Strengthening Capacity

Tackling environmental issues requires participation from a broad range of groups at international and local levels. Whatever the size of the group, it is often those most at risk from environmental harm who are the most poorly resourced, and face the greatest challenges in participating in negotiations and policy making on environmental and sustainable development issues. By strengthening the capacity of such groups to engage more effectively in the decision-making processes that affect them, FIELD is empowering them to set their own development agendas and goals.

Our experience in this type of work spans over ten years. During this time, we have been able to identify the most effective ways of strengthening institutional, governmental and grass roots capacity to ensure each individual project produces maximum long term benefit.

We work towards this goal by: involving a broad range of stakeholders; 'training the trainers' to ensure that capacity building is a long term investment; using an integrated approach across multiple sectors and institutions; and adopting a focus on both process and substance. By enabling organisations to understand, negotiate and participate in the development and implementation of international and national environmental law, we hope to create a more level playing field for wider participation in the future.

Capacity building has been highlighted as a key implementation tool for the commitments that were made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002. FIELD held a successful side event at WSSD, entitled 'Building capacity for negotiation and implementing international sustainable development regimes'. Read the Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the FIELD side event.

Click on the links below to read more on relevant projects:

• Strengthening Implementation and Negotiation Capacity: Pacific Islands and the Biodiversity and Climate Change Conventions
• Building capacity on biosafety in Chile
• Strengthening capacity on negotiation and policy making on trade and environment
• UNCTAD Strengthening research and policy making capacity on trade and environment
• Explanatory Guide to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
• CBD Handbook
• Information Package for Pacific Island Countries on Implementation of Legal Aspects of the CBD
• CDM Guide for SIDS
• European Institute for Public Administration (EIPA) Training Programme for Developing Countries' Trade Negotiators and Administrators

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