Be creative with the methodology

Training on an intersectoral topic such as climate change and health is more challenging for participants because their academic and practical background knowledge might not cover both topics. The training will likely cover a lot of new information for each participant. Given the complexity of the topic, it is even more important to develop and utilise a wide range of methodological approaches to maintain energy levels and focus during the training.

Interactive and innovative methods require good preparation from the presenters. It is often necessary to prepare aids or specific content. Using some methods can be challenging for participants who have never encountered them before and may take more time than originally anticipated.

  • Add several animated or guided group work sessions
    • For example: divide participants into different subgroups (i.e. by disease type: vector-borne, water and foodborne, airborne, zoonotic, direct impact) and have them work out which diseases to choose, how to investigate the link (vulnerability assessment), and how to adapt to climate impacts (national public health adaptation planning)
  • Refrain from lengthy reports that repeat the previous day's content; instead, ask questions in the form of a group game (quiz);
  • Share slides and summaries so participants can interact more freely and don't feel the urge to note everything down;
  • Use a different icebreaker each day so the group gets to know each other better;
  • Schedule site visits, guest lectures, and organise poster presentations to be held by participants.
Design tailored trainings to a specific purpose

The relationship between climate change and health is very complex, as many different fields come together at this intersection. The training experience showed that there is a need to tailor the training to the participants. This should be based on the previous knowledge of the participants, their professional position and the general level of implementation of climate and health activities in their respective countries.
Based on the experience utilizing the training manual in practice, several customized formats are conceivable:

  • Beginner and advanced level training formats;
  • Thematic training: introduction to the scientific link between health and climate change;
  • Policy training: in-depth exercises to develop core policy documents such as a climate risk and vulnerability assessment and a national public health adaptation plan;
  • Climate governance training: analysis of the Ministry of Health's respective positions on climate – identifying how to integrate climate issues into health policy, how to develop climate policy documents, learning about possible coordination mechanisms, highlighting the international mechanisms on climate change, how to mainstream climate issues in the Ministry of Health

The success of tailoring the training depends on the information available at the preparation level and the skills and flexibility of the trainer. Prior questionnaires for participants can help determine their interest and prior experience. The trainer should have knowledge of climate change, health, hydrometeorology, and the environment, as well as being proficient in the core documents of the fields. Since this is a rare profile, determining the goal of the training early on also makes it easier to find a suitable trainer.

  • Potential instructors must be very experienced as the manual covers several different topics;
  • Using the 16 modules of this training in 5 days is too much content and leaves little time to apply more diverse training methods;
  • Objectives should be clearly stated from the very beginning of the process;
  • The preparation, coordination and implementation of the training requires a dedicated support team in the hosting country with enough time, personnel and budget resources.
Focus on regionalisation

Bringing together different stakeholders not only from different sectors (health, environment, hydrometeorology, university, etc.), but importantly also from different countries in the same region, allows participants to network, share their experiences, and find contextually appropriate, concrete and immediately applicable solutions. The use of a regional trainer helps to address sensitive issues related to governance and finance, and to relate theory to practical examples from the regional context.

The selection of appropriate participants depends on prior knowledge of the stakeholder landscapes of the participating countries. It is essential to be able to identify decision makers in the respective ministries who can place the topic in the policy dialogue.
Regarding the trainer, it is important to find a person with appropriate experience on the link between climate change and health, as well as expertise in andragogy.

  • The number of participating counties should be limited to three to keep the total size of the group below 30 while still including diverse stakeholders.
  • One starting point in identifying participating countries is the mix of topics according to their implementation status (developed documents and studies, pledges, etc).
  • There are very few suitable trainers, especially for francophone countries: a database should be developed and shared among partners. This would also enable continuity of the training and familiarity with the format and content.
Strengthening of community organization

Under the "Strengthening community organization" component, the project worked with the Tanta community to develop a livestock management strategy, with the support of a specialist, to improve livestock management in the community’s farm territory. The objective was to fortify the community’s collective decision-making process in regards to the management of its natural resources, thus contributing to the recovery of grazing areas, which in turn ensures having the necessary level of food for livestock and improving both productivity and ecosystem services for water regulation.

