FNR_RIO 4 th Project Steering Committee Meeting of GEF/UNEP/WCMC Held in Nairobi, Kenya November 16, 2013 FNR_ RIO Project Report Prepared By: Ellen W. Miller Nation Project Assistant

Content: Institutional set-up Staffing arrangements Achievements of 2010, 2011 and 2012 The Three Components that were dealt with during project implementation

Board Policy council Legal Exe Sec Comptroller AA/ED DED Operations DED Operations Department of Adm. Department of Planning & Policies Department of Intersectoral County Coordination Unit Inspection Unit Executive Director Account Department of Compliance & Enforcement EIA Unit Env. Quality & Standards Unit Conservation Unit Log and Transpt unit HR Unit IT Unit Planning, Research & Documentation unit Planning, Research & Documentation unit Procurement Unit Policy unit Awareness Unit Env. unit Cashier Project Acct. Budget Maintenance Unit Security Uni t /MEA Division All Other Program me Audit Organogram of the Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA) All other Program

TasksDeadlineCompleted Date Appointment of NPC28 February April Appointment of NPA28 February 7 May Appointment of NSC, TWG, and NSC Meeting28 February3 June Draft TOR for National Consultant20 February 13 August Recruitment for National Consultants (NC)28 February18 August Comments on National Analysis Report by IC10 May First week in October Conducting of TWG meeting on NAR31 March21 December Final NAR submitted by NC to ICmid June13 January 2011 Final NAR submitted by NC to IClate June 25 January Achievements of 2010

Tasks C 1: Situational Analysis and Reporting Process Design Output 1.1: Inventory and analysis of reporting requirement Output 1.2: National level analyze and recommendations for data management submitted Main Achievement of 2010

Main Achievements of 2011 Tasks Completed Date C 2 Output 2.3 Enhanced capacity for data collection and analysis (Technology Training) October 2011 Output 1.3: National Manuals on integrated reporting Drafted.December 2011

Main Achievements of 2012 ActivitiesDate Output 1.3: National Manual Final Copy Produced The National Manual final copy was produced and all other unfinished work formed part of the manual 2012 to 2013 Output 2.1: Institutional frameworks for integrated reporting to conventions is established or strengthened The Testing of the joint reporting format was conducted and done 2012

Component 2: Implementation of Integrated Reporting Processes and Experimenting Options for reports design Ii reports design ActivitiesDate Output 2.1: Institutional frameworks for integrated reporting to conventions is established or strengthened The Testing of the joint reporting format was conducted and done 2012 to 2013 Output 2.2: National convention-related data collection, analysis and information management systems with agreed standardized collection and analysis procedures are established or enhanced Output 2.2 on data collection issues formed a part of the National Manual 2013 Output 2.3: Capacities (systemic, institutional and individual) of relevant institutions for data collection, analysis and information management through provision of necessary training and computing equipment are enhanced Capacity Building Workshop was held 2011 Output 2.4: assessment report of the quality of national reports is prepared Assessment report was complied with the National Manual

Component 3: sharing of Experience and Up scaling Activities Date Output 3.1: Technical Working Group (TWG) on integrate reporting from countries participating in the project established for information and experience sharing is established and met 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd Steering Committee Meetings held at the global and National levels 2010 to 2012 Output 3.2: An international workshop on lesson learned and best practices for integrated reporting organized is held The 4 th international workshop is being held on lesson learned and best practices 2013 Printing of Project MaterialsNational Manual and Analysis Report were printed in booklets 2013

PRESENTATION ON THE BEST PRATICES AND LESSON LEARNED

INTRODUCTION Background: The experience gained from a coherent and synergistic approach to Rio Conventions reporting at the national level had also been pointed out by the Joint Liaison Group, as well as the National Capacity Self-Assessment, NCSA report of the Capacity Development Initiative of GEF/UNDP Many pilot countries, including Liberia of the FNR-Rio project have identified capacity needs related to data collection, analysis and information management in the cross-cutting sections of their final NCSA reports and Action Plans.

