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ROADMAP TO CREATE A REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL
CHANGE CLEARINGHOUSE/KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT
HUB IN THE CARIBBEAN
Prepared for: Sub-regional meeting on Environmental policy formulation
and planning in the Caribbean region
Presented by: Conrad Douglas & Associates Limited
Date: May 16, 2013
Table of Contents
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In making this presentation, Conrad Douglas & Associates
Limited (CD&A) will cover the following:
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Background & Introduction
Approach & Methodology
Context and Historical Perspective
The Road Map
Next Steps
Background & Introduction
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This Roadmap is prepared within the framework of UNESCO’s
actions which are aimed at supporting CARICOM Member States in
strengthening their capacities on social science data production and
use for evidence-based policy formulation and planning for
sustainable development in the Caribbean region.
UNESCO has commissioned three main analytical reports in this
field to institutions based in the Caribbean:
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Report on social research and data gap analysis and proposal for a subregional multi-stakeholder social science platform (Commissioned to
the CARIBSAVE Partnership).
Report on lessons learnt from social sciences- civil society interaction in
policy formulation and planning for the social dimensions of
environmental change in the Caribbean (Commissioned to the
Caribbean Natural Resources Institute, CANARI)
Roadmap to create a regional Environmental Change Clearing
House/Knowledge Management Hub in the Caribbean (Commissioned
to Conrad Douglas & Associates Limited)
Purpose of the Roadmap
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The purpose of this report is to guide the establishment
and management of an Environmental Change Clearing
House and Knowledge Management Hub in the
Caribbean region (CARICOM).
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The roadmap sets out the strategies and activities leading
to the establishment of the Environmental Change
Clearing House and Knowledge Management Hub for the
Caribbean Region.
Approach & Methodology
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Standard approaches and methods substantially involved
desktop research were used by CD&A to prepare the
Roadmap. This involved, but was not limited to:
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Preparing a detailed work plan and budget that was submitted to
UNESCO
Selecting a panel of experts for consultation.
Outlining the preliminary design and background activities.
Reviewing existing data and data gathering mechanisms relevant to
environmental change at the:
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international,
regional,
sub-regional and
national levels.
Outlining the steps required for establishing the Hub
Outlining the next steps required for implementation
Context and Historical Perspective
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Anthropocentric and exo-somatic
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Benjamin Franklyn (1751), Thomas Malthus (1798), Charles Darwin (1876)
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Svante Arrhenius (1889) – Arrhenius Equation, where:
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Global Warming, Climate Change and Environmental Change
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Population Growth 1800 – 2011
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Rio Principle 1
“human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive
life in harmony with nature.”(UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), 1992)
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Rio Principle 2
“States have, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, the sovereign
right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their own environmental and developmental policies, and the
responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of
other States or of areas beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.”
Context and Historical Perspective
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We have exceeded the planet’s absorptive and assimilative capacity
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Nicholas Stern Report
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Six years since the Stern Review: The risks are bigger, technological change promising.
Where are we going and why action is slow: To a dangerous place; need political will.
Describing the risks - the scientific and economic models: Both scientific and economic models
badly under-estimate potential impacts; new generation of models needed.
Sustainable growth and development: Transition to low-carbon economy likely to be full of innovation
and benefits beyond reduction of climate risks.
Policy for the low-carbon transition: Policy to overcome six major market failures is key to fostering the
recovery of economies and the dynamic transition to a low-carbon growth and economy.
Collaboration and understanding others: International institutions are key to addressing economic and
climate crises together and building international cooperation
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The need for integrated science and natural science research
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The need for an Environmental Change Policy for the Caribbean
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The need for establishing the Hub
The Road Map
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We propose that under the leadership and direction of the Council
for Human & Social Development (COHSOD) of CARICOM, the
steps to establish the Environmental Change Clearinghouse and
Knowledge Management Hub should be as follows:
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Step 1: Establish a network
Step 2: Development of a policy framework
Step 3: Develop Internal and External Institutional Arrangements
Step 4: Develop a Plan for the establishment of the Hub
Step 5: Determination of the Location
Step 6: Recruitment
Step 7: Training and capacity building
Step 8: Inventory of baseline data
Step 9: Designing the Knowledge Management Hub
Step 10: Developing Standards
Step 11: Commissioning and Launching of the Environmental Change
Clearinghouse and Knowledge Management Hub
Step 1: Establish a Network
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Establish a network among the existing institutions of the
Caribbean concerned with social research and gathering
of social data. This should be done among governments,
private sector, and NGOs.
