September 15UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Project situation analysis and reporting design Peter Herkenrath UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Project Steering Committee of FNR_Rio project 11 Feb 2010, Cambridge, UK

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Outline of presentation  Integrated reporting – background & experience from the biodiversity-related conventions  Addressing project component 1

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre The purpose of national reporting  Demonstrating compliance  Developing an overview of implementation  Assessing effectiveness of implementation  Stocktaking of work done & identification of future work  Informing on status & trends of biodiversity/ desertification/ climate change mitigation & adaptation  Enabling decision-making  Identifying interactions with other processes

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Challenges to reporting  Parties have to report to a multitude of conventions (‘reporting burden’)  Duplication: same information developed separately for several conventions  Lack of cooperation & coordination  Lack of access to information  >> Non-reporting

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Efforts on harmonization of reporting to the biodiversity-related conventions  Feasibility Study for a Harmonized Information Management Infrastructure for Biodiversity-related Treaties (UNEP-WCMC, 1998)  WCMC Handbooks on Biodiversity Information Management (1998)  Cambridge workshop (UNEP & UNEP-WCMC, 2000)  Pilot projects: Ghana, Indonesia, Panama, Seychelles (UNEP/UNEP-WCMC )  Haasrode workshop (2004) on pilot project results (Belgium, UK, UNEP- WCMC, 2004)  UNEP – MEA secretariats Knowledge Management project ( )  Streamlining reporting by Pacific Island Countries (DEWHA, SPREP)  ASEAN Workshop on Harmonization of Reporting to Biodiversity-related Conventions (Vietnam, April 2009)  Preconditions for harmonization of reporting to biodiversity-related conventions –(UNEP-WCMC with conventions, 2009)

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Many COP mandates for harmonization of national reporting – biodiversity-related conventions  Ramsar Convention: Resolutions IX.5, X.11  Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): VIII/14, VIII/20, IX/19  CITES: Decisions and  Convention on Migratory Species (CMS): Resolutions 8.11, 8.24, 9.4

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Challenges to harmonization/ streamlining/integration  Different reporting cycles  Different conventions require different information  Different ministries and agencies involved  Where does the information come from

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre National reporting: a ‘by-product’ of management of national environmental information Implementation Information Reporting

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Promising approaches 1.Joint reporting portals 2.Modular reporting 3.Core report 4.Joint thematic reporting formats

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1. Joint reporting portals: The CPF Forest Portal CPF Task Force on Streamlining Forest-related Reporting:  Access to forest-related information from reporting to various conventions and processes  Search national reports by process (e.g. MEAs) or country 

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

3. Core report The model of the human rights conventions:  A common core report for all the treaties  Smaller treaty-specific reports  Tested for the Pacific Island Countries for the biodiversity-related conventions

UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre 4. Joint thematic reporting formats CBD COP mandates:  CBD & Ramsar: Inland water ecosystems  CBD & UNCCD: Dryland biodiversity Convention on Migratory Species COP mandate:  CMS & Agreements  Studies on all of these undertaken by UNEP- WCMC

Overall goal of the FNR_Rio project To pilot nationally-driven integrated processes and approaches to reporting to the three Rio Conventions … The project will (a)develop integrated approaches to data collection/analysis and information management of relevance to the three Rio Conventions (b)increase synergies in the process of reporting to the three Conventions without compromising COP decisions in this regard (c)contribute to improved overall planning and decision- making processes at the country-level related to the implementation of these Conventions. UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Key issues for the project  Capacity-building Key for national implementation National Capacity Self Assessments  Institutional arrangements Ministries in charge of conventions Mauritius: MEA Coordinating Committee under the Environment Protection Act UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Key issues for the project (continued)  Information systems Availability of information to be reported Centralised or decentralised storage of information  Financial resources Cost-effective solutions for integrated reporting Financial sustainability for integrated reporting UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Component 1: Situational Analysis and Reporting Process Design: Expected outcomes  Improved cost-effectiveness achieved for reporting to Rio Conventions  Linkages and synergies for reporting to the Rio Conventions at national level identified and strengthened  Duplication in reporting processes identified and eliminated UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Output 1  Report on reporting requirements of the three conventions  Format, content, institutional arrangements, linkages  Level: global  Timeframe: quarters 2 & 3 of year 1 UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Output 2  Report on situation in the six pilot countries  Existing data and information  Recommendations for more integrated reporting Level: national (6 pilot countries) Timeframe: quarters 2 & 3 of year 1 UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Output 3  Manual on implementation of integrated reporting Synthesis of outputs & global recommendations  Timeframe: quarters 2 & 3 of year 1 Manual  Timeframe: quarter 4 of year 1 to quarter 2 of year 2 UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

National consultants - tasks  Output 1.2: Prepare national studies: Analysis report of existing data and information management systems at the country level with recommendations for designing more integrated systems  Output 1.3: Prepare national manuals on integrated reporting  Output 2.1: Strengthen institutional frameworks for reporting: Develop and implement country- specific implementation of global recommendations UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

National consultants – tasks (continued)  Output 2.2: Strengthen national systems for monitoring, reporting: country-specific implementation  Output 2.3: Enhance capacity for data collection & analysis: Needs analysis & approach developed for each country (training and technology)  Output 2.4: Assess reporting quality: Reports for each country on the quality of reporting to each convention UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Key features of component 1 work  National work supported by international consultant  Collaboration with Secretariats Approaches shared with Secretariats E.g. UNCCD study on synergies  Building on experience from biodiversity-related conventions UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre

Next steps  Identify national consultants in pilot countries  Terms of Reference for national consultants  International consultant to establish contact with national consultants  Agreement on detailed work plan  Drafting the global report on reporting requirements of CBD, UNCCD and UNFCCC UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre