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Tools for Building Political Success in Forest ProtectionUnited Nations Development Programme

1UNDP FocusOn the ground in 166 countries neutralityMillennium Development Goals, + overarching goal of cutting poverty in half by 2015. Helping countries build and share solutions to the challenges of: Democratic Governance Poverty Reduction Crisis Prevention and Recovery Environment and Energy HIV/AIDS Human rights and the empowerment of women in all activities. Non-partisan: strong framework for UNDP parliamentary programmesUNDP is one of the largest providers of democratic governance technical cooperation globally, spending over $5.13 billion worldwide in the period 2004-2007Democratic governance remains the largest priority area for UNDP development cooperation, comprising 41 percent of its overall portfolio

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52 UNDP Parliamentary Development projects (2009)Latin America and the Caribbean : 3 projectsAfrica: 21 projectsEurope and CIS: 8 projectsAsia-Pacific: 13 projectsArab Region: 7 projectsUNDPs role in parliamentary development has grown significantly in the past decade. In 19941995, only six countries had projects for parliamentary strengthening. By 2007, UNDP was supporting parliaments in some 65 countries . Parliamentary Development has been one of the more successful thematic areas under DGG. In the past ten years, mainly as a result of the Global Programme for Parliamentary Support (GPPS) (see attached for further details), DGG has become a leader in the filed of parliamentary development, both globally and in two key regions: Arab States and West Africa.

Parliamentary Development

Legislative roleRepresentative roleParliament-Government relations and oversightParliamentary Administration

1) Legislative role: Legislation review and drafting Parliaments role in economic developmentPolicy analysis and research capacity Supporting the committee system2) Representative roleSupporting the participation of women and minorities in parliament Parliamentary institutional outreach and civic education Supporting constituency relations 3) Plmt government relations and oversightImproving parliaments role in ensuring financial accountabilityBuilding government-parliament relationsWorking with party caucuses4) Parliamentary AdministrationParliamentary infrastructureSecretariat staff organization and managementParliamentary information management + MAINSTREAMINGUNDP programmes with executive branches of government, civil society and the media: important that these sectoral programmes recognize the vital role of parliaments in all national governance processes. UNDP programmes can also support the creation and ongoing work of a parliamentary committee on sectoral issues (health, HIV/AIDS, gender equality)

Institutional and legal frameworkConstitutional reform Rules of procedure and framework laws Institutional development plans

4Methodology

Advocacy Programme design, implementation and evaluationKnowledge products (Manuals, web-based information, practice notes)Capacity development and regional working groupsPartnerships (e-parliament, APF, CPA, SADC PF, IPU, NDI, IDEA, EC, WBI, French National Assembly and Senate)Monitoring Trends (global and regional innovations in parliamentary development)Sharing experiences and best practices

5UNDP Global Environment FacilityGlobal Environment Facility (GEF) 8.74 billion USD categories: biological diversity, climate change, international waters and ozone depletion (+ new areas: land degradation and persistent organic pollutant)Small Grant Programme (NGOs)+ co-funded project Institutionalizing Payment for Ecosystems Services and supporting pilot PES globally and building up regional capacity for policy makers.The latest generation of UNDP GEF projects are being designed to support PES in various countries, such as Argentina Colombia China (including product and service pricing, market transactions, and producer capacity to engage in the PES schemes).

As of February 2009, UNDP's GEF-funded projects amount to approximately US$ 8.74 billion (US$ 2.69 billion in GEF Grants and US$ 6.05 in co-financing) representing over 570 full and medium-size projects as well as more than 370 enabling activities. The Small Grants Programme, which supports small-scale activities in GEF focal areas and the generation of sustainable livelihoods by non-governmental and community-based organizations in more than 119 developing countries, is worth another US$738.7 million (US$ 410 million in GEF grants and US$328.7 million in co-financing). UNDP-implemented projects and programmes are primarily managed by the organization's extensive network of over 130 country offices, with the central UNDP GEF environment team providing technical guidance and support. UNDP has a global GEF co-funded project Institutionalizing PES which is implemented by Forest Trends .This is supporting pilot PES globally and building up regional capacity for policy makers.Argentina UNDP GEF project will support the operation and implementation of a national forest PES scheme created from national legislation and fundsColombia UNDP GEF project will support development of PES (water and carbon) for coffee farmers in coffee highlands, in association with the Coffee Federation of Colombia, to supplement farmer income from coffee saleChina UNDP GEF project will support a province in China set up a water PES schemeIn general it looks like government funded PES schemes will be more likely than private generated schemes, at least at scale, and this gives us a clear role and opportunity to assist in forest conservation impact through PES schemes.

6Tools for Parliamentarians to Deliver Change on Forest Protection

MPs are the intermediary between government action and citizens demandsStrategy - Action Plan Actors - ResourcesHow use parliamentary tools:Legislation (Laws, Regulation, Policies)Oversight (QP, Committee hearings)Representation (Creating demand / Building support)Partners: Political parties, like-minded MPs, media, civil society, citizens, NGOs, academics.

7Legislation

SourcesGovernment drafts legislationParliamentary CommitteesIndividual MPs2) Amendment or new Forestry Law & Regulation?3) Comparative experience - FAOLEX

WHEN IS AN AMENDMENT OR NEW LAW THE RIGHT CHOICE? OTHER OPTIONS HAVE NOT WORKEDPARTY SUPPORTS THE AMENDMENT OR NEW LAW LEGISLATION WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM OR ADDRESS THE CONCERNAMENDING A CURRENT LAW WHERE A LAW IS NOT MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS (out-of-date, ineffective, etc.) CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE LAW WAS ORIGINALLY PASSED WHERE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO CERTAIN ARTICLES AND THE ARTICLES ARE NOW POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLEPASSING A NEW DRAFT LAW CURRENTLY NO LAW THAT ADDRESSES A CONCERN A NEW LAW IS THE BEST MEANS OF ADDRESSING THE CONCERN THERE IS GOVERNMENT APPARATUS TO SUPPORT A NEW LAWnational conservation strategy and the Forestry Action Plan, as well as improvement of policies and legislative instruments for the rational exploration and development of mineral, energy, water and other natural resources8Oversight

Question periodCommittee workPetitions and resolutionsDebates

Question period: Ask Ministry of Environment / for evaluation of the impact of energy policies on the forests, what are the measures taken against deforestation? Steps taken by the government to xxx 9Question periodUse personal storiesBe persistentPush for media coverage

Committee WorkAsk relevant questions when draft law is before the committeeSeek committee hearings / consultationsPush for media coveragePetitions/ Res.Use petitions to draw attention to citizen supportHave the petition committee review itHave resolutions debated on opposition days or adjournment debates

DebatesFind an angle to raise your initiativeBe persistent

Building Support Creating Demand

MP must build support for the legislative initiative:Political partyOther MPS / Cross-party Forest GroupsCitizensInterested GroupsGovernment State Forestry DepartmentUniversities

How: Meetings with citizens, Constituency work, internet & e-mails, communicationThe Party: what is the position of your party on the issue? Use internal structure (policy conventions, caucus debates) to gain an endorsement of the initiative. Support from the party leader (leadership) is crucialOther MPS: concerns from citizens might be heard by other MPS. If more than one MP brings an idea or concept for legislation to the party or the parliament, it is more likely to be endorsed. Peer review is an important part of vetting potential laws. Citizens and interested groups: when the gvt knows that an MP is speaking for many citizens', it is more likely to pay attention to the MPs suggestion. Find a means to have citizens opinions expressed to the gvt (petitions, letters, public rallies, etc). Other interested groups can help build support for suggested groupsGovernment: A parliament can pass any law, but it is the ministries that ,must implement the laws. If a law is to be effective, it must supported by the government. Private meetings with gvt officials can lead to a consensus on a draft law or amendment. Finally, find champions within the government to support you.BUILD SUPPORT FOR AN INITIATIVE:

Action Plan + Best tools + ConsultationEngage citizens and CSOs Use media to get the message disseminatedSeek support from party and fellow MPs Use parliamentary Tools (draft laws, QP, committees) to your advantageKnowledge: FAOLEX, other experiences + networking

http://faolex.fao.org/faolex/http://sgp.undp.org

13THANK YOU14