Regional Capacity Building Research Articles

Land-Cover Observations as Part of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS): Progress, Activities, and Prospects

The international land-cover community has been working with GEO since 2005 to build the foundations for land-cover observations as an integral part of a Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The Group on Earth Observation (GEO) has provided the platform to elevate the societal relevance of land cover monitoring and helped to link a diverse set of global, regional, and national activities. A dedicated 2007-2009 GEO work plan task has resulted in achievements on the strategic and implementation levels. Integrated Global Observations of the Land (IGOL), the land theme of the Integrated Global Observation Strategy (IGOS), has been approved and is now in the process of transition into GEO implementation. New global land-cover maps at moderate spatial resolutions (i.e., GLOBCOVER) are being produced using guidelines and standards of the international community. The Middecadal Global Landsat Survey for 2005-2006 is extending previous 1990 and 2000 efforts for global, high-quality Landsat data. Despite this progress, essential challenges for building a sustained global land-cover-observing system remain, including: international cooperation on the continuity of global observations; ensuring consistency in land monitoring approaches; community engagement and country participation in mapping activities; commitment to ongoing quality assurance and validation; and regional networking and capacity building.

Regional Capacity-Building for Peace Operations

Regional Capacity-Building for Peace Operations

Decentralization in France: Central Steering, Capacity Building and Identity Construction

This article provides an overview on decentralization in France from three distinct conceptual lenses. It considers decentralization in France first as part of a wider process of state reform, an example of ‘steering at a distance’ drawn from a subset of the literature on governance. The second reading is of decentralization as part of an iterative process of local and regional capacity building. The third reading of decentralization, drawn from literature on new regionalism and minority nationalism, tests linkages between identity formation and meso-level political institutions. Although each hypothesis can draw some support from the evidence presented, the article concludes that capacity building captures the dynamic process unleashed by decentralization better than either central state steering or identity-based mobilization.

Regional Cooperation and Capacity Building through Monitoring and Evaluation with Pan American Health Organization

Regional Cooperation and Capacity Building through Monitoring and Evaluation with Pan American Health Organization

Strategies and perspectives for collaborative regional capacity building in desalination

The Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC), based in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, is an international Institution, founded in 1996 by the countries Oman, USA, Israel, Japan, Korea and Europe. The mission of the Center is to implement and facilitate programs that will contribute to developing sustainable desalination technologies. This include the affordability of this resource, its energy efficiency, environmental issues and the adaptation of the technology to the needs of the region. As regional capacity building and dissemination of experience are essential priorities in achieving progress, the technical program of the Center is organized in four components: (1) RD (2) Technical communication, reference materials and data banks; (3) Capacity building; and (4) Technical support and assistance. This paper is an overview of these program components, with an emphasis on those relating to capacity building.

Local empowerment through economic restructuring in Brazil: the case of the greater ABC region

Regional and local capacity building in Brazil, as in other Latin American countries, has traditionally been linked with democracy. Whereas periods of dictatorship usually saw the establishment of a tight grip by the centre over state and local governments, democracy has been linked to greater autonomy at the regional and local levels. The revival of regional and local governments in Brazil over the last decade and a half seems to fall into this latter category. In this paper we will argue that the advent of democracy is however not the only factor behind the recent dynamism at the sub-national level, but that economic restructuring is becoming a major force behind the adoption of more pro-active attitudes and policies by local and regional governments. We will illustrate this theory with the example of the greater ABC region, in the São Paulo metropolitan area, where economic crisis and restructuring has led to inter-municipal co-operation and the creation of a local economic development council.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and regional capacity building

This paper concentrates on the past and present interaction between the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Com- mission, donor organisations and developing countries in the development of regional programmes for creating and supporting marine science capabilities. The Global Ocean Observing System and Integrated Coastal Zone Management in relation to fisheries, marine pollution and climate/sea level changes require regional input which depends on South-South and North South cooperation. The Indian Ocean with the Eastern African region, serve as an example for an ongoing process of capacity building and growing partnership in marine science. Through the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, a strong and very beneficial cooperation was established, with several donors, in particular with the Swedish Agency for Research Co- operation with Developing Countries. This tripartite partnership of (a) a regional body with a regionally driven programme, (b) a global coordination mechanism in the form of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and (a) a multi-lateral donor in the form of the Swedish Agency for Research Co-operation with Developing Countries is in fact a model for regional development aid. The need for strong leadership of regional bodies is emphasised including a formal intersessional mechanism in the form of a bureau.

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