[Biodiv] 2014-06-29 NRMI: This Issue: Measuring and Monitoring Forest Degradation and Deforestation and Some Other Good Things.

 

2014-06-29 NRMI: NATURAL RESOURCE MONITORING ITEMS OF INTEREST

This Issue: Measuring and Monitoring Forest Degradation and Deforestation and Some Other Good Things.

MEASURING AND MONITORING FOREST DEGRADATION AND DEFORESTATION – The tracking of forest degradation and deforestation has received considerable attention in recent years. Here are some sites that may be of interest.

ARD. 2002. Critical Analysis of Current Deforestation Rate Estimations for Mexico. Report submitted to the United States Agency for International Development. 32 p.

Asner, Gregory P. 2009? Measuring Carbon Emissions from Tropical Deforestation: An Overview. Environmental Defense Fund. 11 p.

Asner, Gregory P. et al. 2009. Automated mapping of tropical deforestation and forest degradation: CLASlite. Journal of Applied Remote Sensing 3, 033543. 24 p.

Baldauf, Thomas et al. 2009. Case Studies on Measuring and Assessing Forest Degradation - Monitoring degradation in the scope of REDD. FAO Forest Resources Assessment Working Paper 162. 19 p.

Böttcher, Hannes et al. 2009. An assessment of monitoring requirements and costs of 'Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation'. Carbon Balance Manag. 4: 7.

Brewer, C.K. et al. 2011. Forest carbon monitoring: A review of selected remote sensing and carbon measurement tools for REDD+. RSAC-10018-RPT1. Salt Lake City, UT: USDA, Forest Service, Remote Sensing Applications Center. 35 p.

Butler, Rhett A. 2011. Monitoring deforestation: an interview with Gilberto Camara, head of Brazil's space agency INPE. Mongabay.com.

Chomitz, Kenneth M.; Wertz-Kanounnikoff, Sheila 2005. Measuring the initial impacts on deforestation of Mato Grosso's program for environmental control.WPS3762. 58 p.

Couturier, Stéphane et al.2012. Measuring Tropical Deforestation with Error Margins: A Method for REDD Monitoring in South-Eastern Mexico. In: Sudarshana, P. ed. 2012 Tropical Forest, Chapter 14. 269-296.

DeFries, Ruth et al. 2006. Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries: Considerations for Monitoring and Measuring. GOFC-GOLD Report No. 26. 30 p.      

DeVries, Ben, et al. 2012. Monitoring the impact of REDD+ implementation in the UNESCO Kafa Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia. Sensing a Changing World. 5 p.

DeVries, Ben, et al. 2013. Detecting Tropical Deforestation and Forest Degradation at High Temporal Resolution in Support of REDD+ MRV. Abstract.

Downton, Mary W. 1995. Measuring Tropical Deforestation: Development of the Methods. Environmental Conservation, 22: 229-240. Abstract.

Dyk, Andrew. 2011. Canadian Deforestation Mapping and Carbon Accounting for Kyoto Agreement. ArcNews Summer.

Freund, Jeremy T. 2013. Measuring deforestation – A statistical approach. CARPE Technical Toolkit Workshop. 20 slides.

GFW. N.d.. Measuring Deforestation in Real-Time – Global Forest Watch.

Goetz, Scott J. et al. 2009. Mapping and monitoring carbon stocks with satellite observations: a comparison of methods. Carbon Balance and Management 4:2

Goetz, Scott; Dubayah, Ralph. 2011. Advances in remote sensing technology and implications for measuring and monitoring forest carbon stocks and change. Carbon Management 2(3): 231-244.

GOFC-GOLD, 2009, Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation in developing countries: a sourcebook of methods and procedures for monitoring, measuring and reporting, GOFC-GOLD Report version COP14-2, GOFC-GOLD Project Office, Natural Resources Canada, Alberta, Canada) 185 p.

Gunlycke, Naemi; Tuomaala, Anja. 2011.Detecting forest degradation in Marakwet district, Kenya, using remote sensing and GIS. Seminar Series no. 200. 78 p.

