Activity B3: Inter-Project Stakeholder Exchange Missions

EA/PAL: IW:LEARN PCU

OTHER PARTNERS: INBO-TWINBASIN, GEF STAP, IUCN, UNESCO-IHP and IOC

DESCRIPTION

• Coordinate inter-project exchanges between GEF IW projects and partners
• This activity builds upon lessons from the 2003 pilot. Objectives include:
• • Exchanging project experience and expertise at the operational level between projects with similar goals, objectives and activities;
  • Mutually increasing capacity for more effective protection of shared resources and sustainable management of transboundary water systems;
  • Documenting and disseminating recommendations and lessons gleaned from the exchanges across participating GEF IW projects.
• The activity brings together project managers, scientists and technical experts, non-governmental organization leaders, and policy makers for exchanges of project experiences and lessons learned during multi-week “learning missions.” The exchanges enable participating institutions to share experience and learn from each other in practical ways through collaborative face-to-face interactions over two to six week periods. To date, a number of projects and their partners (e.g., BCLME, GCLME, HCLME, PEMSEA, PERSGA, IUCN (Mekong and Tanganyika), Globallast, DeltAmerica? (IWRN)) have already requested notification and consideration for exchanges in 2004. Even though the pilot phase necessarily had a short notification period, tight application deadlines, and limited publicity, the interest was widespread and vigorous.

OUTPUTS

5-7 multi-week staff/stakeholder exchanges between pairs of 10-14 projects, at least half of which are new (or pipeline) projects, at a rate of 1-4 exchanges per year for 4 years, through 2008

PROGRESS TO DATE

Year	Goals/Outputs	Status/Notes
1	1-4 multi-week inter-project exchanges	none in year 1
2	1-4 multi-week inter-project exchanges	3 (11 projects) completed - 1. Project Communications @ Danube 2. Nutrient Pollution Reduction @ Moldova 3. Coastal Zone and Tourism Management @ PERSGA
3	1-4 multi-week inter-project exchanges	2 (5 projects) completed - Groundwater Management Study Tour @ USGS, Web 2.0 Technologies & Communities of Practice @ UNDP-Bratislava
4	1-4 multi-week inter-project exchanges	2 (3 projects) completed - Targeted Workshop (1/2): Stakeholder Engagement, TDA/SAP Process 4 planned:  Targeted Workshop(2/2): IWRM/Sustainable Financing, Wetland Restoration and Management, River Basin Commission Formation, LME Twinning

RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Application for Stakeholder Exchange
IW:LEARN Mission Report File

PREVIOUS EXCHANGES/OUTPUTS

Targeted Workshop on Integrated Management of Shared Lake Basins (16-18 July)

Exchange Website: www.watersee.net

Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: 50% of first two targeted workshops, leveraged six more)

Participants included stakeholders of three transboundary lakes in the Western Balkans - Prespa, Ohrid and Shkodra/Skadar, including in particular the active GEF projects that exist on the first and latter of those lakes.

Host Institution

FYR Macedonian Ministry for Environment and Physical Planning

Other Funding Partners

Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean (GWP-Med) and the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO/ECSDE) in cooperation with the GEF/UNDP "Integrated Ecosystem Management in the Prespa Lakes Basin of Albania, FYR-Macedonia and Greece" project

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The exchange of practical experience and knowledge between managers and decision-makers as well as stakeholders in the different shared bodies has been limited. The need to address this challenge has been made also obvious in the activities organized within the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process.

Based on this, a series of targeted capacity building workshops will focus on experiences and methodologies for addressing specific issues of transboundary water resource management. They are expected to leverage the varying levels of practical knowledge in the area, facilitiating the cross-fertilization between stakeholders of the different shared basins as well as introduce knowledge and experience from outside the region.

The aim is to enhance the practical capacity of stakeholders on specific issues of integrated management of their shared water bodies.

Learning Objectives

1. To get familiar with the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approaches, concept and tools as well as with the Ecosystems Approach as an integral part of the IWRM approach.
2. To understand the need for integration of water resources management and spatial planning.
3. To be informed about the legal frameworks and tools for water resources management at international and EU levels.

