places also has considerable social benefits. It provides water to poor children who otherwise have to walk for miles to fetch water.
Collected water is managed by local community hence they are less dependent on outside source.
Schools become more attractive because of the availability of drinking water. Mothers are prepared to send their children to school for sweet drinking water in non potable areas where water is brackish
It makes it more attractive for women to attend meetings at village centers such as about child care, health, education, literacy, and income generation activities.
Linking clean rooftop water to sanitation has reduced the incidence of water borne diseases. With the water comes sanitation(hand flushed latrines).
Education, poverty alleviation, gender equity objectives, implementation of environmental plans and community development programs can be achieved through rain water harvesting.
Likewise, low technology approaches such as water recharge through slowing down of run-off and also diverting surface run-off water into unused and abandoned open wells in villages, and installing large rainwater storage tanks carved into hillside, in fact a variation on terracing, provides similar benefits.
The Global Rainwater Harvesting Collective Programme[GRWHC] has two objectives
a)To collect rainwater from roof tops in community places like schools, dispensaries, family planning clinics, training centers, and women¿s hostels in desert and mountain rural and semi-urban areas:
b) To collect as much surface water in unused open wells in villages as possible so that the dry hand pumps in the thousands could be revitalized and these assets can be productive again.
The Basic Aim is to campaign for roof top rain water harvesting in schools as a Global Movement. [more]
Lead Partner: INTERSECT
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: At no time in history has the threat to our human and natural resources been so acute. Also, at no other time has there been such a high level of the awareness, capacity, connectivity and commitment required to shift the social environment to one in which sustainability is possible. INTERSECT sees that as the co-epidemics of HIV and Violence Against Women & Girls rage rampantly out of control across the global landscape, not only are women at critical risk and girls, even baby girls, left to face unimaginable dangers, the impact on all aspects of society and the sustainability of the earth are under threat from these, and a vast array of inseparably related issues. Clearly, innovative, far-reaching and never-before-tried collaborative approaches on a massive scale are called for.
INTERSECT envisions and will provide the catalyst for the creation of Intersect Coalitions across nations worldwide to confront the results of HIV, Violence Against Women and Girls and the blowback into other movements caused in their wake. These multi-disciplined, diverse, broad-based Coalitions will inspire and work towards sweeping changes brought about through a shift in our approach to collaboration. The time has come to harness the existing creative energy of all related movements, coalitions, networks, appropriate governmental and intergovernmental institutions, major groups, NGO's, CBO's, grassroots organisations and individuals on an on-going basis, so that commonalities and intersecting points of vision and concern lead the way while bridging existing divides.
INTERSECT will:
* Bring together the Coalitions Networks, NGOs, CBOs, and individuals working in HIV, Violence Against Women and Girls, and all related fields.
* Facilitate Coalition Building Sessions at which Coalition members will make agreements, set aside differences, plan strategies and outreach, and begin to determine their course.
* Help to translate the outcomes of these dialogues into action
* Connect Intersect Coalitions within a given country so that they can act nationally as well as locally, with great strength, visibility and unity. [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 South Africa - Department of Environment and Tourism (DEAT) - Government of South Africa - Statistics South Africa (StatSA)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) system, which is a statistical tool that measures the total economic impact of tourism, was developed by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) in 1995 with the objective of defining a new statistical instrument to assist government officials, business executives and stakeholders within the tourism industry to make informed decision.
The benefits of a Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) are numerous and enable a country to measure the following:
The proportion of a country's GDP i.e. the total output of all goods and services the country produces annually that are attributable to tourism activity
The size of the tourism industry relative to other sectors of a country's economy
The number of jobs generated by tourism activity
The value of public and private investment related to tourism
The effect of international tourism on a country's balance of payments
The value of government income generated by tourism in the country
The importance of a TSA for African countries is that it will provide the vital information required to assist African countries in policy formulation, decision-making and strategic planning to boost tourism growth on the continent. The information produced from a TSA would also ensure that tourism development on the continent takes place in a sustainable manner.