Herold, Martin et al. 2011. Options for monitoring and estimating historical carbon emissions from forest degradation in the context of REDD+. Carbon Balance and Management 6(13)

Hirata, Yasumasa. 2008. Monitoring of deforestation and forest degradation using remote sensing techniques for REDD policy implementation. 25- 27 June 2008, UNFCCC REDD Workshop, Tokyo. 30 slides.

Langer, Andreas Johannes. 2009. Monitoring tropical forest degradation and deforestation in Borneo, Southeast Asia. Dissertation. 176 p.

Leckie, Donald G. et al. 2000. Possible systems for measuring and reporting on deforestation in Canada under the Kyoto Protocol. Presented at the conference on the “Role of Boreal Forest and Forestry in the Global Carbon Budget”, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 8-12, 2000.10 p.

Lund, H. Gyde. 1999. Accountability of afforestation, reforestation, and deforestation. Japanese Forestry Society Annual Convention - Global Environmental Issues and World Forests, Matsuyama, Japan, 2-5 April .16 p.

Mitchard, E.T.A. et al. 2011. Measuring biomass changes due to woody encroachment and deforestation/degradation in a forest–savanna boundary region of central Africa using multi-temporal L-band radar backscatter. Remote Sensing of Environment 115(11): 2861-2873. Abstract.

Mitchard, ETA, et al. 2013. A novel application of satellite radar data: measuring carbon sequestration and detecting degradation in a community forestry project in Mozambique. Plant Ecology & Diversity 6(1): 159-170.

Murdiyarso, Daniel et al. 2009? How do we measure and monitor forest degradation? Chapter 10. In: Moving Ahead with REDD Issues, Options and Implications. 22 p.

Murdiyarso, David et al, 2008. Measuring and monitoring forest degradation for REDD Implications of country circumstances. CIFOR Info Brief No. 16. 6 p.

Olander, Lydia P. et al. 2006. Establishing Credible Baselines for Quantifying Avoided Carbon Emissions from Reduced Deforestation and Forest Degradation. Prepared for Coalition for Rainforest Nations NI WP 06-01. 28 p.

Puyravaud, Jeane-Philippe. 2003, Standardizing the calculation of the annual rate of deforestation. Forest Ecology and Management 177: 593-596.

Reimer, Floran et al. 2012 Monitoring Deforestation for REDD: An overview of options for the Juma Sustainable Development Reserve Project. CIFOR Tech Brief. 4 p.

Roberts,Freya. 2012. Why are new estimates of emissions from tropical deforestation lower? The Carbon Brief. Blog.

Skole, D.L. et al. 1994? Physical and Human Dimensions of Deforestation in Amazonia.

Staff. 2008 Spot the Rancher -What the numbers do and don't say about deforestation. The Economist.

Staff. 2011. New Airborne Methods to Measure Deforestation and Forests. Planet Save.

Tetra Tech 2001-2003. Mexico: Technical Assistance for Determining Deforestation Rates in Mexico (Forest Inventory Activity) /Technical Assistance for Developing a Carbon Index for Mexico. Tetra Tech.

Tucker, C.J.; Townshend, J.R.G. 2000. Strategies for monitoring tropical deforestation using satellite data. Int. J. Remote Sensing. 21(6 & 7): 1461–1471.

Vadez, Vincent et al. 2003. Validity of Self-Reports to Measure Deforestation: Evidence from the Bolivian Lowlands. Field Methods 15(3): 289–304.

Violini, Soraya. 2013. Deforestation: Change Detection in Forest Cover using Remote Sensing. UNC and CONAE. 30 p.

Wangen, Steve. 2013. Monitoring of deforestation and forest degradation in Mexico. SILVIS Lab.

Wertz-Kanounnikoff, Sheila 2008. Monitoring forest emissions - A review of methods. CIFOR Working Paper No. 39. 24 p.

SOME PUBLICATIONS/URLS OF INTEREST

FAO. 2014. State of the World‘s Forests - Enhancing the socioeconomic benefits from forests. Rome, FAO. 133 p.

Reed, S.E., et al. 2014. Guidelines and incentives for conservation development in local land-use regulations. Conserv. Biol. 28(1):258-268. Abstract.

