g l o b a l e n v i r o n m e n tal i n f o r m a t i o n n e t w o r k ecoinformatics and unep...
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G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Ecoinformatics and UNEPEcoinformatics – Role in Global Informatics,
Assessments & Regional Networks
Sheraton Hotel, Seattle, 25 January 2010
Capacity Development Branch (CDB)Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)Nairobi, Kenya
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
1972: Core UNEP mandates
UNGA resolution 2997 (XXVII)
• Keep under review the world environmental situation in order to ensure that emerging environmental problems of wide international significance receive appropriate and adequate consideration by Governments.
• Promote the contribution of the relevant international scientific and other professional communities to the acquisition, assessment and exchange of environmental knowledge and information.
• Build capacity and promote technology support for undertaking national and engaging in international processes for monitoring, assessment and early warning.
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Monitoring, assessment & reporting
• Monitoring, assessment & reporting is a core function of UNEP (dating back to 1972)
• Most countries have environmental legislation that calls for procedures, systems and regular reporting processes to keep the environmental situation under continuous review
• Monitoring, assessment & reporting is a pre-requisite for informed decision-making and for policy-setting
• Science must inform policy => important to engage the scientific community i.e. bridge the science-policy interface
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Ecoinformatics Group and UNEP
UNEP has been a member of the Ecoinformatics Group for about 10 years
Helped form the Ecoterm group which works in area of environmental terminology
Hosted first meeting of Ecoterm Group (Geneva, 2003)
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Driving forces for Ecoinformatics in UNEP
2005 – Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building
2009/2010 – Revitalised International Environmental Governance process
2009/2010 – Knowledge Management strategy (internal & external component)
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
International Environmental Governance (IEG) - Creating a strong Science Base
• Acquisition, compilation, analysis and interpretation of data and information
• Information exchange
• Environmental assessment and early warning
• Scientific advice
• Science-policy interface
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IEG: Functions (science, data, networking)
• Support national, regional and sub-regional capacities for collecting, analysing and utilizing data and information
• Develop and maintain a systematic approach to facilitation of information exchange and networking between national and regional scientific capacities including through enhanced interoperability of data, facilitation of aggregation of data and assessment findings
• Enhance cooperation with other parts of the UN system and with the scientific community, including with national science academies
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Two major gaps
• No global environmental information system for collecting, analysing, sharing and utilizing data and information
No systematic approach towards reporting on the state of the environment No systematic approach for enhancing interoperability of data, facilitation of aggregation of data and assessment findings No systematic approach towards facilitation of information exchange from national to global
• No multi-disciplinary global environmental information network for building institutional collaboration to keep the environment under review
No systematic approach towards networking from national to global No systematic approach to enhancing national and regional scientific capacities
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Role of Ecoinformatics in 2010 and beyond
Technology changing very fast (e.g. Moore’s Law) but ICT needs to be applied more to keep the environmental situation under review.
Digital Divide is decreasing but developing countries still not making optimum use of ICT for environment need capacity-building
Opportunity for a unified global environmental information system/commons/network
Networking and North-South partnerships are part of UNEP’s Medium-term Strategy
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
2010-13: UNEP reform and new programmatic directions
UNEP’s Medium-term Strategy 2010-13 sets out the next phase in the
evolution of UNEP by providing a clear, results-based focus on a new
programme of work that addresses the following six cross-cutting thematic
priorities:
1. Climate change;
2. Disasters and conflicts;
3. Ecosystem management;
4. Environmental governance;
5. Harmful substances and hazardous waste;
6. Resource efficiency – sustainable consumption and production
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Environmental Governancesub-programme (2010-11)
Expected accomplishment (d): national and international stakeholders have access to sound science and policy advice for decision making.
Output 1. Assessments
Output 2. Networking
Output 3. Capacity Development
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Environmental GovernanceProject preparation (Dec 2009 - Jan 2010)
Expected accomplishment (d): national and international stakeholders have access to sound science and policy advice for decision making.
4 Projects:
- Global Environment Outlook (GEO-5)
- Integrated and thematic assessments (at least 9)
- Multi-disciplinary Networks (at least 6)- Capacity Development
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Relationship to Ecoinformatics work
Networking project document
• One global network (GEIN AGEDI)
• 5 sub-global networks:
Africa, West Asia, EECCA
Asia & Pacific, LAC
• 25 national networks:
Africa (4), West Asia (5), EECCA (6)
Asia & Pacific (5), LAC (5)
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
Relationship to Ecoinformatics work
Capacity Development project document
• MENTOR platform (tools, training, eLearning)
• Assessment CD support (IEA training package, thematic assessments training package, etc)
• Data/information CD support (e.g. GIS tools, array of standards)
• Networking CD support (guidelines, best practice, etc)
G L O B A L E N V I R O N M E N TAL I N F O R M A T I O N N E T W O R K
UNEP ECOinformatics priorities: 2010-11 and beyond
• Global Environmental Alert Service
• Environmental Data and Indicators Platform
• “UNEP-Live” (Virtual State-of-the-Environment or GEO-6 by 2016)
• MENTOR capacity development platform
• Developing and implementing strategic partnerships e.g. Microsoft agreement
Thank you