Background (continued…): Therefore, in recent years, there has been a growing recognition that the reporting burden has increased, resulting in duplication, overlaps, and inefficiencies, often creating unnecessary institutional fragmentation at the national level along individual convention themes. To reduce the burden, GEF and UNEP/WCMC introduced a project ”Piloting Integrated Processes and Approaches to Facilitate National Reporting to Rio Conventions with the aim to develop integrated approaches to data collection, analyses and information management of relevance to the Rio Conventions. The three Rio Conventions on Climate Change, Biological Diversity and Desertification also have separate secretariats which report independently of each other at assigned intervals using different reporting formats.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MADAM ANYAA VOHIRI

Background (continued…): National reporting is a key commitment for Parties to multilateral environmental agreements. The overall aim of national reporting is to provide information relevant to the implementation of Rio Conventions. National reporting for each of these conventions requires the collection and analysis of so many information, scientific/technical data, which is often spread out in different institutions and organizations. And this requires considerable resources, in terms of expertise, technical and administrative manpower, time, finance, and logistic.

Background (continued…): However, unlike other countries where each project has a separate administrative structure, in Liberia, they are all under one Agency, the EPA, which makes coordinating the reports easier. This institutional arrangement serves as a catalyst to facilitate collection and storage of relevant data required for planning and decision making and ensures the contents of national reports reflect a unified position of the Government of Liberia on environmental issues.

Best Practices and Lessons Learned This advantage of proximity can promote compliance to the terms and conditions of the Rio Conventions, as applicable to Liberia, and increase interactions, collaboration, report generation and dissemination. However, this has not necessarily been the case for several reasons. Firstly, the Liberian civil war interrupted plans and policy implementation and caused the loss of pertinent national data. Additionally, Liberia experienced overlapping, duplication and difficulties in the reporting processes due to lack of readily available resource material necessary for reporting, trained personnel, and clear channels for collaboration and coordination. Various administrative problems also hampered the implementation of the Rio Conventions to the fullest before Consequently, Liberia lagged behind most countries in the implementation of Rio Conventions.

FNR/RIO PROJECT CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING WORKSHOP HELD IN MONROVIA

Best Practices and Lessons Learned (continued…) The objective of the FNR-Rio project was to Pilot Integrated Processes and Approaches to Facilitate National Reporting to Rio Conventions (FNR-Rio). More specifically, the project: Just to name a few number of cross-cutting constraints within the three conventions that were identified by the national reports and studies, that Liberia has work on and still working on:  Lack of adequate education, training, public awareness and sensitization;  Limited skills in inventory, assessment, and monitoring;  Low level of community and private sector involvement in resource management;  Lack of access to information for planning and development purposes;  Poor database for planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;  Poor enforcement of legislations;  Lack of, or inadequate technology transfer;  Lack of, or inadequate environmental information systems;

PHOTO OF PARTICIPANTS DURING THE TRAINING

Best Practices and Lessons Learned (continued…) However, opportunities for integrated processes for reporting to the Rio Conventions have been explored to some extent. And therefore, based on the experience gained from the various Steering Committee Meetings at the global and National levels, the National Capacity Self-Assessment report, and interactions with relevant stakeholders have really help to build our capacity during the implementation of the FNR-Rio project (FNR-Rio) from 2010 to Also base on these experience gained the project had: a)Develop integrated approaches to data collection/analysis and information management of relevance to the three Rio Conventions at the national level; through building the Capacity of relevant Stakeholders, Focal Points, and Project team by the means of education and technology training b)Increase synergies in the process of reporting to the three conventions without compromising relevant COP decisions; by the means of frequent meetings, with NSC members, and awareness mechanism.

PARTICIPANTS DURING TRAINING SESSION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to highly appreciate the Environmental Protection Agency which is the National Focal Point of the Rio Conventions, for having entrusted me with this task of national and international importance. We express our appreciation to the UNEP/GEF and World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) for their initiative and support to this globally important project. We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Global Project Coordinator, the International Consultant, the National Project Coordinator, National Consultant, National Focal Points, and Stakeholders of this project, for the close working relationship and commitment during the three years.

THANK YOU