Project profile — UNU - Institute for Water, Environment and Health - Institutional Support 2012

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) institutionalized adaptation strategies for coastal ecosystems of tropical waters, particularly mangroves and coral reefs; (2) better managed land resources and sustainable use of water and biodiversity resources in developing countries; (3) advanced education, capacity and information management, leading to improved implementation of Integrated Water Resource Management; and, (4) improved human well-being through sustainable, healthy ecosystems.

Results achieved as of December 2012 include: (1) launched a project in Jamaica to enhance and develop business management plans for three Marine Protected Areas; (2) built the capacity of professionals and institutions in developing countries in South East Asia to undertake monitoring, research and conservation of critical coastal ecosystems within mangrove forests; (3) supported researchers work with local communities in Bolivia to sustainably improve crop yields of quinoa production; (4) conducted the first-ever regional assessment of the status and management effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas in the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment Sea Area; (5) launched several policy briefs, in addition to peer-review publications; and, (6) organized seminars, workshops and events in Canada and internationally to engage development communities and promote research results on food security, science-policy integration, water, maternal health, and the management of coastal ecosystems. These have contributed to: institutionalized adaptation strategies for coastal ecosystems of tropical waters, particularly mangroves and coral reefs; better managed land resources and sustainable use of water and biodiversity resources in developing countries; advanced education, capacity and information management; and, improved human well-being through sustainable, healthy ecosystems.