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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
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Scientific and Technical Meeting on Strengthening the Scientific Base of
UNEP: A Brief Summary Report
Thomas Rosswall
International Council for Science (ICSU)
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
The Context
• Important UNEP initiative
• Science is essential to identify environmental problems and develop solutions
• Policy development should be based on best available knowledge
• Scientific research – monitoring – assessment - policy
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
Central Issues
• Input necessary from natural, social, engineering and health sciences
• Partnerships are essential: - With the international science community (e.g ICSU and TWAS) - With other components of the UN system (e.g., UNESSCCO) - With ongoing and planned assessments - With Multilateral Environmental Agreements
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
The Survey
• Provides an excellent point of departure
• Results are important both for the scientific and policy communities
• Question 3 identifies needs and gaps to be linked with the 5 clusters of Box 1
• Rich discussion in the Scientific and Technical Meeting
• Broad participation in the consultation
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
Recommendations
Rich input to UNEP Secretariat but this report focuses on two issues
• Interlinkages of drivers of change and sectors
• Strengthening the scientific credibility of the GEO process
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
Interlinkages
A targeted report linked to the GEO process
• Mainstreaming environment into the development agenda – MDG and JPI
• Provide an overview of the assessment “landscape”
• Meet objectives of MEAs (partnerships)
• Build on assessment interlinkages reports (e.g., IPCC, CBD, MA, GEF-STAP)
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
Interlinkages (cont.)
• Address spatial (global, regional, national) and temporal scales
• Include capacity building as an essential component
• Adaptive management and social learning
• UNEP ED to set up an advisory committee to focus on scope, key questions (based on questionnaire), authors and time table
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
Interlinkages (cont.)
• Ensure linkages to the GEO process and products
• Build on the needs and gaps identified in the questionnaire survey
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
Science and GEO
It is essential to strengthen the scientific credibility of GEO
• Strengthen linkages with other assessments and the international scientific community (e.g., ICSU and its SCOPE)
• Ensure that a sufficient number of collaborative centres with high scientific credibility are involved
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
Science and GEO (cont.)
• Address multiple scales
• Improve the review process
• For capacity building, collaborate with the various institutions involved and link to, e.g., UN Decade on education for sustainable development
• As one example, for GEO4, look specifically climate change and biodiversity interlinkages
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Intergovernmental Consultation on Strengthening the Scientific Base of the United Nations Environment Programme
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://science.unep.org
To strengthen the scientific base of UNEP is essential, but this consultation was just a
first step in a necessary process.
Much more is needed!
Science must become more policy relevant and the scientific community is ready to
contribute.