Building policy-maker capacity to action science
| Project title | Building policy-maker capacity to action science |
| Implementing Institutions | Institute of Natural Resource NPC (INR), Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife and Environment Society (WESSA), Howick, KwaZulu-Natal South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Cape Town, Western Cape |
| Country(ies) | South Africa |
| Abstract | The project will develop and use an ecosystem services (ES) game to communicate the importance of biodiversity and ES, enable uptake of knowledge from the IPBES work programme and regional assessment, and facilitate the use of this information in policy development and decision-making. The game will include different value systems and present implications of alternative policy options on biodiversity and ES in user-friendly way. The study will target public policy and decision-makers at multiple scales in South Africa with potential wider application to other decision-making units and regions. |
| Project Description | Environmental governance mediates the flow of ecosystem services. A poor understanding of the dynamic interactions between drivers of change, ecosystems and human well-being hampers policy development and management. Furthermore, diverse perceptions, values and types of knowledge are seldom incorporated into the knowledge base. This study will develop and use an interactive capacity building tool, in the form of a game, to increase knowledge and understanding of human-ecosystem interdependencies amongst policy and decision-makers. The game will incorporate different value systems and present technical information on the implications of alternative policy options in a user-friendly way. By enhancing capacity, the project will facilitate uptake of outputs from the IPBES regional assessment of Africa with potential application to other regions. The project will target public-sector policy and decision-makers at multiple scales (including parliamentarians and municipal councillors) but will also be relevant to private and non-governmental decision-making units thereby promoting more coherent coordination within and across policy and decision-making functions. The project will work with the Technical Support Unit for the regional assessment of Africa (CSIR) to ensure that game is designed to enable the uptake of knowledge of IPBES deliverables. Through our project partners, SANBI and WESSA, we will build on existing initiatives and incorporate lessons learned into future capacity development programmes thereby promoting sustainability of capacity-building over time. |
| Project Objectives and expected Achievables | To develop and implement an ecosystem services based interactive capacity building tool to enable uptake of knowledge from the IPBES work programme and regional assessment so that policy development and decision-making is strengthened. (24 months) Indicators of achievement: • Knowledge on IPBES work programme is improved • Policy development and decision-making is strengthened Measureable Indicators: • Summative assessment completed • Evaluation forms completed by participants • Post implementation reflection and metacognition contact sessions to • Video interviews Specific Project Objectives 1. To develop an ES based capacity building tool in the form of a game (6 months) 2. To implement the tool (game) and evaluate its impact relevant to the projects aim (18 months) Indicators of achievement: • Game is developed • Tool game is implemented across the range of targeted audiences. • Information and knowledge on IPBES work programme and regional assessment is foregrounded, skills are developed or enhanced and attitudes re-orientated Measureable Indicators: • Summative assessment • Reports • Photos • The game as a product • Attendance registers • Evaluation forms • Post implementation reflection and metacognition contact sessions • Video interviews |
| Timeframe | 2 years |
| Geographic Scale | National |
| Seeking Resources for: | Project implementation |
| Type of Resources/Support needed: | Financial |