The livestock management strategy has been the product of a participatory process facilitated by Instituto de Montaña and led by the authorities and the community's livestock department (committee). As part of this process, visual materials (maps and infographics) have been developed to graphically represent the proposed management plan and rotation of livestock among the different sectors of the communal farm. These visual materials are exhibited in the community premises so that the community members can follow up on the plan and the agreements and commitments made by all.

  • Participatory approach to decision-making and planning.
  • Interest and commitment of the local population.
  • Relationship of trust between the community and the implementing institutions.
  • Availability and commitment of the authorities in charge, such as the boards of directors and specialized committees.
  • Traditional knowledge of the local population and technical knowledge of external experts.
  • Participation of the Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve (NYCLR) team.
  • Working on community strengthening and organization is a process that takes time but is essential to achieve long-term results.

  • The project needs to be flexible enough to modify plans in the face of unexpected situations. This also contributes to building trust.

  • In the face of the initial distrust towards external institutions, the permanent presence of Instituto de Montaña's field staff and their involvement in the community's day-to-day life was important.

Planning as a basic tool for organization and adaptation

Parallel to the implementation of the school, the organization's strategic planning process was carried out by incorporating the EbA approach, which included aspects related to climate change and the use of ecosystems. In both organisations, strategic and prospective visions were built, which took into account the scenarios that global warming will generate on the coast.

It was essential to connect three concepts: ecosystem, women's fabric and markets. This connection is a multidimensional interrelationship that articulates the care of nature (wetland), the safeguarding of culture (women's weaving) and the use of economic opportunities (markets). This interrelationship would not be possible without the protection of the environment through good wetland behavior. This means, good wetland management practices, based on the project's capacity building.

Improved adaptation through capacity building, can turn climate change into an opportunity and open up a wider range of new alternatives for women. In order to achieve this understanding, it was important to produce didactic support materials and use panels in the training centers of both groups. This also included trips to the wetland to identify the key services that make the reed crafts possible. Adaptation to climate change is a dynamic process that involves a lot of memory, understanding and action.

Site selection and socio-environmental analysis

The overall objective of the initiative was to increase the resilience of a local neighborhood. Therefore, an adequate implementation site had to be identified, with the potential to increase the quality of life of the local community and to showcase solutions to typical environmental problems that are present in the city of San José del Cabo.

 

The implementation site was selected by the Municipal Planning Institute of Los Cabos, by taking into consideration the following selection criteria

  • accessibility to the site
  • available allies
  • presence of environmental problems to be addressed
  • crime rate
  • support by the local government
  • available services (electricity, water supply) 
  • available funding

After the site was selected, a socio-environmental analysis and a topographical survey was conducted by the Urban Oasis Alliance (consisting of the organizations Niparajá, Urbanería, EPI). The objective of these analyses was to identify the current status of the park, including the the environmental services it provided, the environmental and social risks that were present in the space, the user types, the different ways in which the community was using the park, perceived and existing risks and other social and environmental factors. 

  • Committed local government to support the process of the site selection and definition of the objectives of the initiative 
  • Applying adequate criteria for selecting the site 
  • Using this planning phase for forming alliances with governmental entities, local organizations, the local community and other relevant stakeholders
  • The preparation phase requieres almost as much time as the actual implementation 
  • The criteria that are applied to select the site have to match the overall and specific objectives of the initiative 
  • The implementation partners should be involved from the very beginning, hence, during the selection of the site
DISCUSS OH INTEGRATION

The adoption of the One Health approach in biodiversity-related projects requires an open and participatory discussion among all actors and stakeholders involved and affected by the project itself. The discussion will build on the results of project analysis, collaboratively planning how (principles) and where (gate entries) the One Health approach can be applied and identifying what (measures) can be done to ensure integration is optimal and relevant. The review team will lead the preparation of an action plan to ensure that fundamental factors (enabling conditions) are met and guide the operationalisation of the OH component at the human-animal-environment interface.

  • Engage a wide spectrum of actors and stakeholders in the discussion, ensuring the representation of different sectors and groups that are affected by the project
  • Promote an open dialogue among all actors, to promote exchange and integration between scientific and traditional knowledge

The integration of One Health in biodiversity-related projects can be a complex process. Three strategies can ease the task and support the review team in achieving the goal. The clarification of the One Health definition in the context of the specific project to ensure all actors share the same understanding of the approach and the value of its integration in the project. The identification of a narrow scope for the adoption of the OH approach within the project to test the capacity of the team in establishing new partnerships, working across disciplines, and creating initiatives that differ from their usual business. The engagement of external assessors, experts in the operationalisation of One Health, to support the team through the collaborative process to identify the opportunities of collaboration at the biodiversity-health nexus.

EXPLORE ENABLING CONDITIONS

Enabling conditions determine the success of the OH integration in the project. Their accomplishment is necessary to create a suitable environment for sustainable and optimal collaborations and activities. The enabling conditions identified in the framework include a conducive political environment that encourages government and non-state actors across all relevant organisational levels to willingly collaborate; infrastructure, tools and processes that ease the sharing of data and enable the co-design of multisectoral interventions at the human-animal-environment interface; a detailed stakeholder mapping that allows the identification of strengths and potentials across different actors and promotes the establishment of valuable collaboration; and a meaningful investment that sustains the application of the One Health approach in new or existing project.

  • Conduct a thorough analysis of the policy context in the country of intervention, to identify government and non-state initiatives that support OH operationalisation
  • Analyse the infrastructures and assets already available in the project that can ease the collaboration and communication with other sectors and initiatives

The failure to meet the enabling conditions does not automatically disqualify a project to include a One Health approach. However, it may hinder the actual operationalisation of the integration within the project. Small scale initiatives that require a limited investment may represent a viable option to pilot the integration of One Health at the biodiversity-health nexus even when not all enabling conditions are met. The initiatives will help the generation of evidence and support the case of One Health among policymakers and investors, eventually boosting the enabling conditions for future interventions.

LEVERAGE MEASURES

Measures are interventions or activities that are already implemented in the project and can allow building a One Health component within its scope. They enable the operationalisation of the One Health integration in an optimal and relevant way. The framework identifies eight measures, including Education and Awareness, Policy Development, Capacity Development, Collaborative Platforms, Community Engagement, Information Sharing, Surveillance and Early Warning, and Research.

  • Refer to the provided definitions of each measure to ensure a correct understanding of its meaning in reference to the analysis framework
  • Review the project simply by looking for the gate entries and avoid jumping to quick conclusions regarding the adoption of the One Health approach

The measures proposed in the analysis framework are commonly found in biodiversity and conservation projects. The challenge here is to leverage them to allow the integration of the One Health approach in the project. The activity or component can be re-designed and re-planned working across sectors and adding the perspectives of different disciplines and actors. The transformed and integrated measure will increase its value and lead to bigger impacts at the biodiversity-health nexus.

IDENTIFY GATE ENTRIES

Gate entries are thematic areas in which the project conducts activities or actions that have the potential to link into a OH approach. They represent real opportunities to integrate and transform project goals and One Health goals into a common goal. At the biodiversity-health nexus, the framework identifies five main key gate entries: Emerging Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Agriculture Production and Food Safety, Climate Change and Risk Reduction, Wildlife Trade and Consumption, and Biodiversity Conservation (including Nature-Based Solutions, Protected Areas, and Wildlife Management).

  • Refer to the provided definitions of gate entries to ensure a correct understanding of their meaning in reference to the analysis framework

There may be more than one gate entry to the biodiversity-health nexus in the same project. However, it is recommended to focus only on one gate entry to initiate the integration of the OH approach. The process requires efforts and resources to establish new partnerships, co-design new project components, and put in place measures and infrastructures to allow the communication, collaboration, coordination and capacity building across sectors and disciplines. A narrow focus can ease the process and increase the rate of success. Evidence generated in small-scale initiatives can eventually support their replication at a wider scale and inform the development of policies on the operationalisation of One Health in biodiversity-related projects.