WMO Document Template s19

JCOMM-5/INF. 8.1, p. 2

[All amendments in the document have been made by the Secretariat]

CONSOLIDATED SUMMARY OF CAPACITY-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES SINCE JCOMM-4

Introduction and Background

Capacity development (CD) is a high priority for both WMO and IOC; JCOMM activities related to specialized education and training in marine meteorology, physical oceanography and data management, have been focusing on programme support and implementation/delivery through the Programme Areas (PAs).

JCOMM agreed that this general direction and these principles should be kept for the next intersessional period, and requested its Management Committee to assign one member to oversee the overall activities in this area. At JCOMM-4, the Commission noted that workshops and training undertaken under the Programme Areas (PAs) during the past intersessional period have been successful, which should assist developing countries – particularly least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS) – to enhance capabilities for marine meteorological and oceanographic services and delivery. The Commission also further expressed appreciation: 1) that both UNESCO/IOC and WMO had made continued efforts to facilitate access to a wide range of training materials through OceanTeacher (http://www.oceanteacher.org) developed by the IODE of UNESCO/IOC, and WMOLearn (https://public.wmo.int/en/resources/training/wmolearn) managed by the WMO Education and Training Programme (ETRP); 2) welcomed the OceanTeacher Global Academy initiative, being developed by IODE, which allows training courses to take place simultaneously in multiple locations through the use of video conferencing technology.

Furthermore, the Commission requested the Management Committee to carry out an assessment of the effectiveness of training courses, workshops and capacity building efforts undertaken by JCOMM and its associated bodies in order to better understand the success and impacts of these initiatives, gaps, evaluate the sustainability of the learning, and make proposals for future work.

This paper aims to respond to the Commission’s request to carry out an assessment of JCOMM capacity development efforts to better understand the success and impacts of these initiatives, gaps, challenges, and sustainability; as well as recommendations for future capacity development. Firstly, it provides a brief background and an intercomparison analysis of the WMO and IOC Capacity Development Strategy. Some of the JCOMM capacity building activities (DBCP, CIFDP, as well as the ones under OceanTeacher) in the 2012-2017 intersessional period are presented to highlight JCOMM initiatives. It draws on the recent JCOMM Performance Assessment: Stakeholder Survey carried out in 2016 in order to have an understanding of the success, influence, and impacts of these JCOMM initiatives on national meteorological and oceanographic organizations and institutions. It highlights JCOMM stakeholders’ perspective of gaps, challenges and recommendations of how to improve capacity development in the next five years. A rating/gap analysis based on Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Secretariat oversight and perspective is provided on JCOMM capacity-development activities[1] carried out in conjunction with GOOS. To conclude, the paper outlines a JCOMM CD vision, structure and workplan for the next intersessional period.

JCOMM Capacity Development Strategy

JCOMM is jointly sponsored by WMO and UNESCO/IOC and therefore its capacity-development (CD) activities operate within, and draw upon, the overall principles of its governing bodies (See Table 1). The primary objective of JCOMM CD is to enhance the implementation of the overall JCOMM Programme through enhancing capacity in all Members/Member States to contribute to and benefit from JCOMM. Specific JCOMM-focused CD activities are implemented by the respective PAs and included in their respective workplans. The JCOMM PAs are:

1.  Observation

2.  Services and Forecasting

3.  Data Management

JCOMM decided, at its fourth session in May 2012, to make further efforts for the following types of activities:

IOC Capacity Development Strategy

The IOC Capacity Development Strategy (2015-2021) was adopted by the IOC Assembly at its twenty-eighth session (Paris, 18–25 June 2015) in Resolution XXVIII-2.

The vision of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy is derived from the IOC Vision and

High-Level Objectives for 2014–2021 (IOC Medium-Term Strategy, IOC/INF-1314) and also from risks and opportunities related to ocean and coasts.

The vision statement of IOC’s Capacity Development Strategy:

Through international cooperation, IOC assists its Member States to collectively achieve the IOC’S high-level objectives (HLOs), with particular attention to ensuring that all Member States have the capacity to meet them.

