ICZM training and capacity building: important links

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This list of important Capacity Building links can be easily updated. New links can be also included in the list, which therefore can grow indefinitely.

Help to compile a list of links to ICZM Capacity Building related institutions!

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International organizations

• International Waters Learning Network of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

Established in 1991, GEF is an independent financial organization that provides grants to developing countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods in local communities.

• United Nations Education and Environment Program

The United Nations Education and Environment Program offers a large number of Massive Open Online Courses on critical environmental issues. The courses are intended for young people to learn and act in support of the environment. The program also supports and strengthens implementation of the UN sustainable development goals by harnessing the potential of universities as vehicles of change and transformation within communities.

• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC)

IOC develops leadership capacity, including fund-raising, team building, and decision-making skills for directors of marine and coastal sciences institutes to strengthen scientific, legal and institutional structures. Much regard is given to Africa as well as tropical and small island developing states where livelihoods depend heavily on marine resources.

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Through its Education and Training Programme, WMO assists the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, especially those of developing countries, in their efforts to contribute, in the most effective manner, to the development plans of their countries and to become full partners in global collaborative efforts.

European organizations

• The Coastal Management Centre (PAP/RAC)

PAP/RAC assists countries in the Mediterranean region in strengthening their capacities with a view of facilitating the sustainable development of coastal zones by ensuring that environment and landscapes are taken into account in harmony with economic, social and cultural development; preserving coastal zones and their integrity; ensuring the sustainable use of coastal natural resources; and achieving coherence between public and private initiatives and between all decisions by the public authorities at all levels that impact the coastal zones.

• EUCC -The Coastal Union

European network of coastal practitioners promoting coastal and marine management that integrates biodiversity conservation with those forms of development that sustain the integrity of landscapes, the cultural heritage and the social fabric of our coasts taking into account the effects of climate change.

Research centres and institutes

• Coastal Resources Centre, University of Rhode Island, USA

Implementing coastal management projects in the field, building capacity through education and training, and sharing lessons learned and information throughout the coastal community are the foundation of the Coastal Resources Center’s work.

• NOAA National Ocean Service

The Office for Coastal Manangement offers formal training in a wide range of areas, including project design, conflict management, needs assessments, and negotiations.

• NOAA Coastal Services Center

The Coastal Services Center provides data, tools and traning for coastal managers.

Training sites

• UNESCO-IHE

Online course on Integrated Coastal Zone Management. The course provides the principles and tools in ICZM: •it will allow the participants to develop the skills in the management of coastal zones by examining the available technical and analytical frameworks; •it provides an introduction and implementation of coastal zone management and helps to develop an appreciation for and know how of conceptualisation, policy design, methodology, tools and techniques for coastal zone management and understand the special nature of the coastal zone and demands made upon its resources; and •it allows to share experiences as an approach for practical application for ‘learning from experience’, through the use of hands-on case studies relating to work conducted in diverse coastal locations covering both developed and developing countries.

• MedOpen

Virtual Training Course on Intergrated Coastal Area Management. Target users of MedOpen are decision makers (at the local, national, regional, and international level), policy advisors, project managers, staff and experts from international organisations and institutions, academic researchers, students, and all others interested in coastal management.

• CoastLearn EUCC

A multimedia distance training package on Integrated Coastal Zone Management

• IKZM-D LERNEN

An free of charge online learning system, which consists of independent online study, information and teaching modules, dealing with the coast and the sea in general and with Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in particular. Modules are in German - in English soon.

• UN Atlas of the Oceans

An information system designed for use by policy makers who need to become familiar with ocean issues and by scientists, students and resource managers who need access to underlying data bases and approaches to sustainability.

• IODE training and education program of the IOC

One of the major objectives of the IODE Programme is to assist Member States to acquire the necessary capacity to manage marine data and information. The training does not only teach the principles of data and information but also promotes the use of "standards" amongst all IODE centres and thus achieve interoperability between these centres. The strategy is based upon the elements:providing equipment, providing training, providing seed funding for operational activities of newly created data centres and marine libraries, work in a regional context, addressing common (regional) as well as individual (national) goals. It has been implemented as "Ocean Data and Information Networks" or ODINs. The first region where the new strategy was tested was Africa (see more on ODINAFRICA). Later followed similar networks in the Caribbean/South America (ODINCARSA), Indian Ocean (ODINCINDIO), European countries in economic transition (ODINECET) , Western Pacific -WESTPAC region (ODINWESTPAC) and Black Sea region (ODINBlackSea).

• EUCC-DE Database

The database contains world-wide coastal (and marine) education and training programs, summer schools and courses. All events have applied or management aspects.

Important events

• COAST DAY

Coast Day is a unique event in the Mediterranean. It aims to raise awareness of policy makers and the public of the value of the coast, as well as of applying an integrated approach to planning and management of the coastal zone.

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See also

• ICZM Education and Training in Europe
• Catalogue of ICZM courses and programmes