The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has joined as the latest partner to the PANORAMA – Solutions for a Healthy Planet Initiative, in the role of co-coordinator of PANORAMA’s “Protected Areas” (PA) thematic community.
With IUCN, who have set up the “Protected Areas” theme, UNDP will identify and promote successful approaches to protected area management and governance. Working in around 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities and being a key provider of technical assistance to protected areas around the world, UNDP brings added strength to PANORAMA through its vast network, outstanding institutional reputation, diverse expertise and large project portfolio.
UNDP, in close collaboration with IUCN, plans to systematically document lessons from past and ongoing PA projects as “solutions”, and to support uptake of good practices through knowledge-brokering. Both partners plan to convene joint learning workshops on key PA topics, relying on PANORAMA’s “solutioning” methodology, and to prepare joint communication and knowledge products. Awards and contests will identify and celebrate innovation. Further, UNDP will act as a champion for PANORAMA’s other thematic areas, contributing by making links to its ongoing initiatives.
IUCN and UNDP already worked together in 2013 on a GEF funded project for building capacity on protected area management through knowledge sharing and innovation, which helped to develop a prototype PANORAMA online platform and build up a portfolio of “solution” case studies. These formed the nucleus of the current PANORAMA “Protected areas” theme.
The collaboration has now been rekindled through the inaugural Pathfinder Award for innovation in nature conservation, which celebrates solutions for protected and conserved area financing and resourcing. The award has attracted around 200 nominations, and all eligible nominated solutions are published on the PANORAMA web platform. Co-organizing the award with IUCN has led UNDP to express interest in formally joining the PANORAMA partnership.
The 14th UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP14), held in Egypt this month, not only provided the venue for celebrating the Pathfinder Award winners and launching PANORAMA’s new “Business engagement” theme, but also served as the occasion to officially welcome UNDP to PANORAMA.