Grassroots September 2016, Vol. 16, No. 3 | Page 12
News
The science of using research: why it starts with the policymaker
Barbara Hutchinson
S
University of Arizona-Global Rangelands Initiative
[email protected]
ince the SRM Meeting in February, Jim
O’Rourke
(International
Rangelands
Congress), Lovina, and I have been working
to gain an understanding of the process for gaining
a UN designation for an International Year of
Rangelands. This has involved extensive email
discussions with people representing a variety of
organizations around the world.
What we
discovered is quite complex. A Government, or a
coalition of Governments, must take the lead on an
International Year designation request to the
General Assembly, and this needs to be pursued
through the political channels of the UN. To
facilitate this process, Governments can first
discuss the idea during international for a, such as
the United Nations Environment Assembly
(UNEA). Typically, Governments will follow up
by discussing the idea in other subsequent for a
with UN agencies (i.e. UNEP, FAO, UNDP, and
IFAD) who assist in this process. Since UNEA is
an officially delegated Assembly of the General
Assembly, it too can submit a recommendation
through its President for an International Year, as
can any other UN agency.
In late May, UNEA will hold its second
meeting, UNEA-2, in Nairobi Kenya. UNEP and its
partners (FAO, IFAD, ILRI, IUCN and WAMIP,
WISP), and, in particular, the Pastoralist
Knowledge Hub (FAO) have successfully
competed to have a dedicated Side Event at UNEA-
Grassroots
2 on Sustainable Pastoralism. The Pastoralist Hub
was also set to pursue an IY designation.
This meeting is very important to gain high level
buy-in by other countries, UN agencies, and other
stakeholders to promote pastoralism as a key
UNEP priority area. We are working now to
identify attendees who could make brief statements
during the “open discussion” session in support of a
proposal for a combined International Year of
Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2020. In addition,
we have contacted the President of UNEA
requesting her to include pastoralism and
rangelands in her opening remarks. We have also
prepared an “open flyer” calling for support of an
IY designation that will be distributed at the
meeting along with RP “ranching stories”
demonstrating sustainable management practices.
Assisting in identifying potential presenters for
the Side Event are Jess Peterson and Kelly Fogerty
at SRM. They are contacting key officials at USDA
and other US agencies to brief them on our plans
and to ask for their engagement and support. There
is a greater likelihood of success with strong
backing from the U.S. To this end, if you have
contacts in U.S. agencies who would might help
with this effort, please feel free to share this update
or contact me for further information.
September 2016
Vol No. 3