Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Many Small Voices - Building Strategies for Climate Change Awareness and Adaptation among Vulnerable Regions: The Arctic and Small Island Developing States  (MSV)

Outline
The Arctic and Small Island developing States (SIDS) have been identified as vulnerable regions with similar natural and human environments where impacts of climate change are already being felt. Several initiatives have been developed, including the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP http://www.sprep.org/members/map.htm) in the SIDS region, and the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment in the Arctic. Numerous research studies are either in progress or have been completed. Indigenous Peoples in both regions have been involved in much of this work. However, a lot of the effort to develop new mitigation and adaptation strategies is regional and has had limited success in reaching a broader audience. An important opportunity exists to link these areas under the broader umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Article 6, which focuses on education, training and public awareness. As part of the implementation of Article 6, the project proposes to highlight more solution-oriented scenarios to facilitate policymaking and awareness-raising. The project will integrate a global marine climate and harvest component in GLOBIO (http://www.globio.info/) which will also enable UNEP for the first time to perform scenarios including interactions between the coastal, marine and the terrestrial environment. The project will thus provide a unique opportunity for generating new understanding and concern about the impacts of climate change globally, while at the same time contributing to greater collaboration, awareness and focus on the demand for adaptation strategies among the stakeholders in the regions. This could be particularly useful for promoting understanding of the role of the environment in development issues. All of this work will be linked under the umbrella of Article 6. Project development is at an early stage and in the next few months GRID-Arendal and its partners will: 1. Continue discussions and consultations around building a project team and identify participants in the Arctic, the Small Developing Island States and elsewhere, including funding partners. 2. Make presentations linking the effects of climate change and the need for adaptation at the UNFCCC COP XI meetings in Montreal in November-December 2005. The focus will be on Article 6 of the framework convention. 3. Hold a Project Planning Workshop in early 2006 to bring together partners from the SIDS, Arctic and elsewhere to develop a full project proposal, identify sources of funding, etc. GRID-Arendal anticipates that the larger project proposal developed at the workshop will help provide new and stronger solution-oriented scenarios for the role of climate change and other pressures for sustainable development in the SIDS and the Arctic. It will furthermore help identify a range of potential mitigation and adaptation measures and options that are available to these vulnerable societies and environments. Through the development of new partnerships, it will assist in the implementation of UNFCCC Article 6.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project is tied to the theme of advancing “understanding of polar - global interactions” because it focuses on shared situations and needs and develops linkages between North and South. Joint efforts to communicate and develop adaptation strategies (which will vary by region) will result from an understanding of cultural, historical, and social processes in these regions.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
There has already been considerable discussion with the governments of Sweden, Norway and Mauritius, as well as support from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and other bodies.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - Letters of support have been received from Jagdish Koonjul, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the United Nations and Chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. Discussions have been held with the SEI in Sweden and CICERO in Norway.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be lead by UNEP/GRID-Arendal and SPREP. It will begin with events at the COP XI meetings and an organizing workshop will be held where a project team will be identified. This project will be designed “from the ground up” – needs will be identified by the partners, especially those from the Arctic and the SIDS.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The focus of this project will be on the implementation of UNFCCC Article 6, which focuses on education, training and public awareness.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
It is not expected that new data sets will be generated through this IPY activity.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Project to be funded through a combination of government, foundation and private sources. A fundraising strategy will be developed as part of the final project proposal.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
In August 2005, Premier Hans Enoksen of Greenland urged environment ministers from 25 countries meeting in Ilulissat in his country to “bring vulnerable regions of the globe together so that we may learn form each other and work with each other internationally.” Premier Enoksen went on to say that “the Arctic, the Small Island Developing States, low lying states, and sub Saraha states in Africa need to help each other.” Sheila Watt-Cloutier, International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, has made similar statements. GRID-Arendal is working closing with ICC and representatives of the SIDS to develop this project. Among the organizations to be approached about participating in this project are the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North and the Saami Council.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Mr John Crump
Polar Issues Co-ordinator
UNEP GRID-Arendal
Suite 1710, 360 Albert Street Ottawa, Ontario
K1R 7X7
Canada

Tel: +1 613 996 3291
Mobile: +1 613 255 3840
Fax: +1 613 943 8607
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation