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Capacity building Module

The AEO assessment builds capacity in all aspects of IEA, including SoE reporting, policy analysis and 1
scenario development at national, sub-regional and regional levels in Africa. Capacity-building workshops
were organized at sub-regional level for national experts and non-government organizations (NGOs)

on the methodologies of state of the environment/policy retrospective reporting using the DPSIR
framework, including methods of data management. A scenario development workshop was also held.

Impact and follow-up Abu Dhabi, UAE

The AEO assessment report has had political impact at the highest level. As highlighted above, the first
report was used as a background document in the development of the New Partnership for African
Development (NEPAD) Environment Action Plan, which was adopted by the African Union Heads of

State summit in 2003. It was also endorsed in Chapter 8: Africa in the World Summit on Sustainable
Development (WSSD) Plan of Implementation. In addition, it stimulated a number of additional
resolutions at the AMCEN sessions. Because of data problems encountered in the preparation of
the report, AMCEN also approved the Africa Environment Information Network (AEIN) to enhance
data and information access and infrastructure in Africa. About 10 countries were involved in the pilot
phase, and at least five of them have produced draft national environment outlook reports. The second
phase extended forward from 2006 and the number of countries involved increased. By the end of

2007, more than 30 countries (out of 53) produced national IEA reports because such reports are one
of the required AEIN outputs at the national level. Overall, more countries are using the AEO/GEO
methodology than ever before.

The Opportunities Framework, which was used in the second report: Africa Environment Outlook 2.
Our Environment, Our Wealth (AEO-2) has also been embraced in the region with other assessment
processes highlighting it. The report itself has been adopted by AMCEN. The 24th Session of the UNEP
Governing Council/Global Ministerial Forum held in February 2007 acknowledged the AEO-2 in linking
sustainable development and poverty reduction.

7.3 National example - State of the Environment Abu Dhabi

Mandate

The Emirate of Abu Dahbi State of the Environment Report was prepared as the Environment Agency
- Abu Dhabi (EAD) is assigned the responsibility of producing the state of the environment report for
the emirate of Abu Dhabi (State of the Environment Abu Dhabi, http://www.soe.ae). The process was
initiated by EAD with technical support from UNEP-GRID and cooperation of numerous agencies
during the development process. The report is intended to be a tool based on the latest information

IEA Training Manual Workshop for the National Reporting Toolkit (NRT) 31