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This initiative aims to advance research and training in developing countries to address global environmental change. It promotes capacity building, collaborative projects, and partnerships to foster scientific excellence and engagement in both policy and practice. Through various activities, including workshops, grants, and fellowships, it enhances scientific productivity and leadership in international science. The program focuses on assessing impacts and adaptation to climate change, fostering collaborations, and supporting emerging scientists in their endeavors.
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START global change SysTem for Analysis, Research & Training UNFCCC Expert Workshop on Monitoring and Evaluating Capacity Building in Developing Countries St John’s, Antigua 5-6 November 2007
START mission • Promote & enable research in developing countries on regional aspects of global environmental change • Enhance capacity for advancing, communicating and applying scientific knowledge to reduce risks • Link science & practitioner communities • Mobilize resources for all the above
START Capacity Building • Collaborative regional networks • START regional committees, centers, sec’s • Work with other organizations & networks • Collaborative projects (learning by doing) • AIACC, ACCCA, MAIRS, CLIMAG • Training, advanced study & education • Training workshops; Advanced Study Institutes; Graduate education programs • Fellowships and Visiting Scientists • Small Grants programs • Young Scientist Awards & Conferences
Assessments of Impacts & Adaptation to Climate Change (AIACC) • Objectives • Advance scientific capacity • Advance scientific knowledge • Improve links between science & policy communities • Management: START, TWAS, UNEP • Collaboration with IPCC • Donors: GEF, CIDA, USAID, USEPA, Rockefeller Foundation, + co-funding
AIACC Project Activities • 24 assessments • Learning by doing • Technical assistance • Training • Large workshops • South-South workshops • Self-designed • Networking • Learning from each other
AIACC capacity building indicators • Successful completion of science assessments • Scientific productivity & quality • Participation & leadership in international science • Engagement in policy & practice • Recognition of scientific excellence • Partnerships among institutions established & sustained
(1) Successful completion of science assessments • Analyses completed and synthesized? • Technical report completed? • Technical report meets quality standards? • AIACC outcomes: • 24 assessments completed & reports submitted • Reports reviewed by technical committee & accepted
(2) Scientific productivity & quality • Number of scientific publications? • Number of peer-reviewed publications? • Citations in other publications? • AIACC outcomes: • > 200 papers, chapters, books, reports • > 100 peer-reviewed • > 100 citations in IPCC AR4
(3) Participation & leadership in international science • Participants engaged in int’l assessments? • Participants invited to present at int’l meetings? • Participants take leadership roles in int’l science activities? • AIACC outcomes: • > 30 participants invited to be authors of IPCC AR4, MEA, IAAST • Many invited to present at int’l conferences • Many taking leadership roles in IPCC, CCAA, ACCCA, AFRICANESS
(4) Engagement in policy & practice • Stakeholder participation? • Contributions to national communications? • Participation in nat’l & int’l policy activities? • AIACC outcomes: • All projects had substantive involvement of stakeholders • All provided input to nat’l comms; Most substantively engaged in nat’l comms; • Many involved in nat’l & int’l policy activities
(5) Recognition of scientific excellence • Successful in competing for new grants? • Active as a regional center of research, education and training? • Providing technical support and training to others? • AIACC outcomes: • Many have received new grants from IDRC, ACCCA, GEF • Several have emerged as regional centers for research & training • Several have organized training workshops for others in their region • Several are providing technical assistance in ACCCA and other programs
(6) Partnerships among institutions established & sustained • Number & types of institutions actively engaged? • Institutions partnering in new initiatives? • AIACC outcomes: • All 24 assessments engaged multiple scientific and stakeholder institutions • Many are continuing to work with their AIACC partners to promote and plan climate change adaptation • Verdict still out: time will tell if partnerships are sustained.
“The record and outputs of the AIACC are impressive . . . The quality of the assessments is demonstrated by the more than 100 peer-reviewed publications produced, which benefited substantially the IPCC’s 4th Assessment Report.” R.K. Pachauri, IPCC Chair
African Climate Change Fellowships • New project funded by IDRC • In conjunction w/ Climate Change Adaptation in Africa Program (CCAA) • Partners: START, U of Dar es Salaam, African Academy of Sciences • Program will support: • 20 Policy Fellows • 20 Doctoral Research Fellows • 10 Post-doctoral Fellows • 8 Teaching Fellows
Fellowship program indicators • Output & quality of reports, published papers, dissertations • New courses implemented • Numbers of institutions, courses, students • Replication of courses • Quality, impact & value of fellowships • For Fellows & their institutions • Evaluations by Fellows, home & host institutions • Annual surveys for 2 yrs after completion