WP2: Framework on Best Practice in environmental and other research in UK Overseas Territories
Part of the project From blue iguanas to blue vervain: sharing the colonial histories from the UK Overseas Territories aimed to develop a framework of best practice to enable increased prospects of resourcing for environmental work in the UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) to address needs agreed by workers in the UKOTs. If these are adhered to both by those planning work and applying for funding and permissions and by the funding bodies, there are good prospects of moving towards a more equitable system.
This framework was developed by consultations involving circulating drafts to bodies active in the UKOTs, followed by an online workshop on it on 25th July 2022 to confirm the document. This framework does not arise from nowhere. It builds on the recommendations and conclusions relating of improving equity in the access to funding already agreed by UKOT and Crown Dependencies practitioners (both NGO and governmental) at the online conference of the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum (UKOTCF) in March 2021, Staying Connected for Conservation in a Changed World (https://www.ukotcf.org.uk/onlineconference2021/), as well as from other conferences in the series, the experience of NGOs in the UKOTs themselves and researchers based around the world, and the Statement of 4th UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies Environment Ministers’ Council Meeting, 28 – 29 April 2021 (https://www.ukotcf.org.uk/environment-ministers-council/fourth-meeting-2021/).
Use of this framework will also help fulfil some of UK’s commitments under various international treaties, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, for example its Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity which aims at “sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way” (see https://www.gida-global.org/care).
The framework follows the process of designing and delivering research, from the call for funding applications, through the involvement of partners, the development and consideration of applications, designing and undertaking the work, reporting it and ensuring access to the result.
This Framework is available to be adopted by any organisation which wishes to strengthen equity in environmental work.
The full framework (5 pages) is available here.
A summary version (2 pages) is available here.
A recording of the workshop may be accessed via this link, subject to the conditions noted in the document to which the link leads.
