ROADMAP TO CREATE A REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE CLEARINGHOUSE/KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT HUB IN THE CARIBBEAN

Prepared for: Sub-regional meeting on Environmental policy formulation and planning in the Caribbean region

Presented by: Conrad Douglas & Associates Limited

Date: May 16, 2013

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Table of Contents In making this presentation, Conrad Douglas &

Associates Limited (CD&A) will cover the following: Background & Introduction Approach & Methodology Context and Historical Perspective The Road Map Next Steps

Background & Introduction This Roadmap is prepared within the framework of UNESCO’s

actions which are aimed at supporting CARICOM Member States in strengthening their capacities on social science data production and use for evidence-based policy formulation and planning for sustainable development in the Caribbean region.

UNESCO has commissioned three main analytical reports in this field to institutions based in the Caribbean: Report on social research and data gap analysis and proposal for a

sub-regional multi-stakeholder social science platform (Commissioned to the CARIBSAVE Partnership).

Report on lessons learnt from social sciences- civil society interaction in policy formulation and planning for the social dimensions of environmental change in the Caribbean (Commissioned to the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute, CANARI)

Roadmap to create a regional Environmental Change Clearing House/Knowledge Management Hub in the Caribbean (Commissioned to Conrad Douglas & Associates Limited)

Purpose of the Roadmap The purpose of this report is to guide the

establishment and management of an Environmental Change Clearing House and Knowledge Management Hub in the Caribbean region (CARICOM).

The roadmap sets out the strategies and activities leading to the establishment of the Environmental Change Clearing House and Knowledge Management Hub for the Caribbean Region.

Approach & Methodology Standard approaches and methods substantially involved

desktop research were used by CD&A to prepare the Roadmap. This involved, but was not limited to: Preparing a detailed work plan and budget that was

submitted to UNESCO Selecting a panel of experts for consultation. Outlining the preliminary design and background activities. Reviewing existing data and data gathering mechanisms

relevant to environmental change at the: international, regional, sub-regional and national levels.

Outlining the steps required for establishing the Hub Outlining the next steps required for implementation

Context and Historical Perspective Anthropocentric and exo-somatic

Benjamin Franklyn (1751), Thomas Malthus (1798), Charles Darwin (1876)

Svante Arrhenius (1889) – Arrhenius Equation, where:

Global Warming, Climate Change and Environmental Change

Population Growth 1800 – 2011

Rio Principle 1

“human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.”(UN Conference on Environment

and Development (UNCED), 1992)

Rio Principle 2

“States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, and the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States

or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.”

Context and Historical Perspective We have exceeded the planet’s absorptive and assimilative capacity

Nicholas Stern Report Six years since the Stern Review: The risks are bigger, technological change promising. Where are we going and why action is slow: To a dangerous place; need political will. Describing the risks - the scientific and economic models: Both scientific and

economic models badly under-estimate potential impacts; new generation of models needed.

Sustainable growth and development: Transition to low-carbon economy likely to be full of innovation and benefits beyond reduction of climate risks.

Policy for the low-carbon transition: Policy to overcome six major market failures is key to fostering the recovery of economies and the dynamic transition to a low-carbon growth and economy.

Collaboration and understanding others: International institutions are key to addressing economic and climate crises together and building international cooperation

The need for integrated science and natural science research

The need for an Environmental Change Policy for the Caribbean

The need for establishing the Hub

The Road Map We propose that under the leadership and direction of the

Council for Human & Social Development (COHSOD) of CARICOM, the steps to establish the Environmental Change Clearinghouse and Knowledge Management Hub should be as follows: Step 1: Establish a network Step 2: Development of a policy framework Step 3: Develop Internal and External Institutional Arrangements Step 4: Develop a Plan for the establishment of the Hub Step 5: Determination of the Location Step 6: Recruitment Step 7: Training and capacity building Step 8: Inventory of baseline data Step 9: Designing the Knowledge Management Hub Step 10: Developing Standards Step 11: Commissioning and Launching of the Environmental Change

Clearinghouse and Knowledge Management Hub

Step 1: Establish a Network Establish a network among the existing

institutions of the Caribbean concerned with social research and gathering of social data. This should be done among governments, private sector, and NGOs.

