GECHS PROGRESS REPORT

January 2002

Leadership

Mike Brklacich has now been chair for a year and has since July more time for GECHS as Carleton relieves him from some of his teaching obligations. He has made several efforts to get his SSC members more active but with limited success. Mike has had many ideas both for finding funding and for projects and workshops but there has been less consistent follow-up of these, and not so much focus on long term planning and implementation of the science plan. However, his leading of the last SSC was very targeted and he and Ann are to produce a 2 year action plan for GECHS. It has not been finalised yet.

SSC

It has been decided not to renew the appointment of Okechukwu Ibeanu beyond the summer of 2002. Karen O’Brien has been appointed to the SSC from 1 December 2001. For the renewal of the SSC the plan is to get a few younger persons in now and then in the next round take more senior. The South needs strong representation, and gender balance needs to be considered. The last SSC meeting was productive and carried out in good atmosphere despite the low participation. The minutes are not yet available. It is a general challenge to get the SSC members more active.

Meetings/Workshops

Apart from the SSC meeting in December 2001, there was a GECHS lunch on 7 October in Rio with those SSC members who were present there, and with Jill and Sylvia attending. There has been no workshops etc. The original plan to cooperate with IT on a workshop on water in cities did not materialise but was carried out by IT alone.

Signature Projects

The status of the signature projects were discussed at the SSC III meeting in December 2001.

The Mekong project: This is laid to rest partly because the proposal to APN was given negative review on the human security element. Furthermore, they do not have good contacts in the region.

Vulnerability: This was adopted as one signature project with the focus on the links between social and natural vulnerability, scale issues and the dynamic aspects of the concept. Karen and Mike will take the lead, possibly cosponsoring a World Bank workshop in Southern Africa which Karen is responsible for. There will be parallel work on finding funding and developing the conceptual framework.

Environment and Human security in Russia: New Dimensions of Security in a Decade of Transition. By Elena Nikitina and Vladimir Kotov. Concept ideas include case studies on: drinking water quality, biodiversity protection, illegal fishing, poaching wildlife, drug trafficking and human security, conflict in the use of natural resources, vulnerability to climate change, linkages between development and environmental security. Nils Petter and Mike will help her to work on the project proposal.

Natural resources and civil wars: Nils Petter may be in a situation to start a signature project on this theme within one year, if his institute becomes a centre of excellence in Norway. It would build on work that Indra de Soysa is doing etc. Probably they will go ahead even if they do not get that money. A more refined proposal for the Norwegian council will be ready by 11 January 2002.

Endorsement:

The SSC approved the suggested endorsement policy which Mike had prepared, with some slight modifications (basically shortening the required text in the applications). All SSC members are encouraged to submit their research projects for endorsement. It has not been put up on the website yet.

IPO Funding

The IPO is planned to move to Carleton University from 1 July 2002. The most realistic avenue of funding is now with the corporate sector where Proctor & Gamble in Canada has shown serious interest. A proposal will be developed aimed at securing 2 years of funding for the IPO with sufficient resources to support 2 positions (a project administrator/research assistant and a research associate/PDF) and research support funds. This will go to P&G early in 2002

Publications

Aviso

With every Aviso published there is a briefing in Washing ton with the author. The next will be held at the end of January. The past issues have had the themes:

  • June 2001. Eyles, John & Sharma, Ranu. "Infectious Diseases and Global Change: Threats to Human Health and Security"
  • Issue No. 9, June 2001. Special ENRICH Issue. Kotov, Vladimir and Nikitina, Elena. "Russia: New Dimensions of Environmental Insecurity"
  • Issue No. 10, July 2001. Special ENRICH Issue. Richard A. Matthew. "Environmental Stress and Human Security in Northern Pakistan"

The publication gets a lot of visibility through Geoff Dabelko. Phase I ran out in money. USAID orally promised to fund Southern Dialogue. In preparing this there was a real problem getting authors and there were only three bad submissions. USAID changed administration and pulled out from AVISO, the money was transferred from Southern Dialogue to Aviso. There is now funding for four more issues.

The themes for the next three issues will be:

  • Energy and human security (Tom Wilbanks)
  • Human rights and environment
  • Vulnerability and human security (Colleen Vogel)
  • Urbanisation and human security

Edited volume

The edited volume from the workshop in Australia (title?) is being finalised by Wanda Ollis pending a new introductory chapter from Steve. There is still no publisher secured for it.

Web

The GECHS Website is comprehensive but basic. They have limited funds to update it regularly.

IHDP Newsletter

GECHS related authors in the last issues of Update are: Okechukwu Ibeanu (Environment, Human Security and Governance in Nigeria) and Elena Nikitina (Russia: A Decade of Innovations in Environmental Governance).

Open Meeting

Four members of the GECHS SSC (Fred Langeweg, Mike Brklacich, Elena Nikitina and Chris Cocklin) attended the Open Meeting in Rio. There was no consistent GECHS related panel.

Policy outreach

See discussion on Aviso above.

Sylvia Karlsson 9 January 2002