National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Technical and scientific cooperation through the Clearing House Mechanism of the Convention on biological diversity

by: Han de Koeijer and Arnaud Réveillon; Belgium national focal point to the CBD and the CHM,

Royal Belgian Institut for Natural Sciences, 29 Rue Vautier, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Content of the presentation

• Introduction to the Clearing House Mechanism

• Cooperation and the CHM

• Exhange of information and the national CHM

• Promote information networks

• Cooperation between countries

• The CHM web site

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Introduction to the Clearing House Mechanism (CHM)

Tool to promote technical and scientific cooperation under the CBD

Objectifs:

• promote and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation (Article 18.3 of the CBD)• Global mechanism for the exchange of information and « best practices » (Article 17)• Develop and promote a human and technological network

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Technical and scientific cooperation under the CBD

• Who is your public?

• How can y stimulate cooperation between them ?

• What type of information do they need to choose their collaborators ?

• What type of information do you want to make public ?

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Echange of information to promote cooperation and public awareness on national level

• Information is available, but the access is not always possible or easy :

laws, research, “best practices”, trans-boundary, funding opportunities, who does what

• Identify information gaps

• Validate the information

• Decentralised versus centralised

• Intelectual property rights

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Exchange of information to promote cooperation and public awareness on national level

• Improve public awareness on the Convention Country studies, redlists, relation between the conventions target audiences: policy decision makers, youth, teachers, general public. Motivate the public by observation campaigns on biodiversity

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Develop and assist Networks

Development

• Thematic programs under the Convention• NGOs

Assistance

• Exchange and provision of information• “Best practices”• Contacts

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Cooperation between countries

Useful subjects

• “Best practices”

• Laws

• Experts

• Contact informations

• Transboundary Information

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Cooperation between countries

Exchange of Information by:

• Conferences and workshops

• Discussion groups by email/lists servers

• Web sites

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

National CHM web sites

• One of the tools available for the CHM• Information portals:

On the ConventionImplementation on national level of the CBDInformation on biodiversityCooperationOther sources of information on the Internet

• Use available information• Create only new information if not available elsewhere on the Internet

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

National CHM web sites

• Make information available that is difficilt to obtain in and outside the countries

• Most visited pages on the CHMs: National reports Country studies National strategies and action plans on biodiversity Actors Frequently asked questions about Biodiversity

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Inter-operability between CHMs

Why inter-operability?

• Promote cooperation and exchange of information between countries • Facilitate on different CHMs for information and “best practices”

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Inter-operability between CHMs

How to promote interoperability?

• Structure information in the same way

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Practical advice

• Make a survey of excisting/available information• Include actors who work in the field of biodiversity from the start

• Workshop on the use of the CHM for them• Stimulate a culture of information exchange

• Collaborate from the start with national networks linked to the CDB such as: Biosafety CH, Global Invasive Species Programme, Global Biodiversity Information Forum and others

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Practical advise

• Share resources and human capacity

• Use web statistics on most visited pages to improve the information that is most visited

• Raise awareness among decision makers on the role and the functioning of the CHM

National training, 11 January 2008, Lusaka

Thanks for your attention