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IslandWatch

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About

UNESCO's IslandWatch programme, launched on 28 May 2024 at the SIDS4 conference, builds upon the legacy of the Sandwatch initiative by expanding the scope of environmental monitoring to address a wider range of challenges, including threats to biodiversity and the sustainability of both marine and freshwater resources. While Sandwatch focused on engaging local communities, schools, and teachers in monitoring coastal ecosystems, IslandWatch incorporates modern technologies and digital tools to improve data collection, analysis, and management. The programme aims to provide valuable evidence to support local and national policies on environmental conservation, ensuring that monitoring efforts are grounded in scientific rigor and can contribute to informed decision-making. By fostering collaboration with academic institutions, IslandWatch seeks to modernize monitoring practices and strengthen data systems to better address pressing environmental issues affecting island communities.

Aim

• Establish a comprehensive, participatory environmental monitoring system across island ecosystems, using scientifically robust and standardised protocols adaptable to local contexts.  

• Engage a wide range of ecosystem users, from schools and youth groups to fisherfolk, local communities, NGOs, and government stakeholders in data collection, analysis, policy, and implementation.  

• Improve the availability, accessibility, and accuracy of environmental data through integrated data systems and partnerships with higher education institutions, technical networks, through the UNESCO citizen science platform.  

• Promote inclusive and participatory environmental governance by linking citizen science data with national reporting frameworks, planning systems, and policy processes.  

• Promote environmental stewardship and support climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods through monitoring and locally driven actions.

• Build scientific and analytical capacity in SIDS by connecting citizen data with academic research, establishing data analysis networks, and creating pathways for evidence-based decision making at local, national, and international levels 

How to participate

IslandWatch is an open access programme, proving tools and support to interested partners, researcher and community-led initiatives to initiate freshwater-related citizen science initiatives tailored to the local needs to address their water challenges. Inquiries for participation can be made to ihp-wins@unesco.org.


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Project data

No published data has been added to this project yet.