Linking SOUV, World Heritage values and attributes

To be able to write a joint management plan, we need to agree on what we have to manage. A shared understanding of the key values and attributes is crucial. An important step for us was to facilitate meetings that brought  the national geological surveys in both Sweden and Finland together so they could discuss land uplift and ice age traces and consider the site in its totality. These discussions gave important insight on the geological attributes of the site. 

To get a clear overview of the key values of the property, excerpts from the SOUV for High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago were analysed and grouped together as seven key values. Attributes were listed for each key heritage value. This process gave a clear connection between the SOUV in the everyday work with WH management. It makes the abstract concept of World Heritage more tangibly associated to its management.

The analysis of the SOUV required involving professionals from different disciplines and getting them to discuss about what makes the WHS special. 

This step was first explored in the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) Assessment that was carried out at the site. The work done in the CVI project was crucial to linking SOUV, values and attributes together and it has been described in a separate PANORAMA solution (link below)

  • As a part of the CVI process we assessed the current condition and recent trend for the excerpts from our SOUV. This was done in a workshop with participants from both countries. The assessment helps in prioritization in WH management. 
  • In a transnational or serial WHS is it important to get specialists from different fields and different parts of the property to work together. We´ve learned that it is of great value to assess current condition and recent trend for WH values together with other stakeholders and specialists, as controversial results may raise many questions and perhaps skepticism. It is good to be able to show that the results are based on systematic work taking different views into consideration. And because of this broad base we know we can trust our results and conclusions.
  • It was easy to list the most important attributes in the periodic reporting 2023, but that wouldn´t have been the case if the periodic reporting would have been prior to the work we´ve done with SOUV, values and attributes. A clear and structured overview of values and attributes, and a better understanding of our SOUV is also helpful in interpretation, communication, and monitoring. 
  • Accessible information is also beneficial for people working with planning and permits in the area.
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East and South Africa
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Knowledge

IUCN Mozambique designed and started implementing the Knowledge Hubs with the MTA. The Knowledge Hibs, transversal to all IUCN´s projects in Mozambique, and installed in partnership with MTA and local Governments, in Government premisses, are a knowledge center to share IUCN´s website in portuguese as well as a deposit of manuals, knowledge tools and courses (e.g. ACADEMY) to scale-up the number of beneficiaries that may access conservation tools, while also to expand IUCN outreach, with a focus on those in rural areas and on women and youth.

Having a set of manuals and tools (e.g. NBS, OECMs, mangrove restoration, etc) from IUCN, complimented with tailored manuals for projects and communities in Mozambique, uploaded to a web platform, allows the youth and the communities in general, from conservation and buffer areas, as well as from coastal areas where IUCN operates, to have a systematic and open access to knowledge, resulting in a sustainable empowerment and transforming them in full fledge conservation and adaptation actors.

The knowledge hubs are a cost-efficient training tool as they are based on existing facilities and only dependant on a web and internet capacity. As possible, the knowledge program includes physical community exchange as well as in-person training of trainers.

Applicable knowledge solutions deployed to teams were the Blue Training in Practise, that trained over 20 professors and MTA staff, in mainstreaming coastal and marine management into local development plans and projects, as a  long-term cross-sectoral process on integration across biodiversity, climate and development plans; the training on the application of nature based solutions into local activities, which included the translation of IUCN course and manual into portuguese, allowing all to access the online official training and certified course.

The Knowledge Hubs, installed as open public spaces, have motivated other development and conservation actors to join and support with a diversity of in-kind and financial support, hence the knowledge hubs also play the partnerships and awareness raising role.

 

IUCN Mozambique / Government of Mozambique partnership, IUCN´ funding partners and members (e.g. WWF), local partners vision and leadership.

Clear investment plan and priorities, agreed internet supplier and content development and uploading competencies/actors.

Partnerships

Playing the role of a membership union, of which the Government of Mozambique is a partner, was the guiding principle for IUCN´s intervention. Mozambique hosts key IUCN members, such as Peace Parks Foundation, WCS, WWF as well as it is a beneficiary of the EU funded PANORAMA program. This was the basis for IUCN to assess interest and possible engagement and support to a knowledge and information sharing platform such as the Dialogue Platform.

Together with the Ministry of Land and Environment, via ANAC, Cooperation and Climate Change Directorates, IUCN initiated the approach to members as well as to local organisation and local governments, as a means to identify key thematic areas and key policy guidelines that were important to be discussed and obtain streamlined approaches and manuals and that required conservation and environment actors' engagement and agreement. 

The first edition of the Dialogue Platform was a success as it provide the floor to an open dialogue with Government on key biodiversity and conservation aspects as well as it was the forum where nationwide actors were able to meet and jointly appreciate best ways to work and to apply development funds. The first event also accommodated SOMN´s mangroves champion awards, which were jointly delivered by IUCN representative, the German Embassy representative and the MTA Permanent Secretary.

Important therefore to add that as partnerships play a key role to build joint voices and influence improved policy decisions, including those related to mainstreaming biodiversity and ecosystems based adaptation into ALL development projects, this activity further contributed to ensure that the key principles and priorities were shared and the voice is kept alive as the Dialogue maintains its activities, unfolded into thematic and specific sub themes such as land uses and concorrencial land uses. 

