Issue: 27
The project aims to reach the last communities that still perpetuate the nomadic culture and record in written and visually their tales through a documentary film thus transferring this culture to future generations.
The Nomads interacted with several cultures in a wide geography from Central Asia to Anatolia and from Siberia to India. The oral literature of Nomads includes an accumulation of their migration, animal husbandry and transhumance. This literature has also been enhanced with their crafts, art, cuisine, leisure and life style. They are all a reflection of virtues regarding the social order, societal psychology and coded messages. But with the lack of written products and today’s widening technologies, these tales could not be passed on to other generations. If these tales are not passed on, a cultural heritage of a thousand years will be lost.
In the context of the project, 20 tales in 20 Nomad villages are being recorded in Ankara and Konya, central Anatolia; Antalya and Mersin, Southern Turkey and Balıkesir, Western Turkey. The two target groups of the project are the nomads of whose cultural accumulation will be addressed and the target group of which these tales will be passed on to. In this context, academic consultants informed the project team on the aspects of communications and interview techniques. Tales were recorded in the natural environment of the narrators and all tales were grouped.
Other activities will include preparing a 20-25 paged booklet that will be published as an annex of the Atlas magazine, a 5-minute film for each of the 20 tales will be recorded which will then be broadcast on TV and internet sites. The tales will be used for a documentary film as well and a webpage will be prepared that includes tales and maps of Nomad villages. The project that started on 16 October 2007 will end on 15 July 2008.
The Life Plus Youth Programme supports innovative, creative, participatory and sustainable projects developed by youth aged 16-26 and encourages youth to design projects that will find solutions to environmental and societal problems. The Life Plus Youth Programme gives 3 thousand to 30 thousand dollars for each project. 22 projects have been realized since the establishment of the programme in 2005. Similar projects will be supported until 2010 with the competitions that will be organized every year.
[BAGLANTILAR]
Carbon trade came about in response to the Kyoto Protocol that was signed in December 1997 and ratified by 189 countries and which called for industrialized countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 5% of the 1990 levels by 2012. The Protocol determined quotas on the maximum amount of greenhouse gases for developed and developing countries and introduced legally binding targets for developed countries to reduce their GHG emissions a cost-effective way.
In simple, carbon is given an economic/monetary value to the cost of polluting the air and people, companies and/or governments trade it. In other words, countries who buy carbon, buy the right to burn it and countries that sell it, give up the right to burn it. The carbon market is thus an environment, created to facilitate the buying and selling of carbon. In this sense, businesses and governments who are close to exceeding their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission quotas can purchase carbon credits. These credits can then be used in projects that aim to mitigate global warming. Under the Kyoto Protocol, member states are obliged to match their greenhouse gas emissions with equal volumes of emission allowances. The carbon market transactions taken place under Kyoto Protocol framework are regulated and overseen by the special bodies, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board and Joint Implementation (JI) Supervisory Committee, established under the UNFCCC.
New Horizons asked UNDP Regional Technical Specialist for Climate Change for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Marina Olshanskaya, more on carbon trade. Here is what Olshanskaya says:
UNDP Turkey: What is carbon market?
Marina Olshanskaya (M.O.): Carbon market is a new type of capital markets (like securities or any other commodities), but instead of usual type of goods the commodity which is being traded on carbon markets is “reduction of greenhouse gas emissions” measured in tons of CO2 (or its equivalent).
UNDP Turkey: What is the use of it for each party?
M.O.: Most often the emission reductions are bought by companies or states to comply with their targets for GHG emission reduction for instance those set up by the Kyoto Protocol and under EU Emission Trading Scheme. Under both scheme a company or a state has options either to reduce emission itself or buy “emission reductions” happened elsewhere (where it is cheaper to do) and use them to meet its obligations. Another motivation for private companies or even individuals to buy carbon credits is the desire to be “green” and offset their carbon footprint. For example, many international conferences and events organized these days are announced “carbon neutral”. This means that organizers would pay for the emission reductions happened elsewhere (for instance in Turkey) to compensate for the GHG emissions associated with the travel of conference participants and other emissions that occured because of the event (i.e. power consumption).
UNDP Turkey: How are carbon credits used in carbon projects?
M.O.: The sales of carbon credits generate additional income stream for the projects and thus impove their economic attractiveness for investors. For example, carbon credits from a wind power project will complement revenues from power sales and will therefore make the project more attractive for a potential investor.
