Who needs what to implement the Kyoto Protocol? An assessment of capacity building needs in 33 developing countries

This paper reports on an assessment of the capacity building needs of 33 developing countries with regard to the Kyoto Protocol.The project set out to determine:the types and levels of capacity-building activities needed in each country to strengthen national and regional responses to the risks of human-induced climate changethe most important gaps in existing capacity-building efforts and the appropriate approaches for filling themthe critical target audiences for capacity-building in each country.The assessment found that increased emphasis on capacity-building activities - in the widest sense of the term - is a key component to a successful implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in developing countries.The author notes that from the largest to the poorest country, capacity building is needed to assist developing countries in achieving their national development priorities while reducing the growth rate of greenhouse gas emissions. The author argues that meeting such a challenge, given the on-going economic struggles in most developing countries, will require a significant and enduring commitment of both national and international resources development.In conclusion, the report notes that stakeholders interviewed believe that capacity building can also help developing countries to achieve their national economic development goals, contributing to reducing the rate of growth in greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.