IUCN´s membership, IUCN´s outreach and positive image with donors and conservation actors, visibility and public image and, as before said, Government´s trust.

Early engagement and clearance of all steps and contents with Government, joint engagement to partners and members, one by one, as a manner to build a joint voice and identify common interest. Once achieved design and approve with the wider group a calendar of events and respective contents and speakers.

Processes

The process was based on (a) IUCN´s membership network and other conservation partners and (b) IUCN as a Government reliable partner. This basis allowed IUCN to mobilise and engage the network of conservation and environment actors around the government counterparts and openly discuss challenges and opportunities to scale-up interventions via a coordinated and complimentary approach. The Paris Declaration on aid efficiency was a tool to discuss how development aid is organised, and its use contribute also to inform participants on the flow of aid fluxes and how impact needs to be officially reported as a manner to show the good work of conservation and environment actors.

The process further designed a calendar of thematic events under the Environment umbrella, such us use of PNDT and MSP/POEM as a basis to design ecosystems based local development plans, derived from another IUCN´s support, and the evaluation and response to concorrencial uses of conservation and buffer areas. by doing it, IUCN supports Government in continuing its open dialogue with partners and actors, contributing to participation and good governance.

Underlying these activities is IUCN´s systematic dialogue with Government, providing the floor for trust and reliability to enhance IUCN´s role and impact on policy design and public participation.

IUCN´s membership role, MTA via ANAC as an IUCN member, Government´s trust in IUCN´s competencies and transparent engagement, IUCN´s results orientation vis-a-vis national goals and commitments and contribution for its achievement. 

Lessons learned start by understanding and committing to the continuity of the dialogue, above project dates and budgets - one cannot initiate and engage Government and partners in one activity and then drop it, it brakes confidence and use; it relates to linking the activities to a national to global purpose - we need to show how the action provides a results towards the 30x30 commitment, and efficient use of available knowledge, data and research as the basis to design efficient and sustainable interventions, in a very practical and cost efficient manner, particularly when addressing communities.

Furthermore, on coordination aspects, it is important to recall and share which policies and instruments guide development cooperation as Mozambique and development part are signatories of the Paris Declaration. It is further useful as a mechanism to address in particular conservation and environment, as it allows to put pressure on development funding and national planning to also include these as priorities in both flows.

Partnerships

Cross-cutting partnerships were the basis for the glocal achievement. Initially, in partnership with the World Bank, partner that supported the development of the documents and agreed with IUCN that as the WB was phasing out IUCN could/should continue with the process as a reliable partner - this included co-funding one staff member for 6 months so the staff member could represent both entities until document development closure. Then by partnering with WWF and WCS, for their direct contribution with biodiversity data for the PNDT and the MSP - with a focus on WCS and the National Biodiversity database that was fully integrated in the above referred documents. Partnerships extended to all planning and conservation partners by maintaining a continuous information sharing system to ensure streamlined knowledge, support, understanding and engagement.

The principal partnership to be refer reports again to the Government. Good governance and policy making in a country is the Government's role and mandate. For policies to be improved or adopt it requires Government decision. And it requires also a transparent, reliable and efficient dialogue and capacities from the contributing partner. And this is where IUCN delivered at its best and expanded this engagement to its members.

 

IUCN´s membership role, IUCN´s dialogue and skills competencies, trusted partner to the Government.

Understanding of the subject and availability of skilled staff, membership and partners regularly informed and the capacity to build a common voice, a common force, capacity and openness for joint and complimentary planning with the network. Avoid single voice and multiple positioning.

Knowledge

Mangrove Knowledge and related scientific data were the entry point to inform planners and decision makers of the socio-economic importance of mangroves, from community income to coastal adaptation. Via SOMN studies on the country´s mangrove uses and the Global Mangrove Alliance data, IUCN established first a common voice with members and key conservation actors (WWF, WCS, Centro Terra Viva, BIOFUND, ABIODES and Government institutions) on mangrove advocacy. IUCN and SOMN further contributed to the elaboration and approval of the National Mangrove Strategy, where goals, approaches and restoration principles were approved by Government and partners.

With this as a basis, it was upscaled to the national strategies, namely the National Territorial Development Plan, which leads development with a sustainability and biodiversity vision and where a full Mozambique biodiversity wealth is mapped. Mangroves being a part of it, it allows local governments and local top community to conservation areas to be able to identify hotspots for conservation and key priority areas for restoration. It further provides geographic and quantitative information to let conservation actors and NGOs to easily identify and monitor progress, for their conservation interventions.

Existing data and studies, IUCN´s network of members and partnerships, IUCN´s trust and reliability vis-a-vis policy makers.

While this building block was important per se, it could one be materialised with the next two: processes and partnerships. IUCN´s acceptance by the Government and by partners was quintessential, ensure engagement and ownership at each step before moving to other, data quality and, at last but not at least full availability to work with Government as required to adapt and mainstream recommendations and data as required by the legal framework.