Noah Eisner's Journey at UNDP Indonesia

Noah Eisner's Journey at UNDP Indonesia 

My name is Noah Eisner and I am a Junior Professional Consultant with UNDP Indonesia in the Environment Unit, based in Jakarta, West Java. Until this point in time, I have been focused on planning an upcoming conference called the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum and Business Summit, which will take place between October 30^th to November 1^st, 2019, in the city of Manado, North Sulawesi. The conference is designed to bring together international stakeholders related to AIS countries, including start-ups engaged in sustainable development initiatives, to achieve greater cooperation in maritime affairs as the globe shifts to a more sustainable and equitable model of marine resource use. Aside from conference planning, my main duty has been to create a conceptual framework for a Blue Economy Development Index (BEDI) formulated by the Dean of Fisheries and Marine Sciences at IPB University. My report on the BEDI will be distributed at the AIS Forum during the Ministerial Meeting, as well as delivered during a speech I must present at one of the four main conference plenary sessions.

My speech at the AIS Forum will be focused on the ongoing development of the BEDI, a holistic method of evaluation used to assess the level of current development of ocean resources and the future potential to maximize development benefits in a sustainable manner.

 The BEDI can be utilized to manage sustainable marine resource usage by determining if current development trends are meeting economic, environmental and social objectives—eliciting necessary developmental changes through informed policy frameworks and effective management regimes. Currently, the BEDI is only a conceptual framework, with further work required to operationalize the index in a formal policy setting. The main goals of its presentation at the AIS Forum are to generate support for this pragmatic management tool, as well as to increase monitoring efforts among AIS countries for more spatially and temporally accurate data input into the BEDI algorithm.

By engaging in policy related work pertaining to the sustainable and equitable development of marine resources, I have fulfilled a lifelong dream of actively participating in marine environmental policy planning. For example, engaging with government partners to ensure the Senior Official Meeting and Ministerial Meeting at the AIS Forum results in well informed discussions with greater possibility of eliciting meaningful policy commitments towards the sustainable and equitable development of marine resources.  As well, working as a JPC has given me the ability to publish a formal report under the UNDP, furthering my career objectives as an expert in the field of sustainable development and the management of oceans and marine resources. After the conference, I will continue to develop the BEDI with a team at my disposal, which will allow me to ensure such an important tool for managing coastal and marine resources can be utilized directly by governments of AIS countries over the long-term.

  

Aside from work in the office, I have also been afforded the opportunity to explore several areas within the sprawling Island nation that is Indonesia. During this time, I followed in the footsteps of the great naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, and viewed some of the most critically endangered species of our time (e.g. crested black macaque). Through these unique opportunities, I will continue to expand and utilize my knowledge set to push for a more sustainable and equitable future for all—human or otherwise.