IABIN GOVERNANCE:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND COORDINATION OF THE

INTER-AMERICAN BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION NETWORK

March 31, 1999

Prepared for the Technical Meeting for the Establishment of IABIN

Brasilia, Brazil, April 15-18, 1999

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network was mandated by the Plan of Action resulting from the 1996 Summit of the Americas on Sustainable Development, held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. To implement IABIN, a series of meetings of experts was held. From those meetings arose the requirement to study various models of information network governance which might provide lessons learned to IABIN, and to recommend, based on the analysis of those models, how IABIN might best be organized and coordinated. This report is the result of that study.

The following existing information networks were examined: Biodiversity Conservation Information System (BCIS); Biodiversity Information Network (BIN21); European Environment Information and Observation NETwork (EIONET); Inter-American Water Resources Network (IWRN); and North American Biodiversity Information Network (NABIN). Other relevant information networks considered included the Biodiversity Information Network­Brazil, the Canadian Biodiversity Information Network, the Indigenous Peoples Biodiversity Information Network, MABNetAmericas, and The Natural Heritage Network.

The following were identified as key factors for the success of IABIN:

• Building the trust, confidence and commitment of the network partners;
• Articulating the benefits of joining the network;
• Selecting an appropriate host for the network;
• Acquiring sustainable funding for the network; and
• Encouraging the partners to own and participate in the network.

Summary of Recommendations

The following are recommended for the initial implementation of IABIN. As the network matures, additional policies and procedures may be established; however, an agreement to the general principles of IABIN should be sufficient for the establishment of the network.

1. IABIN should be planned as a managed network.



2. IABIN should be hosted by an agency that has broadly compatible objectives but no mandate which would cause it to steer the network in any specific direction.



3. IABIN should have direct access to at least modest funds to expedite key network developments.



4. Parties to the Plan of Action from the Santa Cruz Summit should form the Members of IABIN. All others who wish to participate could apply to become IABIN Partners.



5. Parties to the Plan of Action from the Santa Cruz Summit should draft an IABIN Agreement of Principles for formal signature by prospective members of IABIN.



6. Non-mandatory operational procedures for IABIN defining protocols and standards should be progressively developed.



7. IABIN should be managed by a Steering Committee and facilitated by Technical Working Group(s) and a Coordinating Support Group (Hub).



8. A Steering Committee for IABIN should be established with membership drawn from IABIN focal points identified by participating governments.



9. The IABIN Steering Committee should meet every six months for three years, then annually.



10. The IABIN Steering Committee should normally make decisions by consensus or, where this is not practicable, by comfortable majority. Implementation of IABIN should not be delayed by the actions of small minorities, unless some higher-order principle is at stake.



11. The IABIN Steering Committee should delegate operational issues to one or more technical working group(s).



12. IABIN should establish a network hub, comprising a small coordinating support group, responsible to the Chair of the Steering Committee, to facilitate development of the network.

Acknowledgements

This report was prepared by Dr. John Busby, Program Manager, Biodiversity Conservation Information System, through arrangements with IUCN--The World Conservation Union. Funding for this study was provided by the United States Agency for International Development, Project #598-0780, Environmental Support Project, under an Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior.