The Global Authority on the Environment Workshop on Communication of Environmental Information Arendal, October, 2001

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Africa Environment Outlook is the first attempt at a state of the environment report covering the continent, and thus is a significant milestone in harmonization and dissemination of integrated environmental and socio-economic data and information. What is Africa Environment Outlook (AEO)

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  To provide comprehensive, credible environmental information in a way that is relevant to policy making.  To provide the awareness and stimulus for action in the development of and responses to Multilateral Environmental Agreements, regional action plans and sub-regional co-operative arrangements.  To recommend achievable actions at national, sub-regional and regional levels and their implications for implementation at these levels. AIMS:

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  To encourage the region's various stakeholders to make informed decisions, and to act individually, collectively and/or multilaterally to put Africa on a sustainable development path.  To look into the future and assess the various policy options consideration at national, sub- regional and regional levels  To encourage the region's various stakeholders to make informed decisions, and to act individually, collectively and/or multilaterally to put Africa on a sustainable development path. AIMS:

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  While the AEO is mainly targeted at AMCEN and their member governments, it is equally important to the people of Africa and partners of the region in development. The report will appeal to various other African organizations and institutions at the regional, sub-regional and national levels. These include both inter-governmental and private organizations. It is critical to universities, colleges and schools, professional and community associations, women's organizations, trade unions, the private sector, the media. Target Audience

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Comprehensive AEO Report  Policy makers in private and public sectors  Civil society/NGOs  Media  Academia  Research organizations  Relevant UN agencies Range of Products and Primary Targets

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  AEO Newsletter  Partners in the AEO process  Ministries of Environment/Natural Resources  Regional and sub-regional inter governmental organizations  Collaborating Centres  UNEP departments Range of Products and Primary Targets

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Policy Briefs  Policy makers  Policy implementers  Representatives of key institutions  Research organisations Range of Products and Primary Targets

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Technical Background papers  Academia  NGOs  Environment/Natural Resource Ministries  Collaborating Centres  Research organizations  Relevant UNEP Partner Organisations  Website  All stakeholders Range of Products and Primary Targets

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Media kits  print  broadcast  documentary  web  govt. information officers  newsletter editors  relevant UN agencies Range of Products and Primary Targets

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Video  Ministers of Environment  Technical experts in government  Media  Extension departments in Env/Natural Resource ministries  Relevant UN Agencies  Relevant UNEP partner organisations Range of Products and Primary Targets

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  CD ROM  Policy makers in private and public sectors  Civil society/NGOs  Media  Academia  Research organizations  Other UN Agencies  UNEP partner organizations Range of Products and Primary Targets

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Regional  Sub-regional  National Launches

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Conferences  Book Fairs Displays

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Target Audience  Attaining new converts in the sustainable development agenda “Not preaching to the converted”  Making global issues relevant at lower levels  Producing target specific products - The human perception of natural resource use is socially, economically, politically and culturally constructed Key Communications Challenges

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Monitoring and Evaluation  Developing indicators for assessment of products  Setting realistic goals in terms of impacting on policy making  Difficulties in establishing baseline  Impact assessment tools limited in their effectiveness  Mobility of respondents  Temporal dimensions of assessment  Reaching private individuals Key Communications Challenges

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  The Complexity of “influencing” Policy  Determining the impact of a publication on policy and decision making  because of the number of variables influencing these processes at any one time. For example; policy making is a complex, long term and subtle process  Understanding environmental stakeholders i.e who counts most to assist decisions in policy Key Communications Challenges

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Understanding the contradictions/conflicts between environmental policies and other development policies e.g. trade  Effectively tapping into policy development and implementation processes-  Understanding power relations and competition  Knowledge of policy networks and competing interests Key Communications Challenges

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Timeliness and relevance to agenda of stakeholders  Understanding the balance between global and national priorities/interests e.g. USA and Kyoto; CITES ban on African elephant trade and interests of countries in southern Africa Key Communications Challenges

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  Identifying “targets” more effectively  How to establish and maintain a market niche  Effective marketing in an crowded environment  How to influence policy  Improving monitoring and evaluation of products Expectations of the Workshop

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges  The aim of research such as AEO is to be a catalyst for synergy between improved knowledge of environmental issues and the linkages between policy processes and options and the urgency to act. Last Word

Division of Early Warning & Assessment Africa Environment Outlook: Communications Challenges THANK YOU