In 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted the Oceans and the Law of the Sea Resolution (A/RES/69/245) which reiterated the essential need for cooperation, including through capacity building and transfer of marine technology, “to ensure that States, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, as well as coastal African States, are able both to implement the Convention and to benefit from the sustainable development of the oceans and seas, as well as to participate fully in global and regional forums and processes dealing with oceans and law of the sea issues.” 2015 will mark the establishment of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which is expected to be integrated as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Very recently at the twenty-ninth IOC Assembly, 21-29 June 2017, Member States recalled the cross-cutting role of ocean science in SDG14 and particularly target SDG14.a. - that, interalia, calls for Member States to “increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer of marine technology taking into account the IOC Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology [IOCCGTMT] ( … )”, and the IOC custodianship role for SDG14, particularly under targets 14.3 and 14.a. As such, Member States recognized the need to address existing gaps in ocean scientific knowledge, and that a global and multi-stakeholder framework of concerted and cooperative actions is needed to support ocean research, its applications and links to policy-making, sustained observations and services, with related capacity development and in accordance with the IOC CGTMT, in order to meet the 2030 Agenda. In this context, the Assembly endorsed the proposal (Resolution XXIX -1) for an International (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to be established for the period 2021–2030. IOC has a unique international position and increasing leadership in ocean science, services and capacity development through:

(a) Fostering international cooperation for sustained observations of the oceans;

(b) Generating oceanographic data and information products and services and interaction between research, operational, user communities and decision-makers in order to derive maximum societal benefit from new knowledge to achieve the High Level Objectives of the IOC. The IOC will mainstream its natural and social science approach to capacity development in its Member States and, in particular, in Priority Africa, SIDS and Gender Equality.

This CD strategic framework provides six outputs and numerous activities that are outlined below. These outputs call for investing in people and the institutions of which they are a part, enhancing access to scientific tools and methodologies, reinforcing IOC capabilities to provide services to Member States, enhancing the communication between scientific and policy makers communities, expanding ocean literacy in civil society and mobilising resources to accomplish these goals.

While this framework provides general guidance on elements of an implementation plan yet to be fully developed, elevating the impact of IOC to the scale required is contingent on:

·  Reinforcing and valuing IOC staff at global and regional levels and, where necessary, participating national ocean scientific and governance institutions;

·  Integrating IOC global and regional mechanisms to rapidly expand Member State participation in IOC programmes:

-  Empowering IOC regional sub-commissions and other subsidiary bodies to engage with Member States, expanding collaboration and capacity development (including transfer of marine technology) on their coastal and marine affairs priorities;

-  Strengthening global science programmes to increase scientific engagement with Member State coastal and marine priorities;

·  Recommitting to partnerships through the IOC with its Member States, UN organizations and other agencies, scientific community and civil society;

·  Mobilizing resources, e.g., personnel, funds, knowledge, and observing networks, to deliver the capacity development on which science, services and human communities depend;

·  Continued attention to “enabling institutional conditions” as identified in discussions on “The Future of IOC”.

The conclusions identify elements of a draft workplan including conducting needs assessments to establish CD workplans, mobilizing associated resources and enhanced communication and collaboration. During 2015–2021, this strategy proposes a framework of outputs and activities summarized in Table 1 (a) below.

WMO Capacity Development Strategy

Capacity Development Vision

Stronger NMHSs to meet society’s need for information on weather, climate and water for the safety and well-being of people throughout the world.

Capacity Development Mission

To facilitate a holistic and integrated approach to sustainable capacity development of NMHSs especially in developing countries, LDCs and SIDSs through: advocacy, education and training, outreach, partnerships and resource mobilization, demonstration and pilot projects, service delivery and research.

