The African, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) Phase 3 Programme of Activities emphasise three key areas in the implementation, enforcement of, and compliance with MEAs. These are: building capacity, processes, and infrastructure; developing national legislations and frameworks and knowledge management.
- Capacity, processes, and infrastructure
Activities under the SPREP and Noumea Components include actions and tasks to build capacity, develop processes and infrastructure in targeted Pacific Islands in the forms of trainings, developing guidelines and best practices or supporting existing institutions as well as fostering durable partnerships at the community level.
Environmental Impact Assessment capacity building training for Samoa
Planning Urban Management Agency, Ministry of Works, Transport, Infrastructure Samoa Government.
Samoa Tourism Authority and Planning Urban Management Agency.
Environmental Impact Assessment capacity building training for Tokelau
II. National legislations and frameworks
To ensure the enforcement of, and compliance of MEAs, national legislations and, or legal frameworks must be developed. These national legal instruments not only domesticate the MEAs but also stipulate provisions on processes, systems as well as designate entities and authorities to regulate, monitor and evaluate.
The challenges of developing national legislations and, or legal frameworks are usually associated with shortage of local capacity on technical, legal expertise in the subject matters of MEAs. Given the increasingly complex scientific, technical and legal MEA jargon, interpretation of treaty provisions into national legal provisions become a challenge.
Ensuring that MEA provisions are contextualised into national law is key to strengthening enforcement of, and compliance with MEAs.
III. Knowledge Management and Partnerships
The ACP MEAs 3 Programme supports national governments, stakeholders, and communities to develop relevant knowledge, skills, and tools for the effective implementation of MEAs. To do this, effective and durable partnerships are critical to ensure the appropriate and relevant support for the development of capacities are channelled through existing institutions. The exchange of scientific, technical, and legal information to promote regional cooperation as well as open exchanges of experiences and policies.
