Scientific Capacity Building for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries

-A New Program under the Framework of the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research-

1. BACKGROUND

Human capacity building, in particular, scientific capacity building in developing countries is one of the priority requirements to improve their own policy-making. Therefore, the Plan of Implementation for the WSSD states the necessity of strengthening networks for science and education for sustainable development with the aim of sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices, and building scientific capacities, particularly in developing countries

The Ministry of the Environment, Japan is proposing to establish a new program dedicated to scientific capacity building for sustainable development under the framework of an existing network for science, namely the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN).

APN is an intergovernmental network established in 1996 to foster global environmental change research in the Asia-Pacific region, to increase developing country participation in that research, and to strengthen interactions between the science community and policy makers.

2. OBJECTIVES

To develop scientific capacity in developing countries to improve their decision-making in the target areas of climate change, and water and food security which are directly linked to sustainable development.

3. ACTIVITIES

(a) Capacity building of researchers in developing countries through the implementation of comprehensive research programs on climate change prediction, impacts, adaptation and mitigation.

(b) Enhanced sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change between regions in the world.

(c) Capacity building of policy makers and the public by dissemination the outcomes of research activities.

4. ANTICIPATED PARTNERS

APN member countries and research institutions in Asia-Pacific region