Roch, L.; Jaeger, J.A.G. 2014. Monitoring an ecosystem at risk: what is the degree of grassland fragmentation in the Canadian Prairies? Environ. Monit. Assess. 186(4):2505-2534.

Rogan, John; Milleer, Jennifer. 2006. 6 Integrating GIS and Remotely Sensed Data for Mapping Forest Disturbance and Change. 38 p.

Rundel, P.W., et al. 2014. Tree invasions into treeless areas: mechanisms and ecosystem processes. Biol. Invasions 16(3):663-675. Page 1.

Schatz, B., et al. 2014. A decision tool for listing species for protection on different geographic scales and administrative levels. J. Nature Conserv. 22(1):75-83 Abstract.

Stokstad, E. 2014. Major conservation group guts science team in strategy shift. Science 343(6175):1069. Summary.

Sverdrup-Thygeson, A., et al. 2014. Spatial and temporal scales relevant for conservation of dead-wood associated species: current status and perspectives. Biodivers. Conserv. 23(3):513-535. Page 1.

Taft, H.R., et al.. 2014. A comparison of three statistical methods for analysing extinction threat status. Environ. Conserv. 41(1):37-44. Summary.

Vidal, O., et al. 2014. Trends in deforestation and forest degradation after a decade of monitoring in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Conserv. Biol. 28(1):177-186. Abstract.

Visser, V., et al. 2014. Unlocking the potential of Google Earth as a tool in invasion science. Biol. Invasions 16(3):513-534.

Wilson, J.R.U., et al. 2014. A standardized set of metrics to assess and monitor tree invasions. Biol. Invasions 16(3):535-551. Page 1.

Woziwoda, B.; Kopeć, D. 2014. Afforestation or natural succession? Looking for the best way to manage abandoned cut-over peatlands for biodiversity conservation. Ecol. Eng. 63:143-152. Abstract.

Yemshanov, D.; et al. 2014. There is no silver bullet: The value of diversification in planning invasive species surveillance. Ecological Economics 104: 61-72. From Barbara Conkling, USFS.

Zhang, Difei. 2010. Utilization and Modification of Point Sampling and Line Sampling in the Forestry Survey. American Journal of Biostatistics 1 (1): 67-74

KEEPING UP-TO-DATE – PRODUCTS, NEWSLETTERS, EMAIL LISTS, JOURNALS. See also http://botany.si.edu/puhttps://www.createspace.com/3489254bs/bcn/links.cfm, http://scholar.google.com/, and Directory of Open Access Journals. http://www.doaj.org/doaj?func=findJournals.

EnsoMOSAIC VD Quadcopter - complete UAV system. http://www.mosaicmill.com/products/complete_UAV.html. From Janne Sarkeala, MosaicMill Ltd.Finland

ESRI News for Forestry – Access the Summer 2014 issue at http://www.esri.com/~/media/Files/Pdfs/library/newsletters/forestry/summer-2014.pdf.

InFO News – Issue No. 20 of FAO’s forestry newsletter is now available at http://forestry.fao.msgfocus.com/q/1bqx3JYnfuOWVumG1m8/wv.

WORKING SMARTER - WORKSHOPS, MEETINGS, EVENTS, ETC. – See also: http://www.gfis.net, http://www.iufro.org/events/calendar/ and http://www.iufro.org/discover/noticeboard/.

MOVING AHEAD – OPPORTUNITIES – See also: Scholarships-Positions, Forestry, Arboriculture, Agriculture, Agronomy & Natural Resource Management Jobs at http://www.earthworks-jobs.com/forest.htm, Riley Guide to Agriculture, Forestry, & Farming Jobs http://www.rileyguide.com/agric.html, Forestry Careers & Degrees: A Guide for Students - http://www.firescience.org/forestry-degree-programs-online/ ; Finding Your Dream Job in Natural Resources http://www.cyber-sierra.com/nrjobs/, http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/index.html The Job Seekers Guide for International and Environmental Careers http://timresch.net/ejobs/index.htm and Scholarship Listing http://www.scholarshiplisting.com/.

Climate Resilient Participatory Afforestation and Reforestation Project, Bangladesh - We, SAMES Pvt. Ltd.,  are looking for someone to propose for the position of Forest Resources Monitoring and Assessment Specialist (International) for the above mention project. For details, please contact Engr. Muslima Khatun at muslima.sames@yahoo.com.

NEXT ISSUE: GIS and Ecological Connectivity.

Pay It Forward – Cheers, Gyde

 

 

--   H. Gyde Lund    Forest Information Services  6238 Settlers Trail Place  Gainesville, VA 20155-1374 USA  Tel: +1-703-743-1755  Email: gyde<at>comcast.net    CV: http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/cv.html.   Publications: http://home.comcast.net/~gyde/lundpub.htm.   Skype: forestgyde   

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Fwd: ENB on the Side - First UN Environment Assembly of the UN Environment Programme - Issue #2

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Date: 25 June 2014 01:23
Subject: ENB on the Side - First UN Environment Assembly of the UN Environment Programme - Issue #2
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ENB on the Side Coverage of Selected Side Events at the First UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Issue No. 2 - Wednesday, 25 June 2014 Events convened on Tuesday, 24 June 2014 GEMS Water: Global water quality data to inform SDGs Presented by UNEP/DEWA and UNEP/DEPI Hartwig Kremer, UNEP Division of Early Warning and Assessment (DEWA) moderated the Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS) Water Programme session, which introduced UNEP's water quality monitoring programme and its role in supporting international commitments. Mette Wilkie, UNEP Division for Environmental Policy Implementation (DEPI) stressed that deteriorating water quality threatens water ecology, human health, livelihoods and development. She said interagency collaboration within the UN system can address this, including measures such as global monitoring and reporting on the water system, and establishing international water quality guidelines.  Monika MacDevette, UNEP/DEWA, highlighted the need for sound and reliable data gathering and sharing on water quality, standardization of water quality data, water quality modeling and the use of assessment tools.  She emphasized the role of communication and data sharing, referring to UNEP Live as an important platform for information access and reporting on the state of the global environment, including water quality.  Referring to a previous absence of systematic data collection and the need for a global water policy framework, Karsten Sach, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany, underscored Germany's support for GEMS Water. Indicating that water quality is an important component of the UN Water Framework, Kremer also highlighted the work of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting a proposed water goal that includes water security and sanitation for all for a sustainable world.  He emphasized that GEMS Water should provide the right tools and data to support this.  Kremer then presented the new GEMStat system which aims to enhance data accessibility, through: data management; product development and dissemination; assessment and reporting; network building and coordination; capacity building; and fundraising. He emphasized supporting a global water information system, open data access and working with partners. Debbie Chapman, University College Cork, Ireland, expressed Ireland's support for GEMS Water. She introduced a Capacity Development Centre at University College Cork that will: support country-specific data gathering, with a focus on Africa; work with UNEP, including regional offices and GEMS Water national focal points; offer training courses, capacity building and research exchanges; and emphasize collaboration on monitoring, management and research. Kremer introduced the launch of GEMS Water Regional Hubs. He noted a Brazilian expression of interest to host the regional hub for Latin America and the Caribbean, and invited other regions to undertake similar initiatives. MacDevette underscored the role of regional hubs to facilitate robust data gathering at the national and regional levels, which can support global water quality data. During discussion, participants addressed: monitoring of ambient water quality; water conflict; and the need for interregional hubs, in addition to regional hubs. They noted that the transboundary nature of water makes it a politically complex topic. Wilkie and MacDevette offered closing remarks. Wilkie highlighted water as being important for the environment, livelihoods and peacekeeping. MacDevette emphasized the importance not only of data generation, but also the ability to use data with confidence, noting its importance for sound policymaking. More information: http://www.unep.org/gemswater/  Contact: Hartwig Kremer hartwig.kremer@unep.org   Illegal Trade in Wildlife Presented by the Government of Kenya and the Population Media Center   Ambassador Martin Kimani moderated the session, which addressed wildlife crime and illegal trade in wildlife products.  