environment and management of natural resources. towards (1)

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Approach

What is environmental communication (EnvCom)?

GTZ defines EnvCom as the planned and strategic use of communication

processes and media products to support effective policymaking, public

participation and project implementation geared towards environmental sus-

tainability. It comprises instruments which are well established in non-formal

and formal environmental education, development communication, socialmarketing, agricultural extension, mediation and conflict management and

other fields.

EnvCom is much more than disseminating information to people. EnvCom is not

one-way. It is participatory and two-way. Like the chain on a bicycle EnvCom

is the missing link between an environmental goal and the necessary socio-

political processes of policymaking and public participation. It is applied to sup-

port an environmental goal of a project and to integrate environmental aspects

into political strategy processes. EnvCom can be an instrument on its own, like

communication campaigns and education activities. But it works best in

combination with other measures like economic incentives, laws and regula-

tions. A systematic and goal-oriented communication strategy that takes into

account peoples perceptions can determine the success of a project.

Successful environmental communication planners need to know exactly:

Why you want to communicate: what is the real problem, what is the solution

you want to achieve? With whom you want to communicate: who are the

people at the heart of the problem? What is their knowledge, attitude and

behaviour? What you want to communicate: what is the message? How and

when can you get your message to the people you want to reach?

ContextWhatever the environmental problem

is, communication will always be at

least part of the solution. Breaking

down complex information about the

environment and its implications for

other sectors into easy-to-under-stand elements and putting those on

the agenda is a prerequisite for

change and consensus building

geared towards sustainable develop-

ment in any society. A multitude of

international agreements and major

reports have emphasised the critical

role of communication and educa-

tion as a basic tool societies need to

confront the challenges of the future.

Prominent references can be found

in the Brundtland Report, the Agenda

21 and in many UNESCO, UNEP,

OECD-DAC and CSD reports.

Environmental communication

Environment and Infrastructure Division

Topicsheet

Section: Environment and management of natural resources

General Topic: Environmental policy and institutional development

commissioned by:


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Activities and services

GTZ supports partner institutions in

EnvCom in more than 30 bilateral de-

velopment programmes and projects.

We cooperate with other implement-

ing agencies of German development

cooperation and international and na-

tional environmental and nature pro-

tection agencies, and build strategic

partnerships with the IUCN Commis-

sion for Education and Communica-

tion (CEC), the OECD Development

Assistance Committee (DAC) and the

World Bank Development Communi-

cation Division.

Thematic focus


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With the heavy reliance of developing

countries on their natural resources,

governance as the rules and mecha-

nisms that guide their use are of criti-

cal importance for achieving good

governance in a broader sense. Guid-ing principles of German technical

co-operation are:


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Services

The governance of natural resources

management and the environment is

a core of GTZ projects and pro-

grammes. Understanding the incen-

tives that drive peoples behaviour is

critical to achieving sustainability in a

variety of fields, including:


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governance of natural resources,

communication and dispute resolu-

tion, environmental assessment and

regulation.


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tion, conservation of biological

diversity and biosafety, combating

desertification, international forest

policy, substitution of ozone-deplet-

ing substances, chemical safety.


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In pursuit of these goals, GTZ works

at all levels of society in partner coun-

tries and at regional and international

levels. The challenge regardless of

fluctuations in the policy environment is to operate as a trailblazer and a

think tank, to strengthen environmen-

tal policy capacities and to improve

the action framework for the key play-

ers in environmental policy.

Approach andmethodologies

GTZ strategy aims to ensure that the

national policies and institutions ef-

fectively target environmental protec-

tion and sustainable management of

natural resources and contribute tosustainable development.

Environmental policy needs institu-

tional reforms to succeed. They

should be based on a set of princi-

ples. Environmental policy needs to

facilitate a move


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Services

To develop capacities for effective

environmental protection policies,

GTZ offers services in key fields com-

bining consulting expertise with train-

ing and capacity development. These

include:

Strengthening environment institu-

tions. We strengthen capacities of

national environmental authorities and

organisations in setting clear policies

and developing realistic and effective

implementation strategies. Focus in

various countries is currently to de-

centralise environmental policy to the

regional and municipal levels. Infor-

mation, communication and environ-

mental public awareness are key

instruments in this.

Environmental planning. We consult

in developing adequate Environmen-

tal Impact Assessment (EIA) systems

and procedures and in upgrading

units responsible for the evaluation of

environmental assessment reports in

ministries. On a national policy level

Strategic Environmental Assessment

(SEA) is currently becoming an import-

ant instrument for our clients.

Incentives for environmental pro-

tection. We advise in developing en-

vironmental legislation, norms and

standards for the major sectors like

solid waste, water resources, air

quality. We also assist in developing

overarching fiscal incentives for

environmental protection (Economic

Fiscal Reform) and integrating market

based approaches in environmental

policy.

Strategic planning and mainstream-

ing in environment. We accompany

strategy development processes over

time, be it in a ministry of environment

or between sector ministries develop-

ing integrated multi-sectoral actions

plans and programmes for environ-

ment. Here GTZ uses innovative strat-

egy planning instruments like Think-

Tools and action-learning approach-

es to enhance teambuilding and co-

operation capacities.

For further information & published by:

Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische

Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbHDepartment Environment and

Management of Natural Resources

PO Box 5180, 65726 Eschborn, Germany

Phone: +496196 79-1320

Fax: +49 6196 79-7123

[email protected]

www.gtz.de/umweltmanagement

Imprint

Design by: www.creativerepublic.net, 2005

Photos: GTZ, Markus NudingPrinted on 100% recycled paper

Status: 12/2005


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Chart below: Multiple impacts in all three

dimensions of sustainable development

Priority issues include:


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gramme (NFP), which has to be

conceived and established by all

relevant stakeholders in a participa-

tory process. NFPs contribute not

only to a sustainable forest man-

agement but also to a political de-velopment towards decentralisa-

tion, security of rights and justice

and democracy. Objective indica-

tors for a socially and ecologically

sound forest management and

transparent marketing of forest

products are established by forest

certification.

forest administrations) through award-

ing concessions. Inadequate controls

and legal insecurity impede compli-

ance with sustainability criteria and

fair distribution of benefits.

Approaches

Development cooperation focuses on

improving possibilities for sustainable

use of forests and fair distribution of

profits and user rights. Thus, develop-

ment needs conservation and regen-

eration of forests and the stabilisation

of their ecological, economic and so-

cial services. GTZ uses the following

approaches to improve the benefits of

forests for people:


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expert groups, the NFP-Facility and

Programme for Forests (PROFOR).

We cooperate closely with other Ger-

man implementing agencies, like KfW,

DED, CIM and InWent, as well as

other donors, e.g. the Netherlands.


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environment and management of natural resources. towards (1)

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