This initiative will result in:
* Financial investment in establishing appropriate infrastructure for the collection of tourism statistics.
* The knowledge base of officials in African countries would be greatly enhanced in as far as the application of TSA is concerned.
* The measurement of the economic impact of tourism through the provision of accurate information of African countries
* Development of policies and strategies in African countries to boost tourism growth will be informed by accurate information. [more]
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 - 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: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), IHE Institute for Water Education
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: Articulate the needs for education and training (demand) and the means to meet the needs (supply) for the short and long term, consistent with the Global Water Partnership (GWP) Framework for Action [more]
Lead Partner: Government of Italy - Ministry for the Environment and Territory
Geographical Scope: Sub-regional North Africa, Horn of Africa, Middle East, East Asia Summary: The overall aim of this partnership is to contribute to the achievement of three principal objectives in the perspective of the Millennium Development Goals:
(1) to contribute to the achievement of water security in water-stressed environments by providing rural and urban populations with fresh water;
(2) to satisfy water needs for nature and food production by a more efficient integrated water management;
(3) to alleviate poverty by providing adapted water and sanitation services particularly to rural populations.
With the view that this Project is focusing on developing countries in arid and semi-arid the following objectives have been identified:
- Improved alternative water resources use and management;
- Improved health conditions reducing vulnerability to water related diseases and water scarcity;
- Improved productivity through identification of wise practices using both traditional knowledge and scientific expertise
- Improved efficiency of water services and treatment systems with the renewable energy. [more]
Lead Partner: Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC)
Geographical Scope: Global Summary: The core activity of WASH emphasizes the teaching of basic sanitation and hygiene to communities and school children with a particular focus on girls' education and gender equality, as a necessary complement to the success of water and sanitation infrastructure projects.
This integrated approach to the delivery of basic services is the product of "lessons learned" from the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981-1990). While advancements were made in increasing the access to safe drinking water, less progress was made on the provision of sanitation services and in hygiene education and training. These valuable lessons are now the focus of a global effort to improve the health and productivity of the urban and rural poor in the developing world.
The core activity is complemented by a recent initiative to deliver by 2015, safe, affordable and reliable water, sanitation to over 1.1 billion people who have no access to water supply and to more than 2.6 billion people who have no adequate sanitation. A WASH Partnership, jointly agreed between the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) and UNICEF, seeks to contribute towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) seven, target 10, through a combination of actions directed at influencing policy at national level and global level, and effecting behavioural change at the grassroots level. The WASH Partnership supports coalition-building among multi-stakeholders at national and grassroots level. With advocacy at the centre of these main activities, it focuses on demand-creation, behavioural change, capacity building and implementation, to reach 15 million people with sanitation and hygiene by 2015 (â15 by 15 projectâ). [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 France - Centre Français du Commerce Extérieur (CFCE)
Geographical Scope: Regional
- Africa Summary: All the analyses conducted by the CFCE and its clients confirm the importance of modern, stable, predictable and transparent business law in strengthening the inflow of foreign and domestic investment (required to support jobs, management and technology), promoting business growth and ensuring fair regulation of the local impact of the resulting benefits. We also know that sound legal governance exerts an influence on all the structures of national power.
The Africa Circle was set up in January this year with 20 or so members, including specialist lawyers and representatives of UNIDA (Association for the Unification of Law in Africa), ARPEJE (Association for the Renewal and Promotion of International Judicial Exchange) and IDLI (International Development Law Institute).
A questionnaire developed in consultation with all Circle members and issued to some 1,500 businesses working in French-speaking Africa has enabled us to make a more precise evaluation of the knowledge businesses have of African business law.The questionnaire will be used by the economic missions of French Embassies in Africa to evaluate other, larger, target groups of French businesses operating in the 16 countries of French-speaking Africa. [more]
to collapse the Summary of Partnerships.