PAES PROJECTS

PAES seeks to serve as a center for policy studies and forum for exchange of ideas and best practices in environmentally and socially sustainable development. It has developed a coherent programme that seeks to address issues related to the understanding of the causes and consequences of land/environmental degradation and developing mechanisms for combating it. The following are the main ongoing and pipeline projects:

• Integrating Environmental Security Concerns in Development Policy in Africa . Funded by the European Union , the project seeks to study the link between environmental degradation and armed conflict in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes Countries and promote sound environmental management and poverty alleviation as a means for conflict prevention. The project contract Agreement between the European Commission and PAES was signed on 23 March 2001 and implementation of the project commenced two months later.
  
  
• Regional Consultation on Capacity Building for Integrated Environmental Risk Assessment and Management 30-31 January 2001, Lusaka. Funded by the World Bank , the objective of the Consultation was to promote the building of human and institutional capacity and encourage the application of integrated environmental risk assessment as an analytical tool for addressing multifaceted issues that are sources of risks/threats to African societies, viz., land degradation, armed conflict, AIDS, drought and famine, floods, etc. PAES assumed responsibility for both technical and organizational processes and the Consultation was a huge success. Proceedings of the workshop were published and distributed widely.
  
  
• Integrating Land Degradation Concerns in Local and National Development Policies in Eastern Africa. This is a medium size regional project of Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda funded by UNEP / GEF and is designed to build capacity for developing responsive land use policies to changes in natural resource and socio-economic situation. The multi-stakeholder project development workshop was held in Kampala 9 -11 April 2002.
  
  
• Bioremediation of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Impacted Soils in Eastern Africa. To be funded by GEF through UNEP under the GEF Medium Size Grant, this is a regional project covering Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Tanzania. Its primary objective is to promote biological processes or use of living organisms to transform waste and decontaminate soils and water polluted with obsolete and over use of chemicals and pesticides. The project proposal is being endorsed by the countries concerned.
  
  
• Developing and Implementing Integrated Ecosystem Co-management Framework and Policy in Zambia. To be funded by GEF through UNDP , this project seeks to develop an integrated ecosystem co-management framework and policy that addresses issues related to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, land degradation, management of water bodies, stabilization of atmospheric greenhouses gases and provision of sustainable livelihoods for rural communities. Project proposal endorsed by the Government of Zambia on 28 December 2000.
  
  
• Capacity Building for Integrated Environmental Risk Assessment and Management in Eastern Africa. Funded by the World Bank -Africa Region, PAES will be convening a regional consultation in Kampala 25-27 June 2002 focusing on HIV/AIDS and drought/famine induced environmental risks assessment and management. A follow up of the Lusaka Regional Consultation, the project if successful will be replicated in the other African regions.
  
  
• Assisting the Government of Sudan in the formulation of a national sustainable development strategy. Funded by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs-Division for Sustainable Development, PAES provides technical and project management services in capacity building for the formulation, implementation and follow up of local and national sustainable development strategies.
  
  
• Eastern and Southern Africa Workshop on the Management and Control of Water Hyacinth. Cosponsored by UNEP , the project will be implemented in collaboration with the SADC Water Sector Coordination Unit based in Lesotho. The proposal is currently with funding agencies.