Communication, Education and Public Awareness for Biodiversity-related and other MEAs

The importance of education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information and international cooperation is fully recognized by the MEAs as an important tool to meeting the objective of the Conventions. Such actions relate in particular to needs identified in Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Article 13 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Article 19 of the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Article IX of Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), Article 4 of Ramsar Convention, etc.

Resting on these mandates many MEAs adopted framework programmes on communication, education and public awareness that contain specific measures and actions recommended for implementation at the national level as well as in cooperation with regional partners and international community. Among them are UNFCCC New Delhi Work Programme on Article 6 for 2002-2007 adopted at COP8 in 2002, UNCBD Global Initiative on Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) adopted at COP8 in 2006, CMS Outreach and Communications Plan for 2006-2011 adopted at COP8 in 2005, Ramsar Programme for Communication, Education and Public Awareness for 2003-2008 adopted at MOP8 in 2002. UNCCD developed a strategy paper “A global awareness programme on desertification for International Year on Deserts and Desertification” published in 2004, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Strategic Vision and Action Plan with elements of public outreach adopted at COP11 in 2000 and extended at COP13.

MEAs Secretariats have been constantly addressing UNEP with requests to provide technical and financial assistance to these programmes. UNEP is responding to these requests with a new project that aims to meet the MEAs concerns and to enhance collaboration and partnership with the Conventions in public outreach.

List of activities

UNEP convened:

• Development of education and training materials on climate change for businessmen and youth under UNFCCC
• Convening training and mentoring workshops to introduce and test information kit for the implementation of national CEPA strategies under UNCBD and Ramsar Convention
• Elaboration of the action kit of materials on International Year of Deserts and Desertification under UNCCD
• Preparation of a guide, containing relevant official information on the Convention and its Agreements under CMS
• Convening information sharing workshops for civil society (NGOs) on the rules, procedures and other practical aspects of CITES
• Development of DEC’s outreach materials on the activities implemented with the MEAs