What does the ACA Project seek to achieve?

The project will result in:

1) recommendations for a hemispheric strategy for ESD civil society and policy-makers capacity building, with sub-regional components of interest to national policy-makers, civil society organizations and the private sector and proposals for the HCP in areas related civil society involvement or trade.

2) recommendations for policy-makers on top priorities for ESD cooperation, including links to or proposals for the HCP and other economic or social programmes;

3) greater LAC national government, civil society and public engagement and understanding in the implementation of Americas, sub-regional and national ESD commitments; and

4) ultimately, a contribution to improved environmental and sustainable development law and policy in the Americas.

The ACA Project will produce the following products, and project sponsors will be fully credited in each:

Component 1 & 2

1. An ACA Hemispheric Report of national and hemispheric gaps and priorities for ESD capacity building in the Americas, and recommendations for institutions and initiatives, in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, with a decision-makers summary for upcoming environment, development and trade negotiations.

2. An online version of the project documents, based on the IISD Web site and linked to other relevant Web sites such as the OAS, INCA, ICTSD, UNEP and CEPAL, as well as all the partner institutes, in English and Spanish.

Components 3 & 4

3. A series of four fully reviewed Sub-Regional ESD Capacity Building Reports, with annexed proposals for national and sub-regional capacity building on ESD priorities for the HCP and other processes, lists of contacts and resources on key issues. This will be made available on the internet in Spanish and English, with a print version summary of 80 pages and a series of outreach and capacity-building materials on key ESD issues.

4. Civil society reports, briefings and outreach materials, produced after in-country activities centered around issues developed in the sub-regional workshops, to be submitted to the HEMA, the UNEP ROLAC Environment Ministers Forum, the NACEC meetings, the FTAA Committee of Government Representatives for the Participation of Civil Society and other processes.