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The network should be established and used initially as a
panel to guide the process of establishing the Hub and to
recommend and select the national focal points within
the system.
Step 2: Development of a Policy Framework
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Development of a policy framework by the Governments
of the sub-region of the Caribbean to establish an
Environmental Change Clearinghouse and Knowledge
Management Hub.
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Develop a set of policy guidelines which will guide
implementation and operations.
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The preparation of the policy should be informed by
intensive cross-sectoral interdisciplinary consultations.
Step 3: Develop Internal and External
Institutional Arrangements
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Formalize institutional arrangements within the institution
and the national and international organizations
concerned with social data collection, social research and
environmental and climate change.
Step 4: Develop a Plan for the
Establishment of the Hub
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Consultants should be engaged to develop this plan. The
plan should include the development of the following:
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Vision statement
Mission statement
Goals
Objectives
Strategies
Leadership
Plan
Organizational structure
Controls
Step 5: Determination of the Location
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The location for the establishment of the Hub should be
recommended to CARICOM by the Council for Human
& Social Development (CHSD).
Step 6: Recruitment
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Prepare job descriptions for the senior management posts and core
staff. Given the purpose and nature of the Hub, its Director should
have qualifications with span the field of:
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social and natural sciences
environmental management
climate change
management
project management
expertise in management information systems
research skills
It is recommended that support staff in the following fields be
recruited as a part of the core staff:
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Management Information System (MIS) specialist
Natural Scientist
Social Scientist
Necessary supportive administrative staff
Step 7: Training and Capacity Building
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Training and capacity building will be an immediate focus
after recruiting the staff of the Hub.
Among the areas of focus will be integrated development,
natural and social sciences and the development of social
research skills.
Step 8: Inventory of Baseline Data
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Among the first activities to be carried out by the staff is an inventory of existing data and methods
of data gathering within the region and relevant extra-regional data.
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Design the system for the effective functioning of the Hub. Develop the inventory of what systems
and data exists within the Hub (hardware and software) and within the territories that will
subscribe to the Hub.
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Inventory of institutions existing within the territories mandated to manage the data resources
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The policies, legislation, regulation and standards for territories of the region as well as the
biophysical and socio-cultural and socio-economic data forming the baseline for the territories of
the region and establishing the criteria and parameters for monitoring and recording change and
knowledge, sub-regionally and regionally should be done.
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Review the infrastructure to minimize duplication or overlap in order to achieve efficient and
effective deployment of resources for managing the Environmental Change Clearinghouse and
Knowledge Management Hub. This should include:
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Reviewing and analyzing existing information and knowledge centres throughout the sub-region
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Identifying resource requirements
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Conducting IT/MIS Infrastructure evaluation
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Standardizing hardware, software and methods for data gathering and social research in the region.
Step 9: Designing the Knowledge
Management Hub
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Design the Knowledge Management Hub architecture,
and integrate with infrastructure existing internally and
externally in the region and extra-regionally.
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Outline major elements of the environmental baseline
and environmental change and knowledge inputs to the
sub-regional Hub and how the inputs should be screened.
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Outline major outputs from the Hub to its clientele and
highlighting the controls in clearing and disseminating the
outputs.
Step 10: Developing Standards
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Develop and standardize the methods and procedures for
data gathering, classification, storage, analysis, data security
and dissemination.
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The methods and procedures for data gathering, storage,
access, retrieval and updating should be developed for
different user and stakeholder levels.
Step 11: Commissioning and Launching of the
Environmental Change Clearinghouse and Knowledge
Management Hub
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During the course of establishing the Hub, various
datasets will be collected, stored and classified in the
designed and implemented systems. This will be tested
throughout the course of implementation and its
functioning verified.
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At the point of formally launching the system, multiple
stakeholder demonstrations will be carried out and the
system operated on an ongoing basis thereafter.
Next Steps
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Recognizing that throughout the course of implementation it
will be necessary to maintain dialogue with the stakeholders,
we propose that the next steps should involve the following in
the creation of the Environmental Change Clearinghouse and
Knowledge Management Hub:
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Establish the sub-regional network
Creating the vision or value statement
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ESTABLISH THE POLICY FRAMEWORK
AND POLICY
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Set the goals and objectives
Conduct a gap analysis
Develop a plan
Develop a budget
Obtain approval from CARICOM
Commence implementation for the establishment of the hub
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