UNDP Turkey: Whats the difference between a carbon market and a voluntary carbon market? What are the opportunities and disadvantages that each market pose?
M.O.: There is one market, but different regime: compliance and voluntary. Compliance markets, such as EU Emission Trading Scheme, are better capitalized and prices for emission reductions are higher there, but they are also more regulated and certain type of projects, such as forestry, are excluded. Voluntary markets offer greater flexibility in terms of the type of credits which can be traded, but prices are generally much lower. Voluntary markets are also less organized and it takes more time to find a buyer or seller.
UNDP Turkey: Can individuals also participate in the voluntary carbon market?
M.O.: Yes, it is possible. A growing number of people, particularly in EU and other developed countries, are willing to offset their carbon footprint and buy emission reductions. There is a slow number of specialized companies, brokers, who provide this type of services for individuals.
UNDP Turkey: Is ratifying the Kyoto Protocol a must for Turkey in order to participate in the carbon market?
M.O.: Without ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, Turkish companies and individuals can participate in the voluntary carbon trade, which is open to anybody. Also Turkish companies can participate in the projects implemented in other countries (Kyoto Protocol members), obtain and sell carbon credits on compliance markets.
UNDP Turkey: How are carbon projects developed? What requirements are there?
M.O.: Most commonly used standards for carbon project development are those established for the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. There are also a number of voluntary market starndards. In general a project proponent need to prepare documentation with justification and estimation of the expected GHG emission reduction for the project, after that it is being validated by a specialised auditing company and registered (in case of compliance market) by an international body, such as the CDM Executive Board.
The 2008 National Human Development Report on Youth in Turkey has used an unorthodox approach in its preparation. Young people in Turkey have widely been involved especially during the research. In addition, a comprehensive State of Youth Survey was carried out among more than 3,000 young individuals aged 15-24 in 12 different regions (Istanbul, Adana, Malatya, Ankara, İzmir, Bursa, Tekirdağ, Diyarbakır, Samsun, Trabzon, Kayseri and Erzurum) sampling the entire country and twenty four focus groups were organized with youth and adults. The views and opinions of more than 200 youth and 30 adults were collected during the focus group meetings. The evidence from the survey as well as from the focus groups was used throughout the report to explain the views and proposals of young people, often with direct quotations.
The 2008 National Human Development Report will initially be launched at a conference in Ankara on 21 March with the participation of state agencies and academics working in the area of youth, youth NGOs, universities, embassies and international agencies as well as the representatives of private sector.
Following the launch, there will be a two-day Knowledge Fair in Ankara World Trade Centre with the participation of tens of youth organisations, student bodies, youth centres, youth assemblies, international institutions and universities, as well as state agencies. The National Human Develoment Report will be presented to the youth participating in the event and there will be several workshops in related subjects and a few concerts. In the context of the Knowledge Fair, concerts, dance and theatre shows will also be organized. Through these activities, young people who wish to participate more effectively into societal life will have the opportunity to get to know these youth platforms and institutions that work in the field of youth or target youth will have the opportunity to build a stronger communication and cooperation with each other. The event will be open to everyone.
The Report will be available both in English and Turkish at the UNDP website from 21 March 2008.
Tekke Kuyumcu Village, in Beypazarı town of Turkey’s capital city Ankara, despite its central location, is one of those ‘remote villages’ that is experiencing problems in accessing safe drinking water. Due to scarcity of water resources, water is only provided to the village for one our each day, this duration decreases to only half and hour in summer. Moreover there is no ground water in the district which makes the construction of other water systems impossible. The only available option for villagers to access water is by using the depots that are far from the city and fetching this water from long distances puts a burden on women and children. However, UNDP and Coca Cola Turkey brings a new solution to the town, through their ‘Every Drop Matters’ programme.
The water project funded by this programme in Beypazarı is also supported by the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). The new system brought to the village enables the collection of rain water before it hits the ground for generating drinking water and water that can be used for other domestic purposes. The system known as “Roof Top Water Harvesting” not only generates a new and alternative water supply but also provides clean and safe drinking water.
The “Roof Top Harvesting” project aims to bring a water harvesting system to 30 houses in the Kuyumcu Tekke village. To constitute an example, the first system was constructed at the village headman’s house with the participation of the local community and the local labour force of Kuyumcu Tekke. The construction materials were provided from the local market thus demonstrating the applicability of the system. In the context of the project, trainings will also be given to the locals to increase their awareness and capacities.