Gideon Gathara, Kenya, on behalf of Judi Wakhungu, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Kenya, identified illegal wildlife trade as a complex issue that needs to be dealt with on many levels including enforcement, legislation, demand reduction and promotion of alternative livelihoods. He detailed the Government of Kenya's work, which spans capacity building in the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and setting up an interagency task force to combat the crime chain. He appealed to delegates to take a position on the "grey area" of destruction of ivory stocks. On protection of wildlife on the ground, Ian Saunders, Tsavo Trust, asserted that a best-practice framework is needed for "conservation counter-insurgency," including: scientific data to bolster efforts; dedicated security for wildlife; and operational requirements, cautioning against the temptation to seek a "silver bullet" technological solution. Tom Kazungu, Population Media Centre, described the methodology of using local multimedia approaches, termed "entertainment with proven social benefits." He proposed airing a long-running television series to catalyze transitional behavior change, as a potential solution to combat illegal wildlife trade.  Ben Janse van Rensburg, Chief of Enforcement Support, CITES Secretariat, emphasized the need to deploy the same tools in combatting wildlife crime that are being used for other organized crime. He introduced focal areas that the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime is assisting governments with, including: strengthening cooperation; analyzing national response in terms of legislation, enforcement and judicial response; building national capacity; spreading awareness and garnering political support; and the innovative use of forensic tools. While praising Kenya's new wildlife law, which includes penalties of life imprisonment, Robert Muasya, KWS, also advocated the use of other methods for the protection for wildlife, such as micro-chipping of rhinos, translocation of animals to safer areas and use of collars on cat species. Participants discussed demand reduction strategies; drivers of illegal wildlife trade, the role of trans-frontier conservation; and traceability of trafficked items from point of origin. Many participants agreed that efforts must be made to address demand. On the role of CITES, Rensburg indicated that any trade should be legal, traceable and sustainable, with individual countries taking responsibility. More information: http://www.populationmedia.org http://www.kws.org   Contact: Anne Dillon, Population Media Center dillon@populationmedia.org  Solomon Kyalo, KWS Corporate Communications Manager skyalo@kws.go.ke   Detoxifying Development: how strengthened sound management of chemicals and waste contributes to sustainable development Presented by the Government of Uruguay, UNEP Chemicals Branch, SAICM Secretariat, FAO and the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions   Fatoumata Keita-Ouane, Head, UNEP Chemicals Branch, co-moderated the session. She called for a proactive approach to chemicals management, stating that while chemicals have many development benefits, they also have negative impacts.  Co-moderator Kerstin Stendahl, Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, stressed political commitment at national levels, with facilitation and implementation also at regional and international levels.  Francisco Beltrame, Minister of the Environment, Uruguay, said that sound chemicals management is not just about protecting the environment, but also supports economic growth and protects people's health. He offered examples from Uruguay on chemicals management, including: a mercury waste management project; a new recycling and sorting plant run by the private sector; and a shift towards cleaner technologies.  Laurentia Laraba Mallam, Minister of the Environment, Nigeria, emphasized national commitment in Nigeria on chemicals management, including: trainings on importing electronic waste; inspection of container ships to reduce illegal electronic waste transfer; information for farmers about pesticide use; and compliance with international chemicals conventions. Tatsushi Terada, Ambassador of Japan to Kenya, described Japan's mercury pollution measures, including policies on mercury reduction, cleaner technologies and a focus on health impacts. He referred to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, while emphasizing cooperation with other chemicals conventions. Franz Perrez, Ambassador, Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland, stated that specific targets on chemicals could link to several SDGs, such as those on poverty alleviation, health and welfare, energy, food production, cities and sustainable economic growth. Walker Smith, Director, Office of Global Affairs and Policy, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), proposed voluntary agreements on chemical management,referring to the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead in Paints. Calling lead a powerful neurotoxin which leads to irreversible health effects including the loss of IQ points, she said that if lead paint is not addressed we are "ruining children's potential." Herve Guilcher, Director, Social and Environmental Responsibility, Hewlett-Packard (HP), described the E-Waste Africa Alliance between HP, Philips, Nokia and Dell. He stated that while electronic equipment contains many chemicals, if handled appropriately e-waste offers resource potential. He called on companies to work with the international chemicals conventions, noting that the Basel Convention provides useful tools, and referring to electronic