Environmental emergencies
The Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit (JEU) together with its partners develops introductory and advanced trainings on a variety of environmental emergency preparedness and response topics.
Five online courses are available on the Environmental Emergencies Centre (EEC) in multiple languages:
- Beyond Response: Better Preparedness for Environmental Emergencies – learn all about the environmental emergencies cycle, the main actors and tools available for timely preparedness and response;
- Introduction to Industrial Accidents: Prevention, Preparedness and Response – get a deeper understanding of what constitutes “industrial accidents” and how to prepare for them;
- Disaster Waste Management: Best Practices and Tools – learn how to mitigate the environmental impacts of disaster waste;
- Introduction to the Flash Environmental Assessment Tool (FEAT) – master the JEU flagship methodology used to identify and analyse chemical accident risks caused by natural disasters;
- Environment in Humanitarian Action – discover how to effectively integrate environmental issues in humanitarian response and early recovery strategies.
Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Disasters and Ecosystems
UNEP has designed, in partnership with the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, a MOOC entitled “Disasters and Ecosystems: Resilience in a Changing Climate”, which was launched in January 2015 through the iVersity MOOC platform. The course received an overwhelming response from around the world, with more than 12,000 candidates enrolled from 183 countries. UNEP will continue to invest in developing additional MOOCs as a primary vehicle to reach a global audience.
National Training Course on Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction
This Training Course specifically targets national and local government sectoral and planning agencies. The training seeks to improve knowledge of best practices in Eco-DRR and facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration amongst government agencies to implement Eco-DRR initiatives in their own country. The course has three separate components designed in a modular form:
- A high-level awareness-raising component targeting policymakers and decision makers (half-day in duration);
- A science/technology component demonstrating the theory of the ecosystem-based approaches for CCA and DRR and introducing various tools (2.5 days);
- A case study component which presents relevant examples from around the world and which could be calibrated to the specific country/thematic focus (1-2 days, including a field visit).
UNEP has successfully delivered national-level trainings around the world, reaching more than 300 national-level participants, mostly from government ministries.
Graduate Course on Eco-DRR
In order to sustain the training efforts as well as enrich the content, UNEP aims to embed the training within university curricula. Working with the Center for Natural Resources and Development (CNRD), a university consortium coordinated by the Cologne University of Applied Sciences based in Germany, UNEP developed a Graduate Module entitled “Disasters, Environment and Risk Reduction”. The course contents were developed in collaboration with CNRD partner universities, and the course itself was initially delivered in CNRD partner universities. Currently, there are approximately 50 universities world-wide delivering the course or part of the course, and thus form part of our Eco-DRR university network.
Regional Training of Instructors
In order to widen the reach of the Graduate Course and to further embed course materials in universities and training institutions around the world, UNEP has directly trained more than 300 faculty members from over 200 academic and teaching institutions.
Environmental cooperation for peacebuilding
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Environmental Peacebuilding
This MOOC offers an introduction to the emerging field of environmental peacebuilding. Students will obtain a basic understanding of the roles of different natural resources (renewable and non-renewable) at different stages in the conflict lifecycle and how they change importance over time. This will include how natural resources and the environment can be drivers of conflict, how they are impacted by conflict, and how they can support national peacebuilding priorities. The course will also include best practices and lessons learned in how good resource and environmental governance can prevent and resolve disputes while supporting efforts to build peace, trust, and confidence among stakeholders.
Greening the Blue Helmets
As follow-up to the “Greening the Blue Helmets: Environment, Natural Resources and UN Peacekeeping Operations,” a series of four e-training modules is being produced in partnership with UNITAR and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). The first module was launched in October 2012, entitled, “Introduction to environment, natural resources and UN Peacekeeping Operations.”
Training on Land, Natural Resources and Conflict Prevention
Together with the European Union and five other UN partners – UNDP, DPA, UNEP, PBSO, HABITAT and DESA – UNEP is working to support countries to improve land and natural resource management for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Through a joint programme coordinated by the UN Framework Team for Preventive Action and financed by the EU's Instrument for Stability, the first outcome of the project is a series of Guidance Notes, and an online self-paced learning tool covering the following themes: land and conflict, extractive industries and conflict, renewable resources and conflict, and capacity building for managing land and natural resources. This training will also be offered through the UN Staff College.
Natural Resources and Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration
A training course on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) is offered through the Folke Bernadotte Academy which includes a module on DDR and natural resources. This module, designed by UNEP and UNDP, outlines the risks and opportunities from natural resources to DDR programmes. The course is based on the UN Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS).
Curriculum models on peacebuilding and natural resources
Emerging out of the series of edited volumes prepared in collaboration with the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), the University of Tokyo, and McGill University, a series of training materials on best practice in managing natural resources for peacebuilding will be produced.
Certificate Programme on Environment, Peace and Security.
In order to help establish the next generation of experts and practitioners, ECP also partnered with Columbia University to establish one of the world’s first ever Certificate Programme on Environment, Peace and Security. This 12-credit programme is offered over a period of two terms to both senior students and practitioners. As a complement to this course, ECP is collaborating with Columbia University, ELI and others to develop a Massive Open Online Course on Environmental Peacebuilding.