The villagers had already started to benefit from the system. Although Rain Water Harvesting system is not a new technology, it is being implemented with modernized standards in Turkey for the first time. It is also not a new concept and is widely used in Germany, England, Belgium, industrial zones of Japan and the northern Egypt. The Rain Water Harvesting Systems can be used for both indoor and outdoor purposes in residential, commercial, and industrial establishments. They reduce the efforts put into water treatment and power costs, provide soft water and are free.
Roof Top -Water Harvesting Project is the sub-project of Every Drop Matters Programme established by UNDP and Coca-Cola Turkey. Every Drop Matters is designed as a regional partnership, aiming at increasing access to safe drinking water, facilitating the use of environmentally sound industrial technologies, and promoting responsible water resource management by outreach and awareness raising activities, in the countries of Europe and CIS. Main component of the projects are improved accesses to safe drinking water, improved regional and industrial water management, advocacy and communication activities to raise awareness efficient use of water.
This partnership initiative focuses on countries including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, (FYR of) Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as Russia, Ukraine and Belarus that fall under the coverage area of UNDP-RBEC as well as Coca-Cola EMED. The project started in 2007 and the period of project is about five years. Pilot projects are implemented in Turkey, Croatia, Romania and Kazakhstan and Six Black Sea Countries during the first year. The projects that fall under the scope of the programme are:
Adopt and Revive a River Project in Croatia
http://www.everydropmatters.com/en/croatia.html
Rural Water Supply Project in Kazakhstan
http://www.everydropmatters.com/en/kazakhistan.html
Water and Waste Management Strategies for Small Rural Communities Project in Romania
http://www.everydropmatters.com/en/romania.html
Water supply and usage improvement Project in Turkey
http://www.everydropmatters.com/en/turkey_saray.html
Roof-Top water Harvesting Project in Turkey
http://www.everydropmatters.com/en/turkey_beypazari.html
Black Sea Documentary Project
http://www.everydropmatters.com/en/blacksea.html
International Black Sea Action Day 2007 Project
http://www.everydropmatters.com/en/blackseaday.html
[BAGLANTILAR]
The SEED Initiative assists young and promising initiatives in strengthening and scaling up the impact of their activities. The award is not monetary: it consists of a comprehensive package of tailor-made support services, to the value of $25,000.
The support services respond to the challenges that emerging partnerships face when planning and implementing new ideas, including access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, meeting new partners and building networks, developing business plans and identifying sources of finance.
The SEED Award recognizes and rewards two levels of winners:
In addition to receiving support services, Winners in 2007 were celebrated at Awards ceremonies in their home countries and invited to SEED’s International Partnerships Forum and Workshop in South Africa. SEED intends to do the same, and more, in 2008.
The fifteen finalists will be announced during the 16th Session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in New York, May 2008.
Award Winners will be announced during June 2008.
Who is eligible to apply?
We welcome innovative ideas from any group in a developing country, which is working in partnership with others to generate environmental and social benefits in an entrepreneurial way.
To be eligible your entrepreneurial partnership must:
Previous Award Winners have included a community-led marine protected area in Madagascar; a combined biogas and water treatment plant in Nigeria; developing international markets for Peruvian native potatoes; a traditional healing village in Sierra Leone; and adding value to traditional medicinal plants in Vietnam.
Information on previous Winners of the SEED Awards is available at www.seedinit.org as well as the detailed selection criteria which will be applied during the judging process.
How to apply
Application forms can be downloaded from this link.
Completed submissions should be sent to seedaward2008@seedinit.org. If you are unable to submit your application electronically, please contact the SEED Initiative by phone (+49 30 89 00 068-10).
Submissions will be accepted from February 1st until March 16th 2008. Only complete submissions will be considered.
About the SEED Initiative
“Supporting Entrepreneurs for Sustainable Development” – the SEED Initiative – is a global network for action on sustainable development partnerships, founded by IUCN, UNEP and UNDP, to deliver concrete progress towards the internationally-agreed, aspirational goals in the UN’s Millennium Declaration and the commitments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002.
SEED focuses on locally-driven, entrepreneurial partnerships in developing countries. Its goal is to inspire, promote and build capacity to support the many innovative ways in which diverse groups are working together to improve incomes and strengthen livelihoods; tackle poverty and marginalisation; and manage and conserve natural resources and ecosystems.
