Date post: | 16-Jul-2015 |
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Environment |
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Bangkok, 20 January 2015
Workshop on Development of a Decision Support Tool on Forestry and Climate Change Policy Formulation
John Costenbader, Climate Focus
Starting questions
Role of national forest/climate policy process
Lessons for Success
What are some reasons why we develop policies and laws?
Suggestions:
Framing goals / responses to problems
Charting plan for country
What happens if we don’t follow a process, or if process is
unclear?
Suggestions:
Confusion
Little/no national ownership or ‘buy-in’ of policy
Weak chances of implementation
What are some ways policies and laws can be developed?
Suggestions:
participatory,
iterative,
authoritarian,
international support/influence,
top down-bottom up, etc.
What are common oversights of policies and laws in their development?
Suggestions:
implementation capacity,
the situation in the field,
cross-sectoral issues, or
budget availability.
Policies with a rigid development process are typically less implemented.
Penalties and fines;
Regulations and standards;
Voluntary and information based systems;
Price instruments;
Quantity instruments;
Public investment;
Research, development and demonstration.
Suggestions:
Need for clear guidance on critical issues in climate and
forestry
Identifies & prioritizes needs, responses, goals
Promotes balance between needs & stakeholders – e.g.,
Mitigation vs. adaptation
Various sectors
Environment vs. economic growth/poverty alleviation
Suggestions:
Various approaches possible
Policy can stand alone or be incorporated into laws or
planning documents
“Less is More” – concise texts usually best
Focus on results/outcomes rather than means
Transparent participation to ensure ownership
Time span depends on size of policy, w/ periodic review
Involve all key stakeholders in policy development
Suggestions:
Policy = blueprint for forest/climate action
Cohesive clear outline for national forest/climate work
Guiding vision for country
Manage expectations while keeping country on task
Integrates low-emissions development goals with powerful driving forces in country (business case)
Suggestions:
Ad hoc decision
Unilateral decree
Other stages of process:
Brainstorming (green/white papers)
‘How-to’ planning (action plans, strategies)
Detailed sectoral policies (REDD, adaptation, MRV)
Law (legislation & regulations)
Policy Law
Adoptable by different proceduresaccording to each situation
Adoptable by legislature or executiveunder rules of law or Constitution
Amended by bodies adopting policy, via own procedures
Constitution and parliament/congress establishes amendment procedures
Non-legally binding Legally binding
Specifies visions, goals, & process Specifies rights & duties based on policy vision or goals
Can be generally worded (more adaptable later) & applies to government agencies
Must be precisely worded (to allow for administrative & judicial decisions) & applied universally
Soft responses for non-compliance Administrative & judicial responses punish non-compliance
Suggestions:
Suggestion:
Suggestions:
• Agenda Setting: Recognition of a problem demanding government attention (definition, evaluation, acceptance and discarding of policy options).
• Policy Formulation/Decision-making: exploring options to address the problem (appraisal, dialogue, formulation, and consolidation).
• Policy Implementation: Putting final decision into practice.
• Policy Evaluation: Assessing (& re-assessing) effectiveness of a public policy in terms of perceived intentions and results.
Suggestions:
• extent of forest resources
• forest biological diversity;
• forest health and vitality;
• productive functions of forest resources;
• protective functions of forest resources;
• socio-economic functions of forests;
• legal, policy and institutional framework
Suggestions:
• Agriculture sector
• Energy sector
• Forest sector
• Water sector
• Transportation & Infrastructure sector
• Cross-Cutting Issues:
– Adaptation
– Mitigation
:
Suggestions:
• Balancing trade-offs (sectors; mitigate & adapt)
• Cyclical review processes (built-in flexibility of policy to respond to new understandings)
• Implementation, review & accountability mechanisms
• Senior leadership & key stakeholders engaged
• Multi-level governance/implementation mechanisms (all ministries & subnational govts)
• Clear national targets to drive action & attract finance