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Synergies among MEAs and the harmonization of reporting
UNEP-WCMC provides support to the full range of biodiversity-related multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and the Rio Conventions, and has worked for many years to contribute to and inform attempts to increase synergies and cooperation across these MEAs at global and national levels. For example, UNEP-WCMC has been working on opportunities for streamlining reporting processes, and for harmonizing approaches to reporting at both national and global levels. This website provides information on these approaches and links to other relevant websites.
In This Section
Synergies among MEAs and the Harmonization of National Reporting - Key Papers
This section provides a range of papers on synergies and cooperation among multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) as well as on the harmonization and streamlining of national reporting and management of biodiversity information.
MoreProjects on Approaches to Harmonizing Reporting
A number of projects have been carried out to test and further develop approaches to harmonization, or streamlining, of national reporting to multilateral environmental agreements. This section presents such projects undertaken by UNEP.
MoreSynergies and cooperation between conventions and harmonization of national reporting - links
This section offers links to a number of mechanisms for, and information sites on, synergies and cooperation between multilateral environmental agreements, and harmonization and streamlining of national reporting.
MoreHarmonization of National Reporting - Workshops
In October 2000, UNEP convened its first harmonization workshop entitled 'Towards the Harmonization of National Reporting', which involved eight convention secretariats and eight countries in discussing options for harmonization, and resulted in the establishment of pilot projects in four countries (Ghana, Indonesia, Panama and the Seychelles). The completion of the four pilot projects called for the organisation of a second workshop, to discuss the results and plan a way forward based on this and other experience. The 2004 harmonization workshop in Haasrode was convened by UNEP-WCMC in cooperation with the governments of Belgium and the UK.
MoreConvention guidance on harmonization/ streamlining of reporting
The governing bodies of several of the biodiversity-related and Rio Conventions have provided mandates for work toward harmonization or streamlining of national reporting. The more recent of these mandates are presented below.
MoreNational reports
This section provides links to key webpages of multilateral environmental agreements and other intergovernmental mechanisms addressing national reporting, including background, reporting formats and guidelines, and the analysis of reported information.
MoreEnvironment Management Group
The Environment Management Group (EMG) is a forum for UN agencies and MEA secretariats established under the chairmanship of the UNEP Executive Director as a mechanism for enhancing interagency cooperation in the field of environment and human settlements. The first meeting of the EMG in January 2001 established an Issue Management Group (IMG) to deal with harmonization of environmental reporting, with a focus on biodiversity-related conventions. UNEP was asked to serve as the task manager.
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