Should IUCN consider certification of protected areas World

Should IUCN consider certification of protected areas?

World Parks Congress: Certification Workshop Many protected areas are under threat A report – Squandering Paradise – identified many threats and a critical condition for many protected areas

At the same time, many stakeholders are asking for greater accountability in protected area management

World Parks Congress: Certification Workshop Assessment of management effectiveness gives us the tools to assess effectiveness But not necessarily any associated accountability

World Parks Congress: Certification Workshop Certification has been suggested as one way of assuring accountability of protected area effectiveness

World Parks Congress: Certification Workshop A range of options • Danger lists • Self reporting systems • Assessment of management procedures – e. g. ISO • Third party certification

World Parks Congress: Certification Workshop Some proposals • An accreditation system for management effectiveness methodologies • A certification system for private and community-managed protected areas

World Parks Congress: Certification Workshop Accreditation • A set of standards • An agreed system for judging if individual protected area assessments meet the standards • Better standards of assessment • Greater credibility for individual systems

World Parks Congress: Certification Workshop Certification for private protected areas • An identified need • Incentives for protected areas • A relatively limited investment

Suggestions and questions • The World Heritage Centre and WCPA management effectiveness theme to work together to investigate options for a more formal certification scheme for Natural WH Sites • Proposals for consideration of a certification scheme for the CBD • Encouragement to countries to develop PA standards • More case studies and experience needed including of participatory process • Development of management standards • Need for regional approaches • Including wider impacts of protected areas beyond the PA boundary • Who would manage such a system and what would it cost?