CEM Terms of Reference 2017-2020 Steering Committee

IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

1

Introduction The Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) is one of the six expert commissions of IUCN. CEM provides expert guidance on integrated approaches to the management of natural and modified ecosystems to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The commission promotes the adoption of and provides guidance for ecosystem-based approaches to the management of landscapes and seascapes and builds resilience of socio-ecological systems to address global challenges. CEM deals with the complexity of ecosystems, their components and interrelations, with different people and cultures making different and often conflicting uses of the ecosystems, and therefore with institutions and regulations dealing with these uses. CEM acknowledges that ecosystems are in a constant state of natural change and are further being pressured due to global anthropogenic climate and environmental changes.

2

CEM Structure The network of the Commission on Ecosystem Management presently includes more than 1,200 volunteer ecosystem management experts from around the globe. The Commission is led by the Commission Chair and governed by the Steering Committee (SC), consisting of the Chair, Deputy Chair and five vice-chairs representing all continents. The working area of the commission is divided into 13 regions in the world, each of which is led by a Regional Chair (RC). Each Steering Committee member has been assigned the responsibility for the RCs in his/her part of the world. In addition, in some countries there are National Focal Points (i.e. France, the Netherlands and Mexico). It is planned to expand the list of National Focal Points in the future. The members of the Commission are asked to join a minimum of two thematic and/or specialist groups within CEM. These groups are divided in specialist groups, based on biome / ecosystem types such as wetlands, mountain and arctic or specific activities. There are also thematic groups, which deal with crosscutting themes such as Ecosystem based Approaches to adaptation and mitigation, Nature-based Solutions, Ecosystem Governance and Ecosystem based-Disaster Risk Reduction. These groups are led by Thematic Group Leaders (TGLs) or Specialist Group Leaders (SGLs). The commission also has Task Forces, of which some are joined with other commissions. A Task Force is different from a thematic group in that it is given a specific assignment, usually within a set time period. Task Forces are led by Task Force Leaders (TFLs). All members of the Steering Committee have also been assigned multiple Thematic and Specialist Groups that they are responsible for.

3

Commission Regions CEM works with 13 regions, for each of which a Regional Chair is appointed. The regions are displayed in Figure 1.

Figure 1. The 13 CEM regions Afr ica West & Central Africa, Northern Africa, Southern & East-Africa

America North-America & English and non-Spanish speaking Caribbean, Meso-America

(including Spanish speaking Caribbean), and South-America

Asia North-East Asia, South Asia, South-East Asia, and West-Asia

Europe Eastern Europe & Central Asia, and Western Europe

Oceania Oceania

4

Steering Committee Composition The Chair, who is elected by IUCN Members at Congress, leads the Commission. The Chair is supported by a Deputy Chair and Steering Committee, appointed by the Council on recommendation of the Chair. SC members represent their own continent and they collaborate closely with their respective Regional Chair(s). All SC members carry specific as well as collective responsibilities for the implementation of the CEMs mandate as approved by the World Conservation Congress. All members serve in their personal, not institutional, capacities. Fulfilling the role of Chair, Deputy or Vice Chair in the CEM SC is restricted to two terms of four years in the same role. Functions and responsibilities a). Role of Responsibilities of the Commission Chair The Chair carries all the authority in/of the Commission and is entitled to act in the name of the Commission. He/she is responsible for reporting to Council on Commission outputs, outcomes, impact and resources raised against the Commission’s work plan, and ensuring proper authorization of expenditure for Commission activities and operations and that there is proper accounting of all Commission funds. The Chair leads the SC and may delegate specified responsibilities to a SC or a Deputy Chair or other members of the Commission. Such delegation should be explicitly and clearly stated in writing. b). Role and Responsibilities of the Steering Committee The Steering Committee provides leadership and guides the development and implementation of CEM’s work. The Steering Committee also works to facilitate the establishment of CEM’s thematic groups, identify and initiate fundraising opportunities, strengthen partnerships and promote membership. The CEM SC is responsible for advising and assisting the Chair on the overall prioritization and programme oversight within CEM to deliver on its long-term vision, goal and objectives. The CEM SC works to support and facilitate the activities of the Commission, providing overall guidance and advice on strategic direction as well as monitoring and evaluation of performance, in accordance with the Mandate of CEM. The responsibilities of the SC are outlined in more detail below: Strategy