Outputs/Outcomes

1. Targeted Workshop Report
2. All Presentations and Background Materials at the Transboundary Waters Information Exchange Network for SE Europe

Inter-Basin Cooperation, Commission Support and TDA-SAP (13-20 July)

Participants & Projects Involved

Orange-Senqu River Basin Project:
Okavango River Basin Project
The ORASECOM delegation will include:
•    Three participants from each of the four riparian countries (mostly ORASECOM Council members but may include members of the ORASECOM Technical Task Team)
•    Two participants from ORASECOM Secretariat
TOTAL 14

Host Institution

International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, Danube Commission, Austrian, Hungarian and Serbian Governments

Other Funding Partners

GTZ (primary funder)

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The Orange-Senqu River originates in the Lesotho Highlands some 3,300m above sea level where the average annual precipitation can exceed 1,800 mm, with a corresponding average annual potential evaporation of 1,100 mm. The river stretches 2,300 km from the source to its mouth (Alexander Bay/Oranjemund) on the South Africa/ Namibia border, where the average annual precipitation drops to below 50 mm, while the average annual potential evaporation rises to over 3,000 mm. The Orange River basin is the most developed river basin in southern Africa, with a total catchment area in the order of 1,000,000 km2, of which almost 600,000 km2 lies within the Republic of South Africa with the remainder in Lesotho, Botswana and Namibia. The effective catchment area is difficult to determine, since it includes many pan areas and also several large ephemeral tributaries, such as the Molopo and Nossob in Botswana and Namibia, which have not contributed to flows in the main river in living memory. The principal anthropogenic threats to the integrity of the basin include: over-extraction of water leading to water scarcity; land degradation, diminishing the water retention capacity of soils; pollution; climate change, expected to lead to greater environmental variability in future (e.g. dislocations in spatial and temporal rainfall patterns); and, loss of biodiversity and introduced invasive species.  Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM) was established in 2000 as an advisory body to the four riparian member states to achieve the sustainable development of the Orange-Senqe River basin.

Upon the request from ORASECOM made in 2004, UNDP has been assisting the four riparian countries to secure the GEF resources to ensure the global environmental benefits will be accrued from the basin-wide planning processes through the TDA/SAP approach.  The countries are about to conclude the preparatory phase and has received the GEF Council approval for the full-sized project (USD6.3 million for 4 years).  Preliminary TDA has been endorsed by ORASECOM in April 2008.  Project document will be appraised in June 2008 before it is submitted to GEF Secretariat for CEO endorsement. 

The ORASECOM and the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) jointly request IW:LEARN for its financial support to make a learning, networking and exchange of information possible.  A visit of ORASECOM delegation to the ICPDR and the Danube basin is targeted towards knowledge transfer from the Danube’s experience to ORASECOM and strengthening of the institutional capacity of the ORASECOM, especially on its coordination capacity necessary to oversee the implementation of the multi-donor funded ORASECOM Environment and Water Resources Management Programme (ORASECOM Programme).  The timing is opportune as most of activities under the ORASECOM Programme are starting up in 2008.  The first elaborated, integrated work plan for the ORASECOM Programme is about to be finalized by ORASECOM Secretariat for review by ORASECOM Council. 

Learning Objectives

To enhance the understanding of the TDA/SAP process and the multi-donor coordination process among both policy and technical level personnel of the ORASECOM.  Specifically to:
• strategically design the TDA so it informs the SAP formulation process
• develop national capacity among the relevant agencies through the project
• appreciate the necessity for and develop a strategy to ensure broad based stakeholder participation
• develop a strategy to ensure high-level government commitments toward SAP formulation
• develop follow-on projects in SAP implementation

Outputs/Outcomes

• Enhanced capacity amongst both policy and technical level officials of the ORASECOM delegates from the four riparian countries to meaningfully manage and contribute towards the project objectives
• A possible program for continued cooperation between ORASECOM and ICPDR targeting the institutional capacity strengthening essential for, inter alia, the TDA/SAP development process.
• A report submitted to the governments, UNDP, FAO and IW:LEARN documenting outputs and benefits of the technical cooperation

Wetland Restoration and Management (21-23 May 2008)

Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: 100%)

Bulgaria Wetland Restoration Project: Tzvetanka Dimitrova, Mihail Mihailov, Stoyan Michov, Veselin Koev, Daniela Karakasheva, Jordan Kutzarov, Anna Georgieva (World Bank), Alexander Zinke (Consultant to project)

Host Institution

Danube River National Park (also a side visit to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River)

Other Funding Partners

World Bank

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The Danube River National Park, which consists of wetlands as well as our two project sites – Persina Nature Park and Kalimok-Brushlen Protected Site is designated as a Ramsar site, and one of great importance for the improvement of the Danube River water quality. The global environmental objective of the Bulgarian Wetlands Restoration and Pollution Reduction project is to demonstrate and provide for replication of reduction of  transboundary nutrient loads and other agricultural pollution flowing into the Danube River and Black Sea basins while at the same time conserving key target threatened species in the two protected sites through: (i) wetlands restoration and protected areas management programs, and (ii) support for stakeholders to adopt environmentally-friendly economic activities in the two project areas.

