342
The same 2030 Agenda contains several references to drylands contexts, even
though not ever explicitly: in particular, Targets 1.5, 2.3, 2.4, 6.4 referring to water
scarcity, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.a, 13.b, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.5, 15.8, 15.9, 17.18.
A Paramount Component: Capacities and Capacity Building
A common misconception about EM is that only environmental specialists can
apply it. On the contrary, if a generalized application by all policy-makers and project managers is not treated, it doesn’t work (Zortea 2013). The basic characteristic
of the EM, i.e., its transversality, requires precisely diffusion and widespread knowledge and requires an attitude of openness to multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary
knowledge and skills.
Since governance and institutional systems should be reformed in order to assure
a more balanced approach to the three classical components of sustainable development—economic, social, and environmental—the attitudes, knowledge, and skills
of the human capital should be re-oriented to accept mainstreaming as a culture of
doing business as opposed to an additional responsibility.
It is therefore worth examining what capacity public and private policy-makers
and project managers must develop. Much depend on the individual context, on the
level of intervention (regional, national, and regional), and the objectives that are
set. In this regard, it is interesting to remind the initiative of the Chinese government
that has created a manual on traditional knowledge and practical techniques in the
fight against desertification (UNDP 2008).
But in general, two aspects should be taken care of:
(a) Basic knowledge of the concept and the method;
(b) EM application tools, which are at least four different types: informative; educational; operational; evaluative (Zortea 2013).
To build these skills, it is useful to divide the learning paths into two levels: a basic,
introductory, and suitable for all categories of trainees, and an advanced, focused on
more targeted contexts and application objectives. For instance, in the advanced
level it’s recommendable to study the synergies among UNCCD and other conventions and initiatives for mitigating the effect of drought and climate change, such as
the UNDP/GEF funded project on “Coping with drought and climate change: best
use of climate information for reducing land degradation and conserving biodiversity.” That project supports sustainable livelihoods of drylands populations, promoting an integrated ecosystems management approach that hinges on better use of
local and scientific knowledge on climate in farming and herding. Given the complex but close linkages between droughts, land degradation, biodiversity, and climate change, the programme gives attention to the interface among the three Rio
Conventions: UNCCD, CBD, and UNFCCC. A very useful tool is the Sourcebook
of opportunities for enhancing cooperation among the Biodiversity-related
M. Zortea and S. Lucatello
The same 2030 Agenda contains several references to drylands contexts, even
though not ever explicitly: in particular, Targets 1.5, 2.3, 2.4, 6.4 referring to water
scarcity, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.a, 13.b, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.5, 15.8, 15.9, 17.18.
A Paramount Component: Capacities and Capacity Building
A common misconception about EM is that only environmental specialists can
apply it. On the contrary, if a generalized application by all policy-makers and project managers is not treated, it doesn’t work (Zortea 2013). The basic characteristic
of the EM, i.e., its transversality, requires precisely diffusion and widespread knowledge and requires an attitude of openness to multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary
knowledge and skills.
Since governance and institutional systems should be reformed in order to assure
a more balanced approach to the three classical components of sustainable development—economic, social, and environmental—the attitudes, knowledge, and skills
of the human capital should be re-oriented to accept mainstreaming as a culture of
doing business as opposed to an additional responsibility.
It is therefore worth examining what capacity public and private policy-makers
and project managers must develop. Much depend on the individual context, on the
level of intervention (regional, national, and regional), and the objectives that are
set. In this regard, it is interesting to remind the initiative of the Chinese government
that has created a manual on traditional knowledge and practical techniques in the
fight against desertification (UNDP 2008).
But in general, two aspects should be taken care of:
(a) Basic knowledge of the concept and the method;
(b) EM application tools, which are at least four different types: informative; educational; operational; evaluative (Zortea 2013).
To build these skills, it is useful to divide the learning paths into two levels: a basic,
introductory, and suitable for all categories of trainees, and an advanced, focused on
more targeted contexts and application objectives. For instance, in the advanced
level it’s recommendable to study the synergies among UNCCD and other conventions and initiatives for mitigating the effect of drought and climate change, such as
the UNDP/GEF funded project on “Coping with drought and climate change: best
use of climate information for reducing land degradation and conserving biodiversity.” That project supports sustainable livelihoods of drylands populations, promoting an integrated ecosystems management approach that hinges on better use of
local and scientific knowledge on climate in farming and herding. Given the complex but close linkages between droughts, land degradation, biodiversity, and climate change, the programme gives attention to the interface among the three Rio
Conventions: UNCCD, CBD, and UNFCCC. A very useful tool is the Sourcebook
of opportunities for enhancing cooperation among the Biodiversity-related
M. Zortea and S. Lucatello