Annex 1
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Survey of Initial
Impacts, Walter Reid, March 2006 (extracted from executive summary):
— "Conventions: The MA has had
a significant impact on the Convention on Biological Diversity
and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. A substantial amount of
MA information and material has been utilized in decisions and
recommendations taken by both of these conventions. There has
been less impact on the Convention to Combat Desertification.
— Regional, National, and Sub-national
governments: Among governments, the impact of the MA appears to
be greatest in regions and countries where MA sub-global assessments
were conducted, including the Caribbean, South Africa, China,
Sweden, and Norway, although significant impacts are also noted
in regions and countries that did not undertake sub-global assessments
such as the European Union, UK and France. At a national level,
there is little evidence of impact among several other economically
and politically influential countries, including the US, India,
Japan, and Brazil.
— Business: The MA findings were well-received
by business journalists but the impact to date in the business
sector has been relatively limited. The most significant impact
of the MA within business and industry is the incorporation of
the concept of ecosystem services in the environmental policy
issued by Goldman Sachs in November 2005. The World Business
Council for Sustainable Development is also working with companies
on MA follow-up activities.
— Donors: The MA has had a notable
impact on multi-lateral (particularly GEF) and bilateral(particularly
Scandanavian countries) donors and to a lesser extent on foundations.
— NGOs. The MA has had a notable impact
on international conservation-oriented NGOs but much less impact
on national NGOs. To date, there is no evidence of any impact
on NGOs focused on development, poverty reduction, or health issues.
— International Agencies. All of the
UN agencies involved in the MA process (UNEP, UNDP, FAO, WHO,
and UNESCO) have incorporated the MA findings and process into
their activities. There appears to have been no impact at all
within the Bretton Woods Institutions.
— Capacity Building. The MA sub-global
assessments and the MA fellows program were the primary mechanisms
established by the MA to build assessment capacity and these were
generally successful. A handful of additional training and capacity
building activities have been established by partners and by experts
involved in the MA.
— Education. MA materials are being
used extensively in University courses and curricula. There is
less evidence of use at other levels of education.
— Scientific Research. The MA is having
a notable impact on research directions and priorities.
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