UNEP Report Released: Governance for Peace over Natural Resources

Recently, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), released the latest in a series of three reports dedicated environmental governance in the Sudan: Governance for Peace over Natural Resources – A Review of Transitions in Environmental Governance Across Africa as a Resource for Peace-building and Environmental Management in Sudan (2013). The 92-page document available here, discusses the following:

[a]s part of influencing long-term change in environmental management, UNEP encourages the integration of environmental issues into the policies of national and state authorities in the Republic of Sudan, including the UN family and civil society. The current programme builds on the recommendations on policy made in the Sudan Post Conflict Environmental Assessment in addition to the technical reports and consultations produced subsequently.

The work on policy is linked with the project themes, in particular, IWRM, pastoralism and climate change. These themes address related areas focussing on how different communities “co-manage” resources and how this process is supported by government. Across Africa the interaction of traditional leadership, government and community based organisations is in transition with respect to governance of the environment – likewise in Sudan, especially in areas emerging from conflict in which control of natural resources has been one of the causes of tension. Therefore the respective mandates and responsibilities of these groups is a key aspect in emerging environmental policy. In order to inform dialogue in the policy formulation process UNEP is preparing three reports relating to environmental governance:

• “Environmental Governance in Sudan – an Expert Review” This report was written by two senior Sudanese academics and provides a baseline for support to the development of environmental policy. Download the report here.
• “Governance for Peace over Natural Resources – a review of transitions in environmental governance across Africa as a resource for peace-building and environmental management in Sudan” (Publication scheduled for December 2012)
• “Relationships and Resources” – which looks at the links between peace-building over resources and promoting participatory governance, and how the quality of relationships can be assessed and promoted amongst stakeholders in the environment. Stakeholders in this context refer to communities, government and other organisations. (Download the briefing note here. Report scheduled for publication in January 2013).

Synopsis of the Queensland Environmental Legal System -- ELP

Synopsis of the Queensland Environmental Legal System.  This book from Environmental Law Publishing (AU) explains the four layers of the Queensland environmental legal system: international law; Commonwealth law; Queensland law; and the common law. It provides short explanations of major international treaties and domestic legislation with links to useful websites for anyone interested in a particular topic.

Managment Review of Environmental governance Within the United Nations System

This Report JIU/REP/2008/3 prepared by the UN Joint Inspection Unit finds that:

-The current framework of international environmental governance is weakened by institutional fragmentation.

-United Nations system organizations have not defined clearly their responsibilities under the governance framework, which aims at integrating environmental protection into economic and social development and mainstreaming environmental considerations in sustainable development policies.

-At present, there is no single strategic-planning framework embracing the entire United Nations system: the United Nations’ four-year medium-term plan ceased to be the policy orientation of the United Nations system following a General Assembly decision of 1999; UNEP lost its effective instrument of coordinating planning and programming when its System-Wide Medium-Term Environment Programme (SWMTEP) was discontinued in 1999; and its Medium-Term Strategy for 2010-2013 is not a system-wide instrument.

-Most UNEP/United Nations-administered MEAs have separate secretariats.

-Despite its mandate under the Cartagena Package to review the effectiveness of MEAs, UNEP has not developed concrete modalities or capacity to fulfil its mandate.