Capacity building

L’Afrique de l’Ouest se caractérise par une croissance démographique rapide, une pauvreté endémique ainsi qu’une mauvaise gouvernance et une piètre gestion des ressources naturelles. Cette situation est exacerbée par les effets négatifs du changement climatique et conduit sans équivoque à l’épuisement du capital naturel ouest-africain, y compris des écosystèmes dont la population est en grande partie tributaire.

West Africa is characterized by rapid population growth, endemic poverty and poor governance and management of natural resources. This situation is exacerbated by the negative effects of climate change and is unequivocally leading to the depletion of West African natural capital, including the ecosystems on which the population largely depends. Conservation and management of natural resources, which is a necessity to sustain our planet, requires well-informed decision-making towards sustainable growth and long-term development.

The Conserving our sea of islands report provides the first comprehensive assessment of area-based conservation in the region. The 23 countries and territories that it covers are diverse but share a common identity and geography, as well as many other features such as extensive customary ownership.

Competence frameworks are widely used in many professional sectors, helping to develop capacity by defining and recognising the required skills, knowledge and personal attributes.

This capacity needs assessment identifies opportunities for institutional capacity development to strengthen multi-sectoral planning and implementation in order to create an enabling environment for nexus perspectives in Central Asia. It should not be viewed as a static capacity building plan, but rather as a catalogue to develop appropriate activities and strategies that can be further adjusted if necessary. 

This publication is a result of Blue Solutions’ second Regional Forum on Solutions for Oceans, Coasts and Human Well-being in Latin America and the Wider Caribbean Region. This four-day workshop was held in Cancún, Mexico in April 2015. During this event more than 40 participants presented their positive examples and engaged with the larger audience in discussions around how these examples can be adapted to address pressing challenges faced in other regions or sectors in Latin America and the Wider Caribbean.

Our oceans and coasts are the origin of life on earth, an important food source, and crucial for the global ecological equilibrium,  yet despite their global significance, marine and coastal ecosystems face a wide array of threats. It was in the spirit of making enhanced concerted efforts at the global, regional, national and local levels that the Blue Solutions Initiative was created.

Human rights issues have been an integral dimension of UNESCO's mission and work since its establishment. While rights issues are not explicitly mentioned in the 1972 World Heritage Convention, its Strategic Objective "To enhance the role of communities in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention" underscores the need to respect and support communities to be involved in World Heritage processes. Where rights issues are not addressed, a range of problems and conflicts can arise.