The World Conservation Monitoring Centre provides information services on conservation and sustainable use of the world's living resources, and helps others to develop information systems of their own.

         

        Capacity Building Programme

        Many countries are in the process of developing national conservation strategies, environmental action plans, sectoral master plans (e.g. national forest action plans) and other policy initiatives promoting the sustainable use of biological resources. Since sound policies can only be developed on the basis of feedback from current approaches, it is necessary to monitor environmental trends and produce up-to-date environmental information suitable for management and policy decisions.

        In response to this need, WCMC has created a capacity building programme to provide services that empower institutions and individuals to:

        • assess their own information needs
        • set their own priorities
        • build their own information systems.

        Recognising that local conditions strongly influence the type of actions necessary to improve the flow of information into policy and decision-making, WCMC has developed a flexible, needs-driven strategy. Many of the components of this strategy are expanded in a series of documents which have been prepared in cooperation with other agencies. Briefly, a step-by-step, participatory approach to information system development is advocated, leading to the progressive achievement of information goals by a wide range of stakeholders. This helps to:

        • reduce the costs of information usage
        • guide managers towards improved policy and management effectiveness
        • enhance transparency and accountability.

        WCMC's capacity building services extend beyond the provision of advice on tools (such as computer hardware and software) and training. Our aim is to guide individuals and organisations through all the steps that need to be considered in developing multi-stakeholder, information systems, to assess their own needs and set their own priorities for action.

        WCMC's work can be divided into two main categories as follows:

        A key aim of the capacity building programme is to support and enhance international initiatives and programmes in biodiversity information management.
        WCMC works directly with a number of national organisations managing or coordinating the use of biodiversity information.

        WCMC established its capacity building programme towards the end of 1994. The programme is headed by Dr John Busby (formerly of ERIN (Environmental Resources Information Network), Australia), with Dr Jake Reynolds as Information Analyst, Donald Gordon as Education and Training Officer, and Laura Battlebury as Administrative/Project Officer. The team draws on expert services from other WCMC staff and from outside colleagues and consultants to provide a comprehensive range of services.

        The WCMC Training and Education Programme is supported by the British Airways Assisting Conservation programme.
        British Airways

        For further information please write to:
        Information Office,
        World Conservation Monitoring Centre,
        219 Huntingdon Road,
        Cambridge CB3 0DL,
        United Kingdom.
        Tel: +44 1223 277314;
        Fax: +44 1223 277136.
        Email: info@wcmc.org.uk
        Document URL: http:// www.wcmc.org.uk /capacity_building/index.html
        Revision date: 5-November-1999
        Current date: 21-January-2000

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