STRENGTHENING the AFRICA ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION NETWORK An AMCEN initiative A framework to support development planning processes and increase access to environmental information in Africa Frank Turyatunga UNEP/DEWA Africa Coordinator

Presentation outline  Roles and responsibilities  Questions for discussion  The Africa Environment Information Network  Key objectives of strengthening the network  Driving needs and justification for the process  Expected Outputs  Implementation framework

Africa Environment Information Network  Launched in 2003 and mandated by AMCEN to support the Africa Environment Outlook process  An integrated information network to support sustainable development in Africa  Actively piloted in 13 African countries ( )  During the intervening period countries were left to undertake activities deemed important to them  Aim to revive, strengthen and support the network

Key objectives  Generate products and provide services to ease availability of information critical for achieving sustainable development at national level.  Strengthen capacity for managing and using environmental and relevant socio-economic information at the national and regional levels  Facilitate access to environmental data and information to improve knowledge and public participation in decision-making;  Assist in implementation of the objectives of the environmental components of national development programmes and AMCEN decisions;

Needs & justification Need to strengthen institutional capacities Lack of harmonised efforts for environmental assessment & reporting Limited knowledge on state of the environment due to lack of information. Need to integrate environment information into decision making and sustainable development processes

Needs cont.  Need to establish effective linkages to ongoing and emerging initiatives  Need to establish a forum for information exchange on good practices  Need for a platform for S-S, N-S, and S-N (triangular) cooperation

Expected Outputs  Networking framework and infrastructure  Training and skills development  Capacity building  Information products and services, e.g.:  SoE, AEO and GEO  Policy briefs/National profiles  Thematic extracts/Reports with underlying themes  National Environment Summaries  Reports on Environment and National Visions/Dev. Plans  Data sets, indicators and databases, Data Reports/Compendia  Executive seminars/Presentation materials  Reporting to international conventions and processes (including MEAs)

Implementation Five programme components Five programme components  Country-specific implementation strategies  Development of common approaches (standards, etc.)  Data and indicator development  Capacity building for assessments and reporting  Strengthening network and communication infrastructure 3-phase implementation strategy 3-phase implementation strategy  Phase 1: Analytical tool and network development  Phase 2: Operational – Institutional Capacity Building  Phase 3: Operational – Meeting national and regional priorities

Framework and Organisation  Partnership with on-going initiatives  Participatory and collaborative partnership  National-level implementation  Ownership of process  Articulation and implementation of national priority needs  National focal points (institutions and professionals)  Direct communication to countries and not through CCs  Coordination and Management  Regional steering committee  Overall Facilitation and donor coordination by UNEP  Topic Centres to support thematic areas

Africa EIN – building on on-going work Examples of on-going and proposed initiatives  SoEs  AEO  GEO  UNEP-Live  AEO-Live  NEPAD – Environmental Component  AMCEN Flagship Programmes  Global Network of Networks (GNON)

Africa EIN - Network Structure Indian Ocean Region Southern Africa Northern Africa Western Africa Africa EIN Secretariat Africa EIN Steering Committee REC NEIN Network Partners African Topic Centres NEIN Central Africa Eastern Africa

THEMATIC ASSESSMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ANALYSES INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM COMMON APPROACHES AND SERVICES STANDARDS AND PROTOCOLS DATA AND INDICATORS (STATISTICS, REPORTS, MAPS, IMAGES) METADATA INTEGRATED ASSESSMENTS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES DATA AND INFORMATIONEXCHANGE PLATFORM ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS, EARLY WARNING AND REPORTING PLATFORM SPATIAL DATA SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA ENVIRONMENTAL DATA AFRICAN TOPIC CENTRES THEMATIC SUPPORT EMERGING ISSUES CAPACITY BUILDING NATIONAL DATA CENTRES SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICIES AND INITIATIVES TECHNICAL SERVICES

Indian Ocean Region Southern Africa Eastern Africa Northern Africa Western Africa Central Africa Africa EIN Steering Committee Community of Stakeholders Technical Committee Specialised Technical Services Working Groups Sector Databases National Networks National Steering Committee National Focal Points Relationships Services Coordination mechanism Communication National Networks SECRETARIAT AFRICAN TOPIC CENTRES

Functions of the secretariat  Day-to-day management of Africa EIN  Regular communication with NFPs, ATCs and Steering/Scientific Committees  Support update and maintenance of network webpage and other platforms  Regular evaluation of participating countries in meeting reporting obligations  Convene and facilitate regular meetings of Steering & Scientific Committees and NFPs

Functions of the secretariat  Facilitate and support partnerships  Identify and communicate capacity building/training opportunities  Support N-S, S-S, S-N cooperation  Resource mobilisation (incl. for NEINs)  Facilitate information sharing  Collect and organise response to NEIN needs  Monitor and evaluate progress of network

Role of African Topic Centres  Act as a scientific reference centre for specific thematic areas  Support activities and products of Africa EIN related to their area of expertise  Support countries in the management of environmental information  Convene thematic meetings (as appropriate)  Training and capacity building

Tasks for African Topic Centres  Serve on the Africa EIN Scientific Committee  Support AEO and other products (including peer review); joint programming  Support NFPs in meeting reporting obligations  Link Africa EIN to their own networks  Share their platforms for outreach and dissemination

Responsibilities of NFPs  Coordinate establishment, development and functioning of national EIN (NEIN) Identify institutions to participate in the national NEIN Establish formal agreements with selected institutions, e.g. on data exchange, roles, etc. Coordinate meetings and training activities of NEIN

Responsibilities of NFPs…  Coordinate activities of NEIN related to Africa EIN goals, objectives, products and outputs Overall coordination responsibility for information products under Africa EIN Conduct quality checks of inputs from various institutions of NEIN Share information on new products Encourage use of Africa EIN tools

Responsibilities of NFPs….  Support national EIN Assess and raise needs and concerns of NEIN (to Africa EIN structure) Facilitate access to information Disseminate Africa EIN information products to NEIN Represent NEIN in various meetings and forums

Role of CCs and Partners  Convening technical meetings at sub- regional level  Provide platform for preparation of sub- regional products  Training and capacity building  Dissemination of lessons and best practices  S-S, N-S, and S-N Cooperation  Resource mobilisation

Roles of Reg. Econ. Communities  Political support  Articulation of sub-regional (and regional) needs  Support to technical processes  Science to policy management  Convening meetings  Resource mobilisation  Awareness raising

Discussion questions  Does this new structure address concerns that countries have had regarding the Africa EIN?  What else needs to be done to strengthen the network?  What is the additional contribution that can be brought to the network by national partners?  What will be the indicators of success of the network?

Thank you