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Natural Resource Governance, Empowerment and Poverty Reduction

Jordi Surkin and Gonzalo Oviedo

BBL on Natural Resource Governance, Empowerment and Poverty Reduction Gland, May 2, 2012

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Why Does Governance Matter?

Biodiversity conservation and improved human well being can only be achieved if mechanisms to ensure good governance of natural resources are in place.

Without good governance the poor and marginalized people around the world will not have secure access to nature’s material (income, food, fibres, clean water, etc.) and spiritual (recreation, cultural values, etc.) benefits.

Progress towards better natural resource and protected area governance has been slow and needs to improve.

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Importance of Governance in IUCN is Growing

• Interest in governance has been growing in IUCN - in thematic programmes - PA, WH, Water, Drylands, Fisheries, Forests, in Regional Programmes, and in commissions such as CEESP, WCPA, and CEL.

• This diverse interest in and actions on governance is welcome, but needs to be to harmonized, to ensure greater efficacy.

• The Nature-Based Solutions Group and CEESP have developed a new concept note as a step for (i) harmonization (ii) brainstorming on a governance framework.

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Importance of Governance in IUCN is Growing

• Social Policy has recently completed a review/comparison of existing governance assessment tools, to support develop of IUCN knowledge products and tools for governance. This review will soon be ready for broader discussion.

• Lessons we present here can help ensure better

delivery of governance in the new programme and contribute to knowledge products and development of a common framework.

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How Does IUCN Define Governance? There are many definitions of governance in the world. According to resolution 3.102, the IUCN official definition of governance is:

‘the interactions among structures, processes and traditions that determine how power and responsibilities are exercised, how decisions are taken, and how citizens or other stakeholders have their say in the management of natural resources - including biodiversity conservation’

This definition needs to be improved based on state of the art science and knowledge of governance.

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A Comparison of How Different Institutions Understand Governance

Source: Patricia Moore, Head, Regional Environmental Law Programme, Asia

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Context: A Global Project with Global Impacts

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• 10 components in 14 countries of Africa, Asia, South America and the West Asia.

• Through a union approach with 6 regions, 3 national offices, to commissions, 19 members and 19 partner organizations.

• All projects located in biodiversity hotspots and areas of high poverty.

• Implemented in a diversity of ecosystems, social, cultural and political contexts and scales

• Work with Protected Areas, community lands, indigenous territories and landscapes

• Each component addressed governance and livelihoods in different ways. Multi-scale policy influencing, ecotourism, payments for ecosystem services, gender, fisheries and natural resource management etc.

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• Building capacities of community-based organizations, civil society and government actors from local to national levels.

• Creating and strengthening multistakeholder dialogue and platforms.

• Increasing participation and voice in democratic, effective, accountable and transparent decision making for governance of natural resources

• Developing opportunities for improved income generation and livelihoods, with a focus on indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and women

• Maintaining traditional systems of resource use that secure livelihoods and contribute to nature conservation

• Expanding the understanding of human well-being by developing culturally based indicators that can guide policy development

• Promoting improvement of governance and rights related policies from the local to global level by providing guidance and influencing policy making processes.

How We Worked

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Proposed Governance Framework Based on Learning

Principle Elements of the Principle1. Inclusion Participation and voice of all stakeholders.

Respect and Trust between all stakeholders. 2. Legitimacy Integrity and commitment of all stakeholders.

Authority and Representativity- The governing body and its members have legitimate, democratically mandated authority. Legitimacy-The governing body and/or its members have a long-standing cultural attachment to the area. The governing body follows its mandate.

3. Direction Strategic vision: Broad and long-term perspectives on good governance.Coherence and Contextualization: Integration into local contexts and compatibility with plans and policies of other levels and sectors.

4. Performance Responsiveness: Needs of all stakeholders are taken into account.Effectiveness and efficiency: Needs are met while making best use of resources available.Capacities: all stakeholders have capacities to engage in governance.Financial sustainability of processes and results.Subsidiarity: Power and decisions rest at the lowest level.Resilience – The governing body can be flexible, learn and adapt.

5. Accountability

Accountability of all decision makers to the public.Transparency: Processes, institutions and information are clear and directly accessible.

6. Fairness Equity: Costs and benefits are equitably shared.Rule of law: Legal frameworks are fair and enforced impartially.Human rights and cultural practices are respected.Do no harm: Local livelihoods are not adversely affected.Effective and appropriate conflict resolution. There is recourse to impartial judgment in the case of conflict. Access to justice: Legal assistance is available to all stakeholders.

Adapted from Surkin and Oviedo 2011. Sources: Graham et al. 2003 and Lockwood 2010.

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• A common understanding and definition of governance is a key step for implementation of natural resource governance to be more successful..

