Asia Pacific SD4C Regional Network

Transcription

1 Asia Pacific SD4C Regional Network By 2050, humanity s footprint stays within the Earth s capacity to sustain life and the natural resources of our planet are shared equitably Chalakudy river- habitat of Kadars (IPs) This is an exciting and challenging time for the WWF network. As we grapple more firmly with global issues and drivers like climate change, production and consumption patterns, economic markets and investments, there is also need for our conservation initiatives to adopt a wider perspective and work on innovative frameworks to ensure that we achieve our footprint meta goal to live within the ecological limits of our planet and share resources equitably for the well being of all. These include, among others: green economies, sustainable and customary land use choices, equitable consumption and food security, climate change adaptation and transformation of markets. The scale of interventions have dramatically changed from site projects to landscape and regional and global levels (NIs). Similarly, the scope of interventions has embraced larger and more varied constituencies comprising civil society, private sectors, and governments. In this scenario, and given the level of challenges upon us, we need to ensure that poverty, equity, governance and human rights are appropriately addressed and solutions integrated in our work to sustain real transformational change at all levels. Page 1 of 5

2 1. Social policies and principles to help WWF deliver on its conservation mission The adoption of the revised WWF Statement of Principles on Indigenous Peoples and Conservation (2007), the Conservation and Human Rights Framework of the joint Conservation Initiative on Human Rights (2010); the Lake Naivasha declaration (February 2009) and the endorsement of the Poverty and Conservation Policy (May 2009) are examples of the many and important steps taken by our organization to integrate socio economic, governance and policy aspects to help WWF deliver on its mission to conserve, sustain and share equitably the natural resources of the planet.these so called social policies have been mandated to all offices and programmes and Network Initiatives.They outline WWF s commitment, roles and responsibilities in addressing and tackling poverty, inequity, ineffective governance, and issues related to local resource access and rights in order to effect lasting and equitable conservation outcomes and improve the well being of all. In many of the priority areas where we work, biodiversity hotspots exist alongside high levels of poverty and poor governance. Poor and marginal people are typically the losers in the competition for scarce resources, are most vulnerable to environmental disasters and environmentally related conflicts, and, under some circumstances, are forced into over exploiting the natural environment. Poverty and environmental degradation are moreover increasingly driven by remote factors, including global markets and policies, and inequitable consumption patterns. 2. The Social Development for Conservation Team (SD4C) As the network makes a clear call for intensifying our engagement in social and development dimensions of conservation, new forms of support and coordination blending centre out, bottom up and across regions approaches are needed. The Social Development for Conservation Team (SD4C) is a network of WWF experts mandated by CC to encourage and ensure better understanding of social challenges in conservation, coordinate the drafting of social policies, support consistent mainstreaming of these policies in national, program offices, programmes and Network Initiatives, and help assessment of WWF s impacts in changing socio economic parameters in the places where we work. It consists of a global team and three regional networks (Africa, Asia Pacific, LAC). The fluid and open structure, and its regional reach, are key factors in the SD4C ability to capture and broker thinking, learning, best practices and policy work on social and development issues in WWF offices, foster interactions and exchange within the three regions, and help build the needed capacities. The SD4C global team and regional networks provide a critical network service to create effective and equitable solutions to today s environmental challenges and deliver big conservation wins. It also helps create more balance in the distribution of capacities and functions around the global network. This was effectively achieved thanks also to the commitment of the individual experts and offices involved, knowledge sharing, and high level of debate and exchange. The SD4C team has managed to nurture a strong sense of collectivity and responsibility which enable better support for the network on crucial social and governance issues. Collective ownership and responsibility Flexibility and strategic reach Network of experts (diverse, multi disciplinary, strong field and policy experience) Collective responsiveness Champions in the regions and around the network Working in partnerships with development partners and other organizations at local, national and regional levels. Page 2 of 5

3 3. Stronger regional strategy and networks for more impact and transformational change The network s renewed commitment to transformational change comes with a strong recognition that the network needs to become more inclusive and devolved, and highlight the voice and global responsibility of southern offices in WWF s work. The network needs to invest more in regional policy capacity and the development of an integrated localto global model for policy development and analysis, advocacy and action. This is particularly important in the context of a dynamic and shifting economic scenario with emerging economies, deepening crisis of old economic models and potential new social conflicts. Regional networks in Africa, Asia, and Latin America can play an important role in supporting this new direction, and help WWF become a relevant player and effective partner in defining and influencing regional and global development agendas: Effect strategic decentralization to the regions and strengthening of the southern offices Promote better understanding of development dynamics and issues in emerging economies Leverage more capacity and expertise, being forward looking and inclusive Broker knowledge from the regions to the global network and vice versa Support effective socio economic grounding of NIs, programmes, and the GPF Promote south to south learning, initiatives and partnerships at multiple levels. Regional networks are expected to strengthen and develop to become a: Think tank on social development issues in conservation and strategies for more effective and equitable implementation. Center for capacity building and fostering learning and sharing Clearing house for NOs/POs and NIs to focus on priority aspects of social policies integration, and reduce social transactions costs. The coordination of the SD4C Team to support the provision of a critical network service will be hosted by NOs/POs in a region for a 2 year period on a rotational basis. After 2 years, the coordination function would be rotated again, with priority to another regional hub until each of the 3 regions has served as host. In out years, any WWF office participating in the SD4C global team could host the coordination function, ideally joining in a consortium with offices in the regions. A trans Himalayan village IPs from Highlands of HOB Page 3 of 5

4 4. The Asia Pacific Regional Network: What and how we can support offices, programmes, and Network Initiatives in the region The first Asia Pacific Regional Network meeting was held in Bali (Indonesia) in January The network starts with the solid basis of focal points appointed formally by the Senior Management of participating offices. The network will continue to reach out to more offices and programmes in the region, and NIs based or working in the Asia Pacific region. Current membership (and focal points) in the Asia Pacific Regional Network presently include (as of January 2011): WWF Bhutan WWF China WWF India WWF Indonesia WWF Malaysia WWF Nepal WWF Pakistan WWF Philippines WWF PNG (to be confirmed) (Wu Yusong, Coordinator of Upper Mekong Basin Programme) (Vishaish Uppal, Head, Sustainable Livelihoods and Governance) (Cristina Eghenter, Social Development Senior Adviser) (Rejani Kunjappan, Community Engagement & Education, Senior Manager) (Tara Gnyawali, Sustainable Livelihoods, Senior Specialist) (Amna Shahab, Head of Program Development) (Joel Palma, VP Conservation Programs) (to be confirmed) Others members: WWF South Pacific Program and CT NI (Jackie Thomas, Deputy Leader) WWF Australia (Peter Ramshaw) WWF Philippines (Ed Tongson) The Asia Pacific Regional Network has already established working relationships with the following NIs: CT, HoB, FCI, LH. The Asia Pacific Regional Networks has so far coordinated and organized several actions and consultations, including: A Regional Meeting in Bali (Indonesia), January 2010 Social impact monitoring with CT NI, March 2011 Coordinated input from the region for the network social policy on gender Developed Sustainable Livelihood and Social Development strategies Engaged with CBD, UNFCC, MDGs and other international conventions Engaged multilaterally or bilaterally with NIs and developed landscape joint programmes on SL and social constituencies in HoB and LHI. 5. Regional priority issues and agendas Given how global drivers are working, a stronger regional role becomes critical for WWF in order to be an effective player and partner in sustainable development plans. Regional priorities and interventions are also at the core of Network Initiatives and ecoregional programmes. But challenges to conservation are becoming increasingly more complex and we need to be able to understand and embrace such complexity in our work: growing population, urbanization, increased consumption in some countries and widening gap between rich and poor; land competition, food crises, concerns that MDGs will not be achieved by These are the social and economic conditions and pressing development needs faced by countries, especially poor countries and emerging economies, to ensure sustained paths to prosperity and well being. The network Footprint Strategy to achieve our 2050 footprint meta goal highlights the need to have a pro equity approach based on two principles: equitable access to natural resources and equitable sharing. Page 4 of 5

5 The innovative platform of NIs promoting new engagements, new partnerships, and bigger impacts can be enhanced by the kind of social analysis, tools and approaches to ensure that equity, governance and poverty dimensions, among others, are appropriately and effectively addressed, and that our interventions help change and improve conditions on the ground. This is the kind of services that experts on SD4C and regional networks can provide to NIs, programmes and NOs/Pos in the Asia Pacific region. A strong social development perspective will help reduce social and transactions costs that big conservation interventions can experience, and secure the legitimacy of our agenda among local right holders and stakeholders. It will increase the sustainability of conservation results and promote concrete actions to shape development models and policies in the region into pro green, pro poor, inclusive platforms that can bridge the needs and interests of multiple players, including the most vulnerable. These are some of the issues identified as priority in the region and WWF s interventions: Climate change and social impacts, REDD+ Food security, food sovereignty and biodiversity Population issues: population/health impact on natural resources Equitable access to natural resources and local constituencies; sustainable and customary land use Environmental governance, civil society engagement Social impact and well being indicators Green economies and Sustainable Livelihoods. Tharus(IPs) in Terai (LHNI) Page 5 of 5