recycling projects in Kenya and Nigeria. During discussion, participants addressed issues including: the use of chemicals in the production of renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies; the impact of chemicals on children's development; working across ministries and agencies; and the added value of having chemicals-focused targets embedded in the SDGs. Daniel Gustafson, Deputy Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) closed the session in a video message, referring to the value of agrochemicals in alleviating hunger, while acknowledging the associated risks. He called for education of farmers on the safe use of agrochemicals, and for interagency cooperation on chemicals management. More information: http://www.basel.int http://www.pic.int http://www.pops.int http://synergies.pops.int Contact: Tatiana Terekhova, UNEP tatiana.terekhova@unep.org    UNEP Live: How will UNEP Live facilitate your work? Presented by UNEP   Jacqueline McGlade, UNEP Chief Scientist, introduced the UNEP Live system and displayed its features. She welcomed the work of countries that have set up their own open data portals, noting that the UNEP Live platform can also work with those who do not have such a facility. She said that countries' open data policies enable citizens to find data, and also improve governance by making information available across departments and sectors.  McGlade highlighted that countries have discretion over what data they will provide and how the information will be displayed, giving examples from Kenya, Republic of Korea, Romania, Georgia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Thailand, Morocco and the US. She showed how the UNEP Live platform can accommodate different types of information, giving an example from the Arctic region, where indigenous peoples have formal status, and their traditional knowledge has been captured on film. In another example, she displayed real-time data showing the extent of the summer sea ice in the Arctic. McGlade expressed hope that the platform will make it possible for people doing rapid assessments to go to the original data source. She envisaged the production of dynamic reports in which maps and other information will be continually updated.  She noted a feeling among countries that it is too early to harmonize data, and assured participants that "as long as the science is good," data can be displayed in different ways. She described how countries have chosen different color ranges to display comparative air quality in their online maps, for example, going from green to black in China, and from blue to brown in Thailand. Participants expressed enthusiasm for the UNEP Live platform. They raised questions about the UN's policy on open data, and whether harmonization can occur at an earlier stage. A delegate from Iran suggested that UNEP could provide more guidance on what kind of knowledge is considered fit for use in assessments.  McGlade noted that the availability of smartphone technology has reduced the costs of monitoring. She highlighted opportunities to collect indicators and data to support monitoring of the forthcoming SDGs.  She explained to participants that the UN has targeted open data as a means of bringing together the whole of the UN, and that everyone will need more skills to deal with the torrent of big data currently being generated, for example, from remote sensing. She highlighted that 56 countries today have open data, and that UNEP is encouraging this trend, which the Aarhus Convention supports. A delegate from the European Environmental Agency (EEA) asked how UNEP will deal with the tension between officially recognized data, and data from unofficial sources. McGlade responded that UNEP will discuss a standards process and produce a manual to help countries, noting an opportunity for the secretariats of multilateral environmental agreements to undertake their own quality assurance process by comparing country data, which may vary, across the different conventions.  Summing up the discussion, McGlade emphasized that UNEP encourages open access in scientific publishing, and that the ability to make knowledge available in a transparent way will enable progress on many environmental issues. More information: http://www.uneplive.org Contact: Neeyati Patel, UNEP neeyati.patel@unep.org    The Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the side (ENBOTS) © <enb@iisd.org> is a special publication of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). This issue has been written by Resson Kantai, Jennifer Lenhart, and Delia Paul. The Digital Editor is Francis Dejon. The Editor is Liz Willetts <liz@iisd.org>. The Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston James "Kimo" Goree VI <kimo@iisd.org>. Funding for coverage of selected side events at UNEA-1 has been provided by UNEP. The opinions expressed in ENBOTS are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD and funders. Excerpts from ENBOTS may be used in non-commercial publications only with appropriate academic citation. For permission to use this material in commercial publications, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services at <kimo@iisd.org>. Electronic versions of issues of ENBOTS from UNEA-1 can be found on the Linkages website at <http://www.iisd.ca/unep/unea/unea1/enbots/>. The ENBOTS team at UNEA-1 can be contacted by e-mail at <delia@iisd.org>.