• Defining, adapting and managing CEM’s long term vision and associated work plan; o Review the IUCN programme (2017-2020) and identify roles and

opportunities for CEM within that programme;

5

o Review the CEM-GEMP work plan and the programmatic contributions of the volunteer network to ensure that the priorities identified for CEM are implemented;

o Develop and adapt the long-term vision and direction of the commission to emerging threats and new insights;

o Establish priorities and key issues for CEM to address in the current intersessional period;

o Provide a forum to discuss specific ecosystem issues of regional and global concern and explore CEM’s role in devising possible solutions; and

o Identify potential new/novel areas for CEM to engage with/explore in the future.

Deliverable: The SC delivers a document outlining the long-term vision and intersessional priorities for CEM, and a CEM work plan for the 4 year period.

• Promoting and strengthening CEM within and beyond the IUCN; o Promote the vision, objectives, roles and responsibilities of the CEM network

as outlined in the CEM work plan; o Further the mission of the Union and of CEM by seeking new and relevant

partnerships (and strengthen existing ones) and collaborative projects within the Commission itself, with other IUCN Commissions and bodies including Regional and Country Offices and thematic programmes, as well as outside partners. This includes facilitating the engagement of the CEM and its members in the implementation of projects where the expertise and products of the CEM network will be productively employed;

o Provide comments/proposals related to international policy negotiations in which IUCN is participating such as the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations Convention on Combating Desertification (UNCCD) the Sendai Framework on DRR, and other relevant conventions and platforms such as IPBES or UNESCO for the work of the commission, as well as in relation to the SDG, in a timely manner;

o Actively represent CEM at other relevant global and regional events, committees and agencies and, in particular, promote the value of the CEM to conservation and natural resource management.

Deliverable: Demonstrated outputs, outcomes, impact and resources raised against the Commission’s work plan approved by Council at the beginning of each term by SC members in CEM’s yearly report to Council and each session of the World Congress.

6

Operations • Management of Thematic and Specialist Groups and Task Forces:

o Make recommendations to the Chair of the Commission on: proposed new and existing Thematic and Specialist Groups and Task Forces, including on the relevance of their specialty area, their constitution, the possible dissolution of any group and/or on the appointment or removal of their Chairs;

o Encourage and facilitate the appointment of a young professional as a Co-Lead for TGLs and SGLs under SC member supervision;

o Review the status, scope and performance of the Thematic and Specialist Groups and Task Force leads under the SC member supervision, in delivering on their work plan;

§ Initiate and co-develop work plan with the TGL / SGL / TFL for groups under SC member supervision;

§ Provide guidance on the implementation of the work plan; § Monitor progress and request regular reports (at least twice a year); § Ensure group leads are communicating with their members and make

active use of the Union portal for sharing activity reports and other files;

§ Ensure all leads under SC member supervision develop texts for their group webpage and keep them up-to-date;

§ Advise the Chair on necessary corrective actions for TGLs, SGLs or TFLs when relevant;

o Report to the SC on all group progress and activities, by means of a summary report from all groups with suggested action/follow up.

Deliverable: CEM has a variety of active thematic and specialist groups and task forces, demonstrated by group/task force activity reports, presented in summary to every SC meeting. In addition, every group has a work plan that is relevant to CEM’s mission and implemented as planned.