The Danube Auen National Park, lying between Vienna and Bratislava, covers an area of nearly 10,000 hectares along a 36 kilometers stretch of the Danube. It is one of the last large undeveloped wetlands in Central Europe and encompasses an enormous variety of wildlife habitats; the River Danube, canals and tributaries, marshy pools, gravel banks, wetlands, forests and meadows. The Danube National Park is with great importance for improvement of Danube water quality and biodiversity conservation. The Danube National Park Directorate staff is well experienced in wetlands management, and in cooperation with different stakeholders. The park is open to visitors as well as is free for walking and cycling.  There are guided tours, boat excursions, bicycle tours, coach rides and adventure weeks.

The Bulgarian experts will have the opportunity to learn more for all aspects of the wetlands management, environmental monitoring, stakeholder involvement and public participation. They will have the chance to meet the staff of ICPDR Secretariat in Vienna.

Learning Objectives

The specific objectives of the exchange are as follows:

• Learn about the Danube national park status, operation and floodplain restoration needs;
• Learn about the 3 different restoration concepts implemented between 1996 and 2007 and experiences gained;
• Visit of the sites by foot and boat;
• Learn about the tourism development in the wetlands;
• Make a comparison with the situation in Bulgaria, meeting with particular stakeholders;
• Establish cooperation and networking.

Outputs/Outcomes

1.    The capacity of the Persina Nature Park Durectorate’s and Kalimok-Brushlen Protected Site Association’s staff strengthened and the skill for development and management of international projects improved.
2.    Mr. Michov will use the gained experience for the practical development of operational guidance for operation and maintenance of the restored areas.
3.    Mrs. Dimitrova and Mr. Michailov will use the information for the development of other wetlands restoration projects within the Danube River Basin, which will benefit the improvement of the Danube River Water quality and biodiversity conservation.
4.    Ms. Karakasheva will use the experience gained for the improvement of the PNP newsletter and operation of the Visitor Center.    
5. The production of an IW:LEARN Experience Note covering the topic of Wetland Restoration and the Bulgaria project experience.
6. Individual learning objectives and final mission reports for each participant submitted one week after the completion of the exchange.

Understanding the TDA/SAP Process (3-12 May 2008)

Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: 67.5%, a bit less of BRazil ANA is included)

Carlos Andrade (Okavango River-Angola), Stefan de Wet (Okavango River-Namibia), Paulo Emilio Mendes (Okavango River-Angola), Tracy Molefi (Okavango-Botswana), Kalaote Kalaote (Okavango-Botswana), Laura Namene (Okavango River-Namibia), Manuel Quintino (Okavango River - FAO), Chaminda Rajapakse (Okavango River - FAO), Portia Segomelo (psegomelo@gov.bw), Joaquim Tavares (Okavango River-Angola)

Host Institution

Brazil National Water Agency (ANA) - Carlos Motta Nunes

Other Funding Partners

EPSMO Project

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The Okavango River Basin (ORB) remains one of the least human impacted basins on the African continent. Mounting socio-economic pressures in the riparian countries; Angola, Botswana and Namibia, threaten to change its present character. The Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission therefore successfully solicited GEF IW funds and is now initiating the TDA/SAP process through the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Management of the Okavango (EPSMO) Project.
The EPSMO Project requests this exchange to network and benefit from experiential learning with the Agência Nacional de Águas in Brazil. This activity is especially targeted towards developing the functional capacity of the National Coordinating Units.
The following points highlight reasons for this request:
1. this project is one of the first GEF-IW project in any of the three Okavango riparian countries whereas ANA has successfully executed a number of GEF projects and therefore can provide valuable insight
2. The Pantanal and Upper Paraguay River Basin for which a TDA/SAP was developed by a GEF project executed by ANA has strikingly similar ecosystem characteristics to the Okavango River Basin
3. Some of the projects executed by ANA, such as the GEF project for the São Francisco River Basin and its Coastal Zone, have exceptional levels of public participation providing valuable learning opportunities for the Okavango.
4. Angola, contributing more than 95% of the water to the Okavango and just emerging from decades of war, has requested assistance with capacity building. This exchange with a relevant agency in a Lusophone state will allow Angola and the ANA to initiate continued cooperation that will benefit the project into the future.
5. A strong sense of ownership among the three states bodes well for the success of the project but there has been some lack of clarity on the role of the governments’ vis-à-vis the implementing and executing agencies. Cooperation with GEF projects implemented/executed by government agencies would help further clarify issues