Through an annual, global awards scheme SEED reveals a wealth of novel ways of doing business through partnerships and provides international recognition to the most promising enterprises.
SEED Award Winners then receive a tailored package of support services to help them to become established and to increase their impact. This includes access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, meeting new partners and building networks, developing business plans and identifying sources of finance.
By tracking their progress as they grow, SEED also seeks to increase technical knowledge and understanding of these small-scale, locally-led activities. It studies what partnerships like these need to succeed and grow and how successful ideas can be replicated elsewhere.
SEED then uses its extensive network, publications and events to promote these innovative approaches, to disseminate its findings to partnerships practitioners and policy and decision-makers and to provide a platform for shared learning and collaboration.
SEED partners
Partners in the SEED Initiative are IUCN (the World Conservation Union); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); and the governments of the United States of America, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. SEED also works closely with GlobalGiving and the UN’s Global Compact.
Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, which has been part of the LA21 Programme since 1996, was selected as one of six pilot cities under the project, ‘Linking Human Rights to Turkey’s Localising MDGs Programme.’ In a recent visit of Mahmood Ayub, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Representative in Turkey to the town, it was noted that theMunicipality of Kocaeli has prepared a Strategic Plan that fully integrates the principles of Sustainable Development and adopts targets that are in line with localized MDG priorities. Most notable were the initiatives of the Municipailty to enhance maternal and child health and reduce poverty by universal provision of milk to expecting women and mothers. The Municipality also prepared a Performance Based Budget in line with Law 5018 on Public Financial Management and Control.
During his visit to Kocaeli on 20 February, Mr. Ayub stressed the importance of localizing Millennium Development Goals and congratulated the Kocaeli Municipality for adopting the Human Development concept and sustainable development as the underpinning paradigm of local development in Kocaeli. Indeed, the Strategic Plan of the municipality balances well social, economic growth prerogatives with environmental considerations all of which are formulated as strategic targets and sub-targets.
Kocaeli Municipality is also part of “Our City Supports the Millennium Development Goals” campaign which promotes local governance as the primary and essential means for attaining the MDGs. The aim of the campaign is to build the capacities of local authorities and City Councils to monitor and support the realization of the MDGs through the development and internalization of local governance practices; and establish the support, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for localizing the MDGs.
In Kocaeli, UNDP Representative Ayub called for more cooperation between the local authorties and the private sector for the achievement of the MDGs at local level. Ayub, in his speech at the 1st General Assembly meeting of Kocaeli City Council highlighted the importance of the MDGs to the private sector and encouraged Kocaeli to benefit from the on-going partnership between UNDP and TOBB which provides grants to demonstration projects that address specific MDGs at the local level (please click here to read Mahmood Ayub’s full speech).
Mahmood Ayub also presented the Guidebook published by UNDP on ‘Linking Human Rights to MDGs in Turkey’ to assist the City Council and key actors in developing concrete strategies for cooperation between civil society and local bar associations in the pursuit of MDGs and in strengthening their advocacy and programming activities with the strength of law.
To receive more information on the “Linking Human Rights to Turkey's Localizing MDGs Program” please click here.
For more info on the “Localizing the UN Millennium Development Goals in Turkey through the Local Agenda 21 Governance Network” project, please click here.
The 296-paged book draws together 14 articles that were presented at the IPC-sponsored “International Conference on ‘The Many Dimensions of Povery’” held in Brasilia in 2005.
The book explores the latest developments in the field of multidimensional poverty measurement, includes clear presentations of more than a dozen different quantitiative techniques and provides empirical illustrations based on data from developed and developing countries.
The book represents a unique opportunity to become familiar with the present state of knowledge regarding various approaches that have been previously ignored by specialists. Some of the chapters of the book are on the information theory approach, factor and cluster analysis of multidimensional poverty and poverty measurement.
The International Poverty Centre (IPC) is a joint project between the United Nations Development Programme and the Brazilian Government to promote South-South Cooperation on applied poverty research and training. It specializes in analyzing poverty and inequality and offering research-based policy recommendations on how to reduce them. IPC is directly linked to the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), which does research for the Brazilian Ministry of Strategic Planning, and the Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP.
To receive further information on “Quantitative Approaches to Multidimensional Poverty Measurement” please click here.