Cook Islands National Environment Service | Protecting our Pacific Islands' | Natural Resources | Flora | Fauna | Water

Cook Islands National Capacity Self Assessment for Global Environment Management Project (NCSA)

At the 1992 Earth Summit, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for "sustainable development" – meeting our needs while ensuring that we leave a healthy and viable world for future generations.

Three key agreements from the Summit are the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. These three are known as the Rio Conventions. As a party to these Conventions the Cook Islands Government, is committed to promoting cooperation between government agencies and other institutions and organizations, working towards fulfilling our global and national obligations.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The ultimate objective of the CCC is to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions in the air at a level that would prevent dangerous human interference with the climate.

Dealing with the problem of climate change at the source by reducing polluting greenhouse gases is called MITIGATION. The Cook Islands produces relatively few of the greenhouse gases that are causing global warming, therefore we have to rely on global action through the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol to achieve mitigation.

Some of the IMPACTS of climate change can already be seen in the Cook Islands. We need to respond to these climate change impacts on our lives and livelihoods in the areas of water (shifting rainfall patterns), health (vector borne diseases and heat stress), coastal zones (coral bleaching, erosion, storm surge), agriculture (shifting seasons, altered productivity, pests and diseases) and other areas. Responses to these changes are called ADAPTATION.

The Cook Islands is vulnerable to the effects of climate change and as such, our national priority is IMPLEMENTING adaptation to these impacts.

United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD)

The CBD has 3 main goals: conserve biological diversity; the sustainable use of its components and the fair sharing of benefits from the use of these resources. Biological diversity is important for the health of people and the planet. The role of the Convention is to protect this biodiversity and ensure that it is used for the benefit of all.

In the Cook Islands our priorities –

1. Conserving our endangered species
2. Develop a system of protected areas
3. Reduce the harmful effects of invasive species and prevent further invasions
4. Use biodiversity in a sustainable manner and
5. Ensure equitable sharing of the benefits of biodiversity

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

The CCD aims to combat desertification/land degradation and relieve the effect of droughts by using effective action at all levels of society.

Desertification does not refer to the expansion of existing deserts rather it refers to the degradation of land primarily by human activities and climatic variations. Land degradation affects ecosystem health, stability and functions and can be caused by a host of activities including deforestation, high rates of erosion, clearing of land for housing and tourism development etc.

To combat land degradation, there is a need to adopt a balance land management mechanism that will not undermine the rights of land owners, traditional conservation practices, island customs and the land tenure system.

The Cook Islands is concerned with addressing land management issues including foreshore protection, land degradation from development, climate change and agricultural practices, filling of wetlands, soil erosion, waste management and management of our freshwater resources.

What is NCSA?

The National Environment Service (NES), with the support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is carrying out a National Capacity Self-Assessment for Global Environment Management Project.

The NCSA is an 18 month project that is aimed at assisting countries to assess their priority national capacity needs for Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA's). These MEAs include the United Nations Convention for Biodiversity (UNCBD), the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). The NCSA is unique in that it promotes synergy among the three MEAs. Through the self-assessment, countries will identify capacity gaps and then come up with solutions to rectify these gaps.

The primary objective of an NCSA is to determine, through consultation with all Cook Islanders, national environment priorities and needs for capacity building and development. By recognizing these capacity gaps, a strategic plan of action can be developed to address our national priorities and our ability to meet our obligations to the Rio Conventions.

In terms of our capacity to meet our environment priorities and obligations, the NCSA aims to determine what gaps exist at the national and community level, what the barriers are to successful implementation, and what actions could be taken to improve our capacity at the individual, institutional and systemic levels. Many individual assessments have been carried out over the years. Although stakeholders may already feel over-consulted, it is still important for the NCSA to be carried out to link these assessments for action. It is also important to consider that the final ‘Capacity Development Strategy and Action Plan’ for the Rio Conventions will support the development of further project funding opportunities related to capacity building and development in the Cook Islands for years to come.

Expected Outcomes
The NCSA should contribute to strengthening existing national programmes, ensure national action to build capacity to protect the global and national environments and lead to targeted action plan development and implementation both within and across the thematic areas of biodiversity, climate change and land degradation. The project is expected to collate information on continuing programmes, institutional structures, resource availability and future prospects, training activities and relevant supporting policies and processes needed to sustain the implementation of MEAs obligations nationwide.

A key deliverable is the NCSA Action Plan, which outlines priority issues, capacity constraints and opportunities for capacity building. This Plan of Action also outlines mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating progress made in meeting those needs. This is the first step to accessing GEF resources for capacity development in order to implement the recommendations that will be put forth in the NCSA Strategy and Action Plan.

The NCSA process is an institutional support mechanism that will allow us to identify areas where capacity building is needed, prioritise and coordinate efforts to strengthen national capacities. By involving various national agencies, institutions and organizations whose activities have important direct or indirect impacts on the environment, a coordinated approach for strengthening overall capacity should be devised. Addressing capacity needs at the systemic, institutional and individual levels and integrating them into wider sustainable development efforts will enhance our ability to manage our environment in a sustainable manner.

During Inception, the administrative, management and consultative arrangements for the NCSA were organized. An Inception Report was compiled outlining these arrangements, the membership of the PMU and the NCSA Steering Committee.
Output: Inception Report (PDF)

The objective of the NCSA Stocktake was to review existing mechanisms and capacities of institutions and stakeholders. The stocktaking involved identifying all national activities and documents that are relevant to the convention themes as well as core national environmental priorities.
Output: National Stocktake Report (PDF)

The main objective of this step is to analyse the Cook Islands obligations and opportunities from each Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA) and assess our performance and achievements to date. This stage will involve in-depth analysis of our priority capacity needs and constraints related to the three focal areas to determine constraints and weaknesses.
Output: Thematic Profiles for Climate Change, Biodiversity and Land Degradation

The objective of the Cross cutting analysis is to assess priority capacity strengths, constraints, needs and opportunities that cut across the conventions. This includes identification of common needs and possible opportunities for synergies and linkages that could be achieved in the country by addressing the requirements across two or more thematic areas.
Output: Capacity needs profile and opportunities for synergy

The Strategy and Action Plan will outline priority issues, capacity constraints and opportunities for capacity building and development as identified in the Thematic Assessment and Cross-Cutting Analysis phases of the NCSA.
Output: Capacity Development Strategy and Action Plan NCSA Final Report

The Capacity Development Strategy and Action Plan will be used to mobilise support from Government and Donor Agencies to implement the strategies and actions needed to improve the Cook Islands management of global and environmental issues.

3 & 4 – Combined Thematic Assessment and Cross Cutting Analysis phases
The first stage of consultations is underway with various stakeholders being consulted on our ability to fulfil our national obligations and priorities. Further consultations are expected once these results and compiled and analysed including input from the Technical Working Groups (TWGs).

Links
United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity Website: www.biodiv.org
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification: www.unccd.int
United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change: www.unfccc.int

UNDP NCSA website: ncsa.undp.org/

For more information about the NCSA project, please contact:
Ms Louisa Karika,
NCSA Co-ordinator