• Awareness of their rights empowers local people to engage in governance.

• Multistakeholder platforms (MSPs) can empower marginalized people and promote NR governance.

 

Key Lessons on Governance, Community Empowerment and Voice

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• In some cases, we have seen that women can be empowered through MSPs.

• Natural resource governance can improve the lives of women.

• Natural resource governance can be a mechanism to address sensitive political and social issues.).

• Governance processes can produce improvements in livelihood and natural resource use.

 

Key Lessons on Social and Gender Equity in Natural Resource Governance

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• Governance principles should reflect local cultural practices and values.

• Revival of traditional resource use systems may not always be effective.

 

Key Lessons on Rights and Culture in Natural Resource Governance

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• Legal frameworks for land use and conservation need to be respectfully designed to enable governance.

• A combination of statutory and customary law can be an effective means of enabling natural resource governance.

Key Lessons on Legal Frameworks and Institutional Structures for Better Governance

• To implement natural resource governance actions it is necessary to fully understand how rights, land tenure and resource use are defined in legislation and policy.

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• All stakeholders involved in natural resource governance require some form of capacity building and training, but the needs vary

• Capacity building can be more effective when focused on socially and economically marginalized groups.

• Awareness raising, outreach and information dissemination are vital

• Capacity building can create opportunities for implementing and promoting natural resource governance.

• Governance projects need to include more time for building the capacities of NGOs and partners.

Key Lessons on Building Capacity for Better Natural Resource Governance

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• There is a need for an enabling environment for governance.

• MSPs can enable poor and excluded sectors to influence policy..

• It is hard to achieve policy impacts but important to remain engaged in policy processes.

• Technical support for government institutions can be a vehicle for enabling policy influencing.

Key Lessons on Policy Influencing to Enable Better Governance

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• Develop a communications and advocacy strategies.

• The media can be a valuable partner but not always.

• Emphasize on communications and outreach on NR governance.

• Need for better documentation and dissemination of lessons, methods and tools.

Key Lessons on Communications and Learning in Natural Resource Governance

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• IUCN needs to make a greater effort to enhance its own accountability and transparency.

• Project design should be more transparent and participatory.

• While there is a growing focus globally and within IUCN on governance and rights based approaches, many, especially field staff, lack an adequate understanding of what governance principles are and how to apply them in practice.

Key Lessons on Enhancing IUCN’s Own Implementation of Governance Principles

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• Political will is a critical factor for NR governance.

•  Communities need to participate and feel involved.

• It is critical to understand and respect community and indigenous governance structures and identify their weak links.

Key Lessons on Success Factors and Best Practice in Natural Resource Governance 

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• Build bridges between legal and traditional frameworks.

• Work with the media to scale up impacts.

• Capacity building and awareness raising are vital for natural resource governance.

• Political standing and credibility of IUCN and partners can help open doors.

Key Lessons on Success Factors and Best Practice in Natural Resource Governance 

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• MSPs have been a best practice for providing voice and influencing policy.

• Involvement of government actors at all levels is vitally important for NR governance.

• Work through partnerships and build on previous experience.

Key Lessons on Success Factors and Best Practice in Natural Resource Governance 

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• Application of the Hima concept to new types of natural resource use is an innovative area of work that builds on traditional resource use systems.

• IUCN-SUR and its partners have developed an innovative method for design of cultural indicators of human well being, which was applied in peasant and indigenous communities in the highlands of Bolivia and Peru.

• In Kenya, IUCN and the local community organization are implementing an innovative approach that builds on indigenous knowledge and institutions of resource management.

• A unique approach to payment for ecosystem services (PES).

Key Lessons on Innovations to Improve Natural Resource Governance

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• Promote RBAs as part of natural resource governance.

• Develop knowledge products for NR governance. IUCN should also take a leading role in tool development for NR governance, including assessment tools, RBA frameworks and others.

• Support for implementation of MSPs to provide voice.

IUCN’s Niche in Natural Resource Governance

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• Emphasize the importance of natural resource governance.

• Strengthen IUCN’s accountability and governance capacities.

IUCN’s Niche in Natural Resource Governance

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Looking Ahead: Developing an IUCN Approach to Governance

Harmonize and Develop a Common Governance Framework for IUCN that Adds Value through a focus

on rights

Build capacity to understand, implement and measure governance within secretariat, members and

commissions.

Develop tools and Resources for Strengthening Governance at all Level (Local to Global)

Document and Share lessons and best practice.

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Looking Ahead: Developing an IUCN Approach to Governance

Build on and improve what already exists by it adapting to natural resource contexts

Enhance Implementation of Governance Principles Throughout the Union

Differentiate Negotiated Positions from Sound Technical Guidance

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Thank you!