THE NAIROBI CONVENTION CLEARINGHOUSE AND INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM

1. THE NAIROBI CONVENTION CLEARINGHOUSE AND INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM 26 November-5 December 2007, Silver Springs, Nairobi, Kenya

2. Objectives of the Clearinghouse • Development of human resource capacities and appropriate information infrastructure at national level • Development of an enabling environment for assessment (through advocacy of standards necessary to acquire, process, store, distribute and improve utilization of essential data) • Ready access to scientific, technical, environmental, legal and policy level information essential for the sustainable development of the coastal and marine environment.

3. Background of the Training • Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse Implementation Plan • A follow-up to the August 2007 Training in Mauritius and recommendations of participants • The current training is organized by UNEP for the Nairobi Convention countries

4. Clearinghouse Activities Major activities in the implementation of the Nairobi Convention Clearinghouse • Development of comprehensive national data inventory with common standards and built-in functions • Provision of basic, selected and/or critical datasets by participating institutions • Internet data dissemination and automation of the data to information and information to knowledge process.

5. Progress on Clearinghouse in 2007 • National Planning meetings (May – June) • A regional capacity building training workshop (August) • MOUs discussed and approved (Aug-Nov) • Procurement of Clearinghouse severs (Nov) • Launch of the Clearinghouse on (7 Nov)

6. Participants in the August training: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles

7. Trends in Environmental Leadership • Climate Change –vulnerable states’ resilience to a changing climate (COP5 Decision 5/7 on SIDS) • Ecosystem Management – States use sustainable ecosystems management approaches (COP5 Decision 5/2 - MTTF) • Environmental Governance –strengthening processes, institutions, laws, policies, programmes at country and regional global levels to secure sustainable development (COP5 Decision 5/1) • Environmental dimension of disaster and conflict – build national capacities to minimize environmental threats to human well being (COP5 Decision 5/3) • Hazardous substances – Minimize the environmental and human impact of harmful substances including pollution (COP5 Decision 5/3) • Resource use efficiency – sustainable consumption and production (COP5 Decision 5/6, 5/8)

8. Localizing Trends in Environmental Leadership Implementing emerging environmental priorities through: • Sound science for decision-makers through early warning, monitoring and assessment • Advocacy, awareness-raising and communications • Capacity-Building and Technology Support • Co-operation, coordination and partnerships • Sustainable financing by mobilizing sufficient finance to meet environmental challenges

9. Deliverables expected from the Training • Detailed inventory of the Western Indian Ocean Region, and “mapping” of existing programmes, project and initiatives • Functioning data sharing mechanism as well as data exchange protocols respecting licensing, security, confidentiality and other related issues • Regularly updated data and information and to improve outreach, increase visibility of countries success stories and projects

10. Programme for the training • To follow‐up to the August 2007 training workshop on the development of the Nairobi Convention clearinghouse • Participants to build and customize their specific national data portal and populate it • The training process - 4 days • Data population - 5 days • Review – half day

11. Some Clearinghouse Capabilities • Services • Metadata • Mapping • Data management, exchange • Environmental alerts • Methodologies • Learning tools http://gridnairobi.unep.org/CHMPortal

12. WE CAN DO IT THANK YOU