The network should be established and used initially as a panel to guide the process of establishing the Hub and to recommend and select the national focal points within the system.

Step 2: Development of a Policy Framework

Development of a policy framework by the Governments of the sub-region of the Caribbean to establish an Environmental Change Clearinghouse and Knowledge Management Hub.

Develop a set of policy guidelines which will guide implementation and operations.

The preparation of the policy should be informed by intensive cross-sectoral interdisciplinary consultations.

Step 3: Develop Internal and External Institutional Arrangements Formalize institutional arrangements within

the institution and the national and international organizations concerned with social data collection, social research and environmental and climate change.

Step 4: Develop a Plan for the Establishment of the Hub Consultants should be engaged to develop

this plan. The plan should include the development of the following: Vision statement Mission statement Goals Objectives Strategies Leadership Plan Organizational structure Controls

Step 5: Determination of the Location The location for the establishment of the Hub

should be recommended to CARICOM by the Council for Human & Social Development (CHSD).

Step 6: Recruitment Prepare job descriptions for the senior management posts and

core staff. Given the purpose and nature of the Hub, its Director should have qualifications with span the field of: social and natural sciences environmental management climate change management project management expertise in management information systems research skills

It is recommended that support staff in the following fields be recruited as a part of the core staff: Management Information System (MIS) specialist Natural Scientist Social Scientist Necessary supportive administrative staff

Step 7: Training and Capacity Building Training and capacity building will be an

immediate focus after recruiting the staff of the Hub.

Among the areas of focus will be integrated development, natural and social sciences and the development of social research skills.

Step 8: Inventory of Baseline Data Among the first activities to be carried out by the staff is an inventory of existing

data and methods of data gathering within the region and relevant extra-regional data.

Design the system for the effective functioning of the Hub. Develop the inventory of what systems and data exists within the Hub (hardware and software) and within the territories that will subscribe to the Hub.

Inventory of institutions existing within the territories mandated to manage the data resources

The policies, legislation, regulation and standards for territories of the region as well as the biophysical and socio-cultural and socio-economic data forming the baseline for the territories of the region and establishing the criteria and parameters for monitoring and recording change and knowledge, sub-regionally and regionally should be done.

Review the infrastructure to minimize duplication or overlap in order to achieve efficient and effective deployment of resources for managing the Environmental Change Clearinghouse and Knowledge Management Hub. This should include: Reviewing and analyzing existing information and knowledge centres throughout the

sub-region Identifying resource requirements Conducting IT/MIS Infrastructure evaluation Standardizing hardware, software and methods for data gathering and social research in

the region.

Step 9: Designing the Knowledge Management Hub Design the Knowledge Management Hub

architecture, and integrate with infrastructure existing internally and externally in the region and extra-regionally.

Outline major elements of the environmental baseline and environmental change and knowledge inputs to the sub-regional Hub and how the inputs should be screened.

Outline major outputs from the Hub to its clientele and highlighting the controls in clearing and disseminating the outputs.

Step 10: Developing Standards Develop and standardize the methods and

procedures for data gathering, classification, storage, analysis, data security and dissemination.

The methods and procedures for data gathering, storage, access, retrieval and updating should be developed for different user and stakeholder levels.

Step 11: Commissioning and Launching of the Environmental Change Clearinghouse and Knowledge Management Hub

During the course of establishing the Hub, various datasets will be collected, stored and classified in the designed and implemented systems. This will be tested throughout the course of implementation and its functioning verified.

At the point of formally launching the system, multiple stakeholder demonstrations will be carried out and the system operated on an ongoing basis thereafter.

Next Steps Recognizing that throughout the course of implementation it

will be necessary to maintain dialogue with the stakeholders, we propose that the next steps should involve the following in the creation of the Environmental Change Clearinghouse and Knowledge Management Hub: Establish the sub-regional network Creating the vision or value statement ESTABLISH THE POLICY FRAMEWORK AND

POLICY Set the goals and objectives Conduct a gap analysis Develop a plan Develop a budget Obtain approval from CARICOM Commence implementation for the establishment of the hub