A Hemispheric Research Partnership

This research project is being carried out by an inter-disciplinary coalition of research institutes from across the Americas. These include a coordinating partner and four core research partner organizations. Each of the five core partners are leading the research and workshops in their sub-region. The coordinating partner, the CISDL, is also responsible for general project management and reporting, and organising the hemispheric events in collaboration with the hosting partner.

Four of the core regional research partners are:

The fifth core regional research partner, who also plays a coordinating role, is:

These institutions have a strong history of collaboration, founded on trust, mutual support and professional respect. They have worked together for over nine years, and produced four joint books on the environmental, social and economic regimes in the Americas, with particular attention to indigenous peoples, health and environment issues. For more information on the Americas Capacity Assessment Project, click here.

There are also three associate partners:

All core partners are advised by the associate partners, who work on specific issues across all three regions and are responsible for authoring cross-cutting papers, and undertaking legal analysis. In particular, the CIEDUR has undertaken to study the health and gender aspects of all 15 case studies, in depth, to seek common lessons learned and methods, the CEMDA has undertaken to study the public participation aspects of all 15 case studies, to seek common instruments and legal rights, and the RIDES has undertaken to prepare a discussion of the institutional fragmentation / collaboration aspects of all 15 case studies, within the context of law and governance analysis.

The partners are also linked with four ‘mentor’ organisations, the United Nations Environment Programme ROLAC [see instruction 7.9], the Organisation of American States [see instruction 7.10], the Pan-American Health Organisation [see instruction 7.11] and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Measurement & Assessment Programme [see instruction 7.12].

An international roster of advisors, which includes representatives from the mentors, as well as high-level individuals in this field, provides guidance and advice to the partners. These advisors include a partner from the United States, Mr. Paul Joffee, head of international affairs for the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the largest conservation education and advocacy organization in the US, who will provide advice, collaboration and a link to Washington policy-making procedures.

Each core partner coordinates the research and workshops in their sub-region. The coordinating partner, the CISDL, is responsible for general project management and reporting, and also organises the hemispheric events in collaboration with the hosting partner. All are advised by the associate partners, who work on specific issues across all three regions and are responsible for authoring cross-cutting papers, and undertaking legal analysis. An international council of advisors, which includes representatives from the UNEP, OAS, PAHO and IISD, as well as high-level individuals in this field, provides mentorship and guidance to the partners.

The Project is being conducted with active collaboration between the partners; constant ‘check-ins’ (using adaptive management techniques) are being held parallel to meetings of trade, environment and health Ministers, and in project partners meetings parallel to the Summits of the Americas. These meetings and Summits also provide low-cost opportunities to inform policy and law makers from Latin America and the Caribbean about the partners discoveries, highlighting the potential of an eco-health approach toward current environmental impact assessment methods, in domestic laws and policies, and in new bi-lateral, sub-regional and regional treaties.

The ultimate users of the research are health and environment authorities, national decision-makers and civil society groups in the Americas. These groups, through advisory roles played in the project preparations, consultations, and workshops organised parallel to hemispheric trade, environment and health meetings, have been involved in the design of the research project. They will participate in the implementation of the project results by using the research and recommendations generated, and potentially by becoming involved in strengthening or enforcing health and environmental impact assessment laws in their countries.