The need for WMO capacity development assistance is grounded on the Convention of WMO which recognizes that Members need to work with each other and with other organizations to coordinate, standardize, improve and encourage efficiencies in the exchange of information to further their application to the needs of society. The Convention further notes the vital mission of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in the provision of weather, climate and water observations and services, and their contributions to addressing societal needs. WMO implements its Programmes through the NMHSs of its Members and utilizes the capabilities of NMHSs to provide effective services for the safety and well-being of society. The scope of services provided by NMHSs has increased as the need for environmental information has grown. Increasing vulnerability of many societies to natural hazards and extreme weather events, and sensitivity of national economies to climate variability and change, have exposed gaps in the existing capabilities of NMHSs, particularly those of developing countries, least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS). The World Meteorological Congress at its sixteenth session (Cg-XVI), considered that the collaborative work of WMO depends on observations and technical contributions from developing and developed country NMHSs alike, and therefore assisting the NMHSs in developing countries to fill these gaps is necessary to the work of WMO, and benefits all WMO Members.

Cg-XVI adopted the WMO Strategic Plan which recognizes “capacity building for the developing and least developed countries” as one of the five strategic priority areas expected to make a significant contribution to the achievement of the Expected Results”. To further elaborate how capacity building as a cross-cutting priority will be addressed and, in light of the factors discussed above, Cg-XVI adopted Resolution 49 (Cg-XVI) - WMO Strategy for Capacity Development (CDS).

The purpose of the CDS is to provide a coordinated and cohesive approach to capacity- development activities by WMO in assisting Members to meet their mandates and contribute to the goals of the WMO. The overall objective of the CDS is to foster effective capacity- development assistance to WMO Members and facilitate sustainable development of their National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), particularly in developing countries, LDCs and SIDS. The CDS seeks to build upon existing capacities in NMHSs, reduce duplication and utilize opportunities to leverage investments in strategic partnerships and synergies, while integrating the roles and requirements of regional associations, technical commissions, WMO co-sponsored Programmes as well as WMO Programmes within the strategic priority areas in the provision of development assistance to Members.

While the CDS requires a collaborative approach to what is a common goal, particular emphasis is given to the role of the national governments, especially in planning and sustaining the capabilities of the NMHSs in partnership with regional and global community, and in recognition of the importance of the NMHSs to public safety, security, national development and general social and economic benefits which flow from weather, climate and hydrological services. Correspondingly, the CDS is designed to have its greatest impact at country level. WMO in its facilitator role will focus on strengthening NMHSs, enhancing sub-regional, regional and global cooperation while providing a framework for NMHSs to advocate services which further national policies, strategies and plans.

Distinction is made between “capacity building” and “capacity development”. The former approaches development as if no capacity currently exists, and the latter considers existing capacities with an emphasis on a more holistic approach and national ownership of the development process. WMO use of the term “capacity development” is to recognize that, in most cases, WMO assistance to NMHSs must be informed by existing and planned capacities. The CDS recognizes that there are four types of NMHS capacity: institutional, infrastructural, procedural and human resources. These four dimensions of capacities are distinct yet inter-related and must be considered holistically to achieve sustainable capacity development. The CDS also recognizes that WMO capacity-development activities should be monitored and results evaluated for sustainability over time. The WMO Capacity Development Strategy, (https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/dra/documents/WMO_Capacity_Development_Strategy.doc), identifies six strategic objectives and corresponding Strategic Approaches summarized as indicated in Table 1 (b).

Intercomparison between IOC and WMO Capacity Development Strategies

Both the IOC and WMO CD Strategies have six strategic outcomes and or objectives and corresponding activities or strategic approaches. There are several similarities and few differences between the IOC and WMO Capacity Development strategies. Similarities in the two strategies include increase education, research, human resources, visibility, awareness, strengthening of global, regional and sub-regional mechanisms and sustained resource mobilization for CD. Apparent differences is that the IOC Capacity Development Strategy includes access to physical infrastructure established or improved while the WMO strategy starts by explicitly defining the required capacities and deficiencies; emphasizes on ownership; as well as optimizing knowledge management. Overall, it can be concluded that there are no substantive differences between the two strategies.