inventoryofunepcapacitybuildingandtechnologysupport.docVIP

UNITED NATIONS EP UNEP/IEG/IGSP/2/3 United Nations Environment Programme Distr.: General 17 August 2004 Original: English High-level Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on an Intergovernmental Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity-building Second session Nairobi, 2–4 September 2004 Inventory of UNEP capacity-building and technology support activities Note by the secretariat Definition of and legislative mandate for the United Nations Environment Programme’s capacity-building and technology support activities A. Definition of capacity-building and technology support 1. Capacity-building For the purpose of presenting the inventory of UNEP activities, the term capacitybuilding refers to strengthening abilities, relationships and values that enable organizations, groups and individuals to improve their performance and achieve their sustainable development objectives. It includes strengthening the institutions, processes, systems and rules that influence collective and individual behaviour and performance in all development endeavours. It also means enhancing people’s ability to make informed choices and their willingness to play new developmental roles and adapt to new challenges. 2. Technology support Technology support encompasses the diffusion of technologies and technology cooperation across and within countries. Specifically, it comprises the process of learning to understand, utilise and replicate a given technology, including the capacity to choose it, adapt it to local conditions and integrate it with indigenous technologies. Technology-support activities involve various stakeholders: Governments, private sector entities, financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and research and education institutions. The distinction between capacity-building and pure technology support activities is very thin, as the latter invariably comprises a large part of capacity-building. In presenting the inventory of activities thi