Training for MEA Negotiators

Capacity building has been identified as one of the key areas for UNEP in supporting the Parties for the implementation of MEAs. In order to build capacity of countries, in particular, developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to participate effectively in the development and implementation of MEAs, UNEP has convened a series of regional training workshops. The training workshops have been used as opportunities also to disseminate UNEP’s Guidelines on Compliance with and Enforcement of MEAs.

Since 2005, UNEP has undertaken a series of activities to build capacity of MEA negotiators, both governmental officials and NGO representatives. In partnership with the Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development (FIELD), the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP) and the South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP), UNEP developed and tested a primer for national Government negotiators primer during training workshops. Furthermore, in collaboration with Stakeholder Forum, Centro de Estudios Ambientales (Argentina) and Earth Media, UNEP developed a training material entitled, “Negotiating and Implementing MEAs: A ten-module Training Manual for NGOs Working on Multilateral Environmental Agreements”, which was drafted and pilot tested during a workshop for NGOs at the UNEP GC 23 in February 2005 and CSD in April 2005.

UNEP, in collaboration with the Swiss Government, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and University of Geneva, started the Advanced Studies in Environmental Diplomacy Course at the University of Geneva to train future negotiators in Switzerland in July 2006. The Course, with initial emphasis on wider Europe, including countries with economies in transition in the Balkans and the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asian regions, aims to teach the skills necessary to participate in the international negotiations in an environmental field. A similar course is planned to be held in 2007.

List of activities

• South Asia regional training course held in collaboration with SACEP, in Colombo, Sri Lanka (October 2005);
• Pacific regional training course held in partnership with SPREP, UNU and WWF, in Lautoka, Fiji (November 2005);
• National workshops for MEA negotiators in the South Pacific region, held in Majuro, Marshall Islands (April 2006), and in Ponape, Federated States of Micronesia (April 2006);
• National workshop for MEA negotiators in the South Pacific region, held in Fiji (August 2006);
• Regional workshop for MEA negotiators in the South Pacific region, held in Samoa islands (September 2006).
• Regional Course on Environmental Negotiations and Diplomacy initiated in collaboration with UNITAR and University of Geneva (August 2006).