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Fwd: Post-2015 Development Agenda Bulletin - Vol. 208 No. 13 - From MDGs to SDGs: How Can Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships Contribute to Financing the Post-2015 Development Agenda - Briefing Note

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Date: 25 June 2014 03:52
Subject: Post-2015 Development Agenda Bulletin - Vol. 208 No. 13 - From MDGs to SDGs: How Can Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships Contribute to Financing the Post-2015 Development Agenda - Briefing Note
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Post-2015 Development Agenda Bulletin · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) PDF format Back to IISD coverage Volume 208 Number 13 - Wednesday, 25 June 2014 FROM MDGS TO SDGS: HOW CAN MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS CONTRIBUTE TO FINANCING THE POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA 23 JUNE 2014 The side-event "From MDGs to SDGs: How Can Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships Contribute to Financing the Post-2015 Development Agenda" took place on 23 June 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland. Organized by the Government of Switzerland, with support of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the side event took place on the margins of the 2014 Annual Session of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 23-27 June 2014. The side event was organized in the format of a dinner reception and included an opening panel and eight informal roundtable discussions. Approximately 80 participants attended the event, including representatives from UN agencies in Geneva, the Global Fund, World Economic Forum, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), Sustainable Finance Geneva, the South Centre, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, private sector, civil society, and academia. REPORT OF THE MEETING OPENING STATEMENTS The event opened on Monday, 23 June. Sally Fegan-Wyles, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Acting Executive Director of the UN Institute for Training and Research, opened the reception, welcoming participants and thanking the Government of Switzerland for organizing the event. She noted that foreign direct investment (FDI) is today six times more than official development assistance (ODA), and highlighted the need for better thinking on how to effectively channel these resources. Peter Thomson, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the UN and President of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS Executive Board, introduced the evening discussion. He underlined that the overarching goal of the event is to stimulate discussion on partnerships for financing the post-2015 development agenda, which ultimately needs to combat extreme poverty. He encouraged participants to think about innovative means to finance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, highlighted the importance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) experience, saying that only a clear and focused agenda can bring effective results. She underscored that the SDGs should be easy to communicate, time-bound and limited in number. Clark asserted that multi-stakeholder partnerships will be fundamental for the implementation of the SDGs and affirmed that public finances can be a catalyst for innovative funding sources for the post-2015 development agenda. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA Executive Director, highlighted the challenge of changing mindsets regarding the need for a new development paradigm. He further stressed that, given the new geo-economics reality that differs significantly from that during the MDGs phase, it would be a mistake to look only to the current multilateral scene to foster partnerships. Osotimehin noted that ODA remains very important for several least-developed countries (LDCs), but that it is largely insufficient for an ambitious development agenda. He underscored the role of taxation, transparency of public finance and South-South cooperation in enhancing funds for the post-2015 agenda. Vitaly Vanshelboim, Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, UNOPS, highlighted the expertise of UNOPS in dealing with multiple stakeholders, particularly multinational companies and wealthy individuals. He gave the example of social bond schemes, in which private investors contribute finance to projects dealing with social issues and are paid if the projects succeed, stating that pilot projects are currently being developed in collaboration with Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Martin Dahinden, Director-General, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, said the real challenge of the post-2015 development agenda is to hold stakeholders accountable, and reaffirmed the importance of more effective ways of engaging the private sector in the SDGs process. He underscored the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial culture in developing countries and ensuring that business practices are in line with social and environmental goals. Dahinden concluded noting the need to move beyond "traditional ODA" towards a global partnership encompassing the expertise, potential, comparative advantage and complementarity of all. ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS Following the opening statements, Fegan-Wyles invited participants, distributed across eight roundtables, to continue discussions informally during the dinner, with the assistance of facilitators representing different partners of the International Geneva, namely: Lea Stadler, University of Geneva; Petra Demarin, World Economic Forum; Sofie Flensborg, ICTSD; David Vivas, UN Conference on Trade and Development; Ximena Escobar de Nogales, Bamboo Finance; Rabab Fayad, World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Manuel Montes, the South Centre; and Robert Shelburne, UN Economic Commission for Europe. The informal roundtable discussions were guided by specific themes, including: the forms of partnerships with the private sector that should be considered to finance the post-2015 agenda; how the potential of trade can be better leveraged to finance sustainable development and what partnerships are required to help deliver this potential, especially in LDCs; the new important innovations in financing for sustainable development and how they can be public or private initiatives, or a mix of both; and how such initiatives can be brought to scale in the post-2015 era; how sustainable development financing can effectively target the post-2015 agenda and what forms of partnerships are required for this, given the requirement to balance the financing needs of the poorest countries with the continued financing needs of middle-income countries; and the lessons learned about financing for development from the MDGs experience that would be useful for the post-2015 agenda. Following the discussions in the different roundtables, the roundtable facilitators provided short summaries and reported the main points made during the discussions, including: the need for the UN to improve communication and speak the "language of business"; the need to identify the main gaps in current development financing schemes and develop a portfolio of different partnerships, such as volunteering approaches, pro-poor public-private partnerships and sustainable value-chain approaches; the need to build trust among institutions; the importance of ensuring that investments remain founded on human rights and development procedures; the crucial role of public actors, including UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS, in ensuring an enabling environment for new investments in the post-2015 era, such as by providing technical assistance to local governments; the ability of trade to support the SDGs and the need to scale up initiatives, such as Aid for Trade, that can ensure additional and predictable finance to improve developing country capacity for investments in trade-related areas that are supported by ODA; the relevance of trade to several elements of the post-2015 agenda, notably climate change, sustainable energy and food security; the role of the private sector in contributing to the assessment of the true value of natural capital; the need to encourage South-South trade platforms; the need to phase out perverse incentives, notably in the agriculture sector, and to conclude the Doha Development Round; in the context of multi-stakeholder partnerships, the importance of improving the governance of funds in order to ensure effective distribution of resources; the possibility of creating a global lottery in support of the SDGs, to raise awareness and generate new funds for the post-2015 development agenda; the importance of assessing the true costs of natural capital when fostering economic growth, and the need to change development paradigms based on the lessons of the MDGs; the need to improve FDI rates in developing countries; the urgent need for new investments in governance in order to improve the reliability of domestic sectors; the importance of ending a North-South perspective; the need to enhance trust between foreign investors and local governments; the fact that MDG 8 on promoting a Global Partnership was "too general"; the role specific partnerships goals could play in ensuring finance for each SDG; the relevance of middle-income countries in combating poverty; the need to encourage private sector development and its engagement in the post-2015 agenda; the need to adapt UN rules and regulations to enable UN organizations to further collaborate with the private sector; and the need to remember, during discussions on raising new financing, that net capital flows in developing countries are still negative. CLOSING SESSION Fegan-Wyle thanked the rapporteurs for efficiently convening the key points of the informal discussion. Thompson expressed satisfaction with the suggestion that more transparency in financing mechanisms is required and restated that the overarching goal of events like this is to end extreme poverty. He concluded saying that the UN is not the only tool for innovative financing. The event concluded at 10:10 pm. The Post-2015 Development Agenda Bulletin is a publication of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) <info@iisd.ca>, publishers of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin © <enb@iisd.org>. This issue was written and edited by Nicole de Paula Domingos. The Editor is Tomilola Akanle Eni-ibukun, Ph.D. <tomilola@iisd.org>. The Director of IISD Reporting Services is Langston James "Kimo" Goree VI <kimo@iisd.org>. Funding for coverage of this meeting has been provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). IISD can be contacted at 161 Portage Avenue East, 6th Floor, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0Y4, Canada; tel: +1-204-958-7700; fax: +1-204-958-7710. The opinions expressed in the Bulletin are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of IISD. Excerpts from the Bulletin may be used in other publications with appropriate academic citation. Electronic versions of the Bulletin are sent to e-mail distribution lists (in HTML and PDF format) and can be found on the Linkages WWW-server at <http://www.iisd.ca/>. For information on the Bulletin, including requests to provide reporting services, contact the Director of IISD Reporting Services at <kimo@iisd.org>, +1-646-536-7556 or 300 East 56th St., 11D, New York, New York 10022, USA.

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