Established in 2010

About MEPIELAN eBulletin

MEPIELAN E-Bulletin is a digital academic and practitioner newsletter of the MEPIELAN Centre, launched in 2010.  It features insight articles, reflective opinions, specially selected documents and cases, book reviews as well as news on thematic topics of direct interest of MEPIELAN Centre and on the activities and role of MEPIELAN Centre. Its content bridges theory and practice perspectives of relational international law, international environmental law and participatory governance , and international negotiating process, thus serving the primary goal of Centre: to develop an integrated, inter-disciplinary, relational, context-related and sustainably effective governance approach creating, protecting and advancing international common interest for the present and future generations. Providing a knowledge- and information-sharing platform and a scholarly forum, the Bulletin promotes innovative ideas and enlightened critical views, contributing to a broader scholarly debate on important issues of international common interest. The audience of the Bulletin includes academics, practitioners, researchers, university students, international lawyers, officials and personnel of international organizations and institutional arrangements, heads and personnel of national authorities at all levels (national, regional and local), and members of the civil society at large.

Public Participation in Environmental Governance

The UN-REDD Programme and the LAC region pilots an innovative stakeholder analysis methodology in Honduras

February 10, 2015

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region recently inaugurated a two phase pilot programme, concerning a stakeholder mapping and analysis project in Honduras, a process that is set to be expanded in the region during 2015. The mapping exercise aims to support countries in identifying stakeholders that could be crucial for the design, planning and implementation of REDD+ inclusive processes. The methodology will allow UN-REDD Programme partner countries to identify not only the sectors, organizations and individuals that are fundamental for the advancement of REDD+ initiatives, but also their knowledge and interest in the topic, their position and level of influence, their relationships with other key actors and their role in decision-making processes*.

The first phase of the stakeholder analysis was conducted in December 2014 in Honduras. It consisted of a series of interviews and working sessions with the Program Management Unit of the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF)**, including government and UNDP staff, as well as representatives from key sectors with strong links to the forests, such as indigenous peoples and forest-dependent communities. These meetings resulted in an initial mapping of approximately 50 relevant actors from different groups, including indigenous peoples, civil society organizations, academia, private sector and donors (national/international). During this phase, the Honduran Program Management Unit improved their ability to apply the associated methodology and tools, including the surveys and matrixes that will facilitate analysis and future data comparison among countries.

Phase two will commence in February 2015 in Honduras. It will consist of a more in-depth analysis and a series of interviews and surveys with all relevant stakeholders identified in phase one. The interviews and surveys will be carried out at the local level and will lead to a full diagnosis of the listed stakeholders so as to develop a national stakeholder engagement strategy.

It is indeed most interesting that the analysis does not apply a prescriptive approach but can be adapted to the needs of each country according to its level of REDD+ readiness. It aims to provide UN-REDD Programme partner countries with the level of information required to create more informed and tailored stakeholder engagement strategies.  Honduras, where the project was piloted, is currently at an early implementing stage of its FCPF project and is working on the National Programme project document to be submitted to the UN-REDD Programme for support. As one of the main components to both of these is the development of a stakeholder engagement strategy, a solid analysis of stakeholders is an important first step to take.

The next LAC countries on the list for the stakeholder mapping analysis in the coming months are Paraguay, Suriname and Argentina.

Notes
*The UN-REDD Programme is the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. The Programme was launched in 2008 and builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The UN-REDD Programme supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation.
** The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF)  is a global partnership of governments, businesses, civil society, and Indigenous Peoples focused on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, forest carbon stock conservation, the sustainable management of forests, and the enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (activities commonly referred to as REDD+).

Source: UN REDD Programme
For Further Information:
http://www.un-redd.org/NewsandUpdates/LAC-stakeholder-analysis-pilot/tabid/794731/Default.aspx?utm_source=Feb%2FMarch+2015+The+REDD%2B+Resource&utm_campaign=Feb-March+2015+UN-REDD+newsletter&utm_medium=email
https://www.forestcarbonpartnership.org

About the author

MEPIELAN Centre
Author's Website

MEPIELAN Centre is an international research, training and educational centre established by Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos at the Panteion University of Athens in 2008.

Before its establishment as a University Centre, MEPIELAN operated as a successful international research, training and informational programme (2002-2007) under the scientific direction of Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos and the aegis of the Panteion University of Athens, supported by the Mediterranean Action Plan/UNEP and the Greek Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.

MEPIELAN Centre is an accredited UNEP/MAP PARTNER (since 2013), a Member of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) (since 2016), and a Member of the Steering Committee of the MCSD (since 2019).

On 22 May 2022, MEPIELAN Centre proceeded to the development of MEPIELAN as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) for the more effective and efficient advancement of its Goals and Missions and furtherance of its activities. MEPIELAN Centre as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) is registered in Greek Law (Hellenic Business Registry, Reg. No. 16477300100) in accordance with Laws 4072/2012 & 4919/2022 as applicable

Related artifacts

Public Participation in Environmental Governance
Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee Adopts a Statement of Non-Restrictions on the Rights of the Aarhus Convention in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic

Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee Adopts a Statement of Non-Restrictions on the Rights of the Aarhus Convention in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic

The Compliance Committee to the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (Aarhus Convention) held its 67th Meeting from 6 to 10 July 2020.

Read more text

MEPIELAN Centre | Nov 1, 2020 | 3 min read

Public Participation in Environmental Governance
The Twenty-second Meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention

The Twenty-second Meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention

The twenty-second meeting of the Working Group of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention was held from 19-21 June 2018 in Palais de Nations in Geneva. The meeting was attended by a wide range of representatives of the Convention’s Contracting Parties, non-governmental organizations, academia, businesses and international organizations. The utmost objective of the meeting was to review the progress in implementing the 2015-2017 and the current work programmes and discuss a number of items, including the progress achieved in promoting access to information, public participation and access to justice and in ratification of the Convention's amendment on genetically modified organisms as well as the further promotion of the Convention and different financial matters. The meeting involved a thematic session on access to information, a thematic session on promoting the application of the principles of the Convention in international forums and a special segment to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention.

Read more text

MEPIELAN Centre | Jan 15, 2019 | 4 min read