• Management of Regional Chairs

o Encourage and facilitate the appointment of a young professional as a Co-Lead for Regional Chairs under SC member supervision;

o Review the status, scope and performance of the work of Regional Chairs under the SC member supervision;

§ Initiate and co-develop the Regional Work plan with the RC for regions under SC member supervision;

§ Provide guidance on the implementation of the Regional Work plan; § Monitor progress and request regular reports (at least twice a year);

7

§ Ensure RCs are communicating with their members and make active use of the portal for sharing activity reports and other files;

§ Advise the Chair on taking necessary corrective actions for activating/supporting Regional Chairs;

o Facilitate and promote collaboration of RCs with IUCN Regional Offices and their programs if and when relevant;

o Report to SC on regional progress and activities, by means of a summary report with suggested action / follow-up.

Deliverable: CEM has a group of active Regional Chairs, demonstrated by regional activity reports, presented in summary to every SC meeting. RC and respective SC have a co-developed Regional Work plan that is relevant to CEM’s mission and implemented as planned with relevant partners.

• Management of CEM membership

o SC members are responsible for reviewing membership applications sent to them within three weeks of receiving them. Members can be nominated by all CEM officers (TGLs, SGLs, TFLs or RCs);

o Upon approval of a new member, the SC member must inform the RC of the region and the membership officer where the new member is from for registration in the database.

Deliverable: Membership applications are processed quickly and Regional Chairs are constantly informed of new members in their region.

• Fundraising and f inancial management o Assist and promote fundraising in support of the work of the CEM and its

network of experts; o Provide insight in the amounts of funds raised by and/or for the Thematic

and Specialist Groups and Task Forces under the SC member supervision and held/managed by the Secretariat or by one of the institutions which hosts a CEM member leading the work;

o Provide a financial report on any CEM Commission Operating Funds used for activities / projects and the outcomes thereof.

Deliverable: Demonstrated efforts to secure funding outside of the CEM Commission Operating Fund for Commission, Thematic and Specialist Groups and Task Force activities where relevant. The Commission Operating Fund is used in a transparent and accountable way.

• Fulfil other functions as emerging needs are identified.

8

Representation & Decision making processes • SC members commit to fulfilling the four-year term they have been elected for. • The Chair may, at any time, assign specific tasks and responsibilities to individual

members of the CEM SC or delegate authority on specific issues. • On all important issues affecting CEM every effort will be made to reach consensus

within the SC. Should such a consensus not be possible, then the decision is left to the Chair, who will decide, taking the views expressed by the SC into account.

• On IUCN Council, the Deputy Chair shall be entitled to vote in the place of the Chair when the Chair is absent.

• The CEM SC shall aim to meet twice a year, subject to the availability of resources. SC members are expected to attend all CEM SC meetings.

9

Secretariat The IUCN Secretariat is based in many regional offices around the world, with IUCN Headquarters based at Gland, Switzerland. The Global Ecosystem Management Programme (GEMP) is the institutional counterpart of CEM, and also provides supporting services for CEM. The Director of GEMP is the IUCN Secretariat focal point for CEM. The Global Ecosystem Management Programme works on the following five key programmatic areas for IUCN: Global Drylands Initiative, Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EBA), Red List of Ecosystems (RLE), Global Islands Partnership, and Ecosystem based Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). The Global Ecosystem Management Programme works in close collaboration with CEM to realize the Commission’s objectives in enhancing the implementation of the Ecosystem Approach. CEM members also contribute technical information to the Ecosystem Management Series: for example compilations of case studies and lessons learnt in implementing the Ecosystem Approach. Other thematic areas of the Nature Based Solutions programme, such as the Global Forest and Climate Change, Water, and Business and Biodiversity Programmes are also supporting the implementation of CEM proposed actions. Contact information Important points of contact during your term within CEM SC:

• For membership related questions: Michelle Kimeu (michelle.kimeu@iucn.org) • For the newsletter, website, facebook related and other questions: Fabiola Monty

(Fabiola.Monty@iucn.org) • For questions to the Chair: Angela Andrade (Angela.Andrade@iucn.org), assistant

Manuela Ruiz (cem.iucn.1720@gmail.com) • CEM contact page • IUCN Programmes:

o Global Ecosystem Management Programme o Global Forest and Climate Change Programme o Water Programme o Business and Biodiversity Programme