Research Guide for Assessing National Capacities for Environmental Economics in Developing Countries and Countries with Economies in Transition

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1 Research Guide for Assessing National Capacities for Environmental Economics in Developing Countries and Countries with Economies in Transition 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Purpose This research guide has been developed as step one of a project activity to identify practical approaches for strengthening environmental economics capacities in developing countries and countries with economies in transition (CEITs). The activity has been generously supported by Norway as part of ongoing efforts within UNEP Chemicals to implement the UNDP UNEP Partnership Initiative for the Integration of the Sound Management of Chemicals (SMC) into Development Planning Processes. 1 It is also linked to the broader UNDP UNEP Poverty and Environment Initiative. 2 Capacities for economic analysis are vitally important to support integration of national SMC priorities into national development policies and plans. This includes a better understanding of how to: Assess the costs to human health and the environment of inaction on SMC; Analyze the costs and benefits of action with respect to budgetary expenditures and other significant investments to improve SMC; and Communicate these results to finance and development planning agencies of government in an economic language that these agencies can understand, the staff of which will generally not be chemicals experts. The first step in this project activity, for which this research guide has been developed, is to assess current capacities for economic analysis within select pilot countries; countries that are already 1 See: UNDP Environment and Energy Group UNDP Technical Guide for Integrating the Sound Management of Chemicals in MDG Based Policies and Plans, UNDP UNEP Poverty Environment Initiative UNEP Chemicals Supplemental Cost Benefit Economic Analysis Guide, 2 UNDP UNEP PEI Making the Economic Case: A Primer on the Economic Arguments for Mainstreaming Poverty Environment Linkages into National Development Planning, 1 Page

2 partnering with the UNDP UNEP Partnership Initiative on Mainstreaming. This research guide will be used by a Junior Economist, to be hired locally by the pilot country government, who will work under the supervision of the Project Director and the Senior Economist already designated for the UNDP UNEP Partnership Initiative Mainstreaming Project within the country. 1.2 Work Plan The Junior Economist, immediately upon his or her recruitment, will read this Research Guide and the documents noted in footnotes 1 and 2 above. These documents are essential background for this assignment. The Research Guide should then be followed to complete this part of the project activity, which is to: 1. Assess current environmental economics capacities with the country; and 2. Identify some practical approaches that could be applied to strengthen these capacities. The Junior Economists will then prepare a concise research report. It will be circulated for comment to the Project Director, Senior Economist, and UNEP Chemicals. The research report will then be revised by the Junior Economist based on comments received and subsequently, upon approval by the Project Director, circulated to stakeholders who were contacted and contributed information to the research effort. The Project Director will inform the Junior Economist about the relationship between this work and other elements of the overall project activity where stakeholders will have opportunities to comment in one or more workshop(s). 1.3 Work Method This Research Guide is intended to be applied through personal and telephone interviews and the review of secondary information such as internet web sites and academic brochures. Reviews of secondary written material alone will not be enough for this work because it is extremely difficult with those information sources alone to determine the true extent of current and potential environmental economics education/training in existing institutions within the country. Interviews (personal or telephone) will also be necessary to hear the views of economics practitioners and education and training experts about practical approaches that could be applied to strengthen these capabilities within and outside government. 2 P age

3 The Junior Economist, therefore, should meet with the Project Director and Senior Economist early in the research effort (after the above noted documents have been reviewed) to develop a list of stakeholders who will be contacted for this research. The following institutions would normally be represented on the stakeholders list to an extent necessary to gather robust information for the project (i.e. within project budgetary and time limitations): a. Universities and colleges with economics, management and/or environmental studies departments; b. Training institutions; c. Major consultancy firms operating within the country; d. Major industry associations; e. Major NGOs operating within the country on environment, natural resource, health, and development issues; f. Professional associations of economists, accountants and public health practitioners; and g. Government departments at various levels of government with key economic development and analysis mandates. 2.0 Research Questions When responding to the research questions provided below, in each case, please remember to name the institutions rather than counting them only. A list should be kept giving contact names and addresses for all institutions noted in the report. 2.1 Formal Education and Training Sector Universities and colleges a. How many universities and colleges in the country have economics programs? 3 P age

4 b. How many have graduate programs in economics? i. What are the approximate enrolment numbers? c. How many have public policy or public administration programs with economics training requirements? d. How many have graduate programs in public policy or public administration with economics training requirements? d. What are the approximate enrolment numbers? e. General opinion: What do the contacts say about the main employers of their graduates in these areas? f. How many of these programs (be sure to mention the type of program) offer courses in public welfare economics at the graduate level? g. How many of these programs (be sure to mention the type of program) have environmental economics courses at the graduate level? h. Are there any post graduate certificate programs in public welfare or environmental economics? i. Are there mid career executive training programs involving public welfare or environmental economics at the universities and colleges? j. General opinion: Do the contacts feel that there is or could be a reasonable level of interest in environmental economics if more educational opportunities in this area were available? Training Institutions a. Are there major training institutions within the country distinct from the universities and colleges? 4 P age

5 i. If so, which are privately or publicly owned? b. If so, do any institutions offer specialized economics training? c. If so, do any institutions offer management training that includes aspects of public welfare or environmental economics? d. General opinion: Do the contacts feel that there is or could be a reasonable level of interest in environmental economics if more educational opportunities in this area were available in the training sector? 2.2 Consultancies a. Are there any large consultancies in the country offering economic analysis services? b. If so, do they offer services in public welfare economics? c. If so, do they offer services in environmental economics? d. General opinion: Do the contacts feel that there is or could be an emerging market for consulting services in these areas? If so, why? If not, why not? 2.3 Industry Associations a. Are there any national industry associations conducting economic research for their sectors? b. If so, do they have public welfare economics experts? c. If so, do they have environmental economics experts? d. Do they form partnerships with other groups to perform economic analysis? 5 P age

6 2.4 Non Government Organizations a. Are there any large NGOs conducting economic research for their sectors? b. If so, do they have public welfare economics experts? c. If so, do they have environmental economics experts? d. Do they form partnerships with other groups to perform economic analysis? 2.5 Professional Associations a. Are there any large professional associations conducting economic research for their sectors? b. If so, do they have public welfare economics experts? c. If so, do they have environmental economics experts? d. Do they form partnerships with other groups to perform economic analysis? 2.6 Government Departments a. Does the environment department/ministry have an economic analysis unit? b. If so, how many economists work with the unit? c. If so, how many are trained in environmental economics? d. Does the department/ministry partner with other ministries to conduct economic analysis? e. If so, which ministries? f. If so, please give examples? g. If so, do the partner ministries have staff trained in environmental economics? 6 P age

7 h. Does the central development planning organization of government have any economists trained in environmental economics? i. Does the finance ministry responsible for government budgeting have any economists trained in environmental economics? 7 P age