Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs InforMEA - The United Nations Information Portal on MEAs

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs ONE Body of International Environmental Law Consistency and coherence are the foundations of strong international law –ILO Collective Right to bargaining – the WTO Most Favored Nation Clause – vs different variations of the Precautionary Principle (Institutional fragmentation not conducive to coherence) Article 31 Vienna Convention on the Law of the Treaties –Interpretation of a treaty must take account of all other relevant treaties and subsequent practices

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) MEAs share common features. They require Parties to designate national focal points, submit periodic reports, and to develop national action/implementation plans. They provide for periodical meetings of governing bodies (Conferences of the Parties - COPs), who further refine the treaty and Annexes listing substances, species or sites through decisions or resolutions.

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Filling the Gap How can Parties to MEAs with limited resources keep track of their obligations? How can Parties participating in different fora achieve more coherence in decision making? How can Parties contribute to ONE strong and coherent body of International Environmental Law?

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs 18 MEA Secretariats covering 35 global and regional agreements, hosted by 4 UN Agencies and IUCN, jointly seek solutions to these common challenges … They formed the MEA Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) Initiative, supported by the Division of Environmental Law and Conventions of UNEP The MEA IKM Initiative

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Members of the MEA IKM Initiative Basel CBD CITES CMS (and AEWA) ITPGR-FA Montreal Protocol Minamata Ramsar Rotterdam Stockholm UNCCD UNECE (5 MEAs) UNESCO-WHC UNFCCC Regional Seas and other regional MEAs Observers EEA (Eionet), EMG, IISD, IUCN, UNEP-WCMC, FAO

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Harmonized data standards across MEA secretariats allow for easier and more cost-effective development of information and knowledge tools Collaboration has enhanced technical expertise and exchanges across MEA Secretariats A one stop portal harvests key information from 30 global and regional MEAs Benefits of the Initiative

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs InforMEA Content COP Decisions Events and News Parties and NFPs National Reports * National Plans * E-learning Tool * * development ongoing

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Common Semantics Current InforMEA Glossary –Terms submitted by MEAs (COP Agendas) –Terms from Treaty Texts and the Rio Declaration Thesaurus on IEL and Convention –Review by MEA IKM with FAO, EEA, IUCN, UNEP, –Through the IUCN ELC –Agreement on Tools, Criteria, Governance and potential resources to be tagged (including MEA Reports)

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs How it works? Convention s’ Text COP Decisions Events and News Parties and NFPs National Reports National Plans E-learning Tool Basel CBD CITES CMS AEWA ITPGR-FA Montreal Protocol Minamata Ramsar Rotterdam Stockholm UNCCD UNECE UNESCO- WHC UNFCCC Regional Seas and regional MEAs

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs How it works? Convention s’ Text COP Decisions Events and News Parties and NFPs National Reports National Plans E-learning Tool Basel CBD CITES CMS AEWA ITPGR-FA Montreal Protocol Minamata Ramsar Rotterdam Stockholm UNCCD UNECE UNESCO- WHC UNFCCC Regional Seas and regional MEAs

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE Central Search Portal Search gAPI Directory Services Query rAPI Repository1Repository2Repository n... Other Applications

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs CENTRALIZED ARCHITECHTURE Central Search Portal Search gAPI Transfer rAPI Repository1Repository2Repository n... Other Applications Central Repository Data is pulled at periodic intervals

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs HYBRID ARCHITECTURE Central Search Portal Search gAPI Directory Services Transfer rAPI Query rAPI Transfer rAPI Repository1Repository2 Repository n... Other Applications Central Repository Local data trasfer or fully integrated Data is pulled at periodic intervals

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Example

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Key Elements Nodes = each MEA repository/database Data standards, incl. xml schema, protocols, APIs Data preparation, incl. contr. vocabulary/thesaurus Ensure good records keeping Impact on business processes, capacity Web services implementation Central search interface Other specialized applications

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs E-learning Tool

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Status Available In the pipeline CBD International Plant Treaty CMS Course for NFPs CITES Ramsar WHC Cartagena Basel Rotterdam Stockholm Minamata Ozone Nagoya Marine Pollution Marine Biodiversity Climate Change Desertification EIA Public Participation Air Pollution IEL Human Rights

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Course content and structure Short: 2 to maximum 5 hours required Structure: Curtain Raiser - Units - Quiz - Certificate Moodle “books” with links to InforMEA treaty articles Additional materials: videos, presentations, publications Languages: English, French, Chinese, Spanish (in the pipeline) Content developed in collaboration with MEA & based on UNEP Training Manual on International Environmental Law

Promoting collaboration and exchange of expertise among MEAs Thank you! The MEA IKM Initiative