Learning Objectives

To enhance the understanding of the TDA/SAP process among the technical level personnel of the National Coordinating Units. Specifically to:

• strategically design the TDA so it informs the SAP formulation process
• develop national capacity among the relevant agencies through the project
• appreciate the necessity for and develop a strategy to ensure broad based stakeholder participation
• develop a strategy to ensure high-level government commitments toward SAP formulation
• develop follow-on projects in SAP implementation

Outputs/Outcomes

• Enhanced capacity amongst technical level officials of the National Coordinating Units (NCUs) of the three riparian countries to meaningfully manage and contribute towards the project objectives
• A program for continued technical cooperation between ANA and the Project including possible technical assistance for the ongoing TDA and SAP processes.
• A program for continued technical cooperation between Agência Nacional de Águas in Brazil and Direcção Nacional de Águas in Angola
• A report submitted to the governments, UNDP, FAO and IW-Learn documenting outputs and benefits of the technical cooperation
• Updates on the website of the Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM) website
• Documented specific experiences and learning on implementing GEF IW projects in post-conflict settings
• Initial steps towards the development of a Lusophone network of GEF IW project stakeholders

Targeted Workshop on Stakeholder Engagement (25-28 March 2007)

Exchange Website: www.watersee.net

Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: 50% of first two targeted workshops, leveraged six more)

Participants included stakeholders of three transboundary lakes in the Western Balkans - Prespa, Ohrid and Shkodra/Skadar, including in particular the active GEF projects that exist on the first and latter of those lakes.

Host Institution

Montenegro Ministry of Tourism and Environment with facilitation and adminsitration via the Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean Office

Other Funding Partners

European Commission (via the Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture, and Sustainable Development), UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The exchange of practical experience and knowledge between managers and decision-makers as well as stakeholders in the different shared bodies has been limited. The need to address this challenge has been made also obvious in the activities organized within the Petersberg Phase II / Athens Declaration Process.

Based on this, a series of targeted capacity building workshops will focus on experiences and methodologies for addressing specific issues of transboundary water resource management. They are expected to leverage the varying levels of practical knowledge in the area, facilitiating the cross-fertilization between stakeholders of the different shared basins as well as introduce knowledge and experience from outside the region.

The aim is to enhance the practical capacity of stakeholders on specific issues of integrated management of their shared water bodies.

Learning Objectives

1. To understand the conceptual framework for public participation in shared water
resources management at different levels: international, national, and local
2. To be informed about the legal frameworks for public participation at international level
3. To get familiar with the various involvement strategies and tools that may be used in the
different steps within a stakeholders involvement process
4. To learn the steps of a stakeholders involvement process*
5. To identify ways of integrating the different tools and techniques into IWRM at national
and transboundary level
6. To learn how to prepare a stakeholders involvement plan
7. To identify peers in region who can work with in addressing issues of TWRM in the future
8. To appreciate the importance of public participation and its benefits to the IWRM and to
their work.

Outputs/Outcomes

1. Report from the Targeted Workshop
2. All Presentations and Background Materials at the Transboundary Waters Information Exchange Network for SE Europe

Web 2.0 Technologies & Communities of Practice (22-23 August 2007)

Exchange Website: europeandcis.undp.org/WaterWiki/IT4KM

Participants & Projects Involved

Rean van der Merwe (D-List Benguela)

Host Institution

UN Development Programme: Bratislava Regional Centre (UNDP-BRC)

Other Funding Partners

UNDP-BRC

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

Stemming immediately from informal networking at the 4th Biennial International Waters Conference, this stakeholder exchange offers new promise of developing guidance for GEF International Waters projects (and associated partners and stakeholders) on utilization of a new generation of information technology to manage information and disseminate knowledge. As recently as last year, the IW:LEARN steering committee grappled with challenges faced by the project regarding online structured learning. The intent of this exchange will be in part to address the apparent lack of interest in IW project stakeholders in traditional IT solutions like online discussion forums.

The D-List Benguela GEF IW project has enjoyed considerable success deploying innovative solutions for their stakeholders. This exchange will be in part to introduce D-List’s considerable experience and background to other related stakeholders and produce some basic guidance for other projects attempting to improve their knowledge management, including IW:LEARN itself. As host, the UNDP Regional Office in Bratislava excels in the field of knowledge management, having deployed its own innovative solutions like WaterWiki and the Water Knowledge Fair. As a regional center they are also central to the execution of a few GEF projects and in a key position to disseminate the exchange’s outputs. IW:LEARN itself will also play a role in the exchange and its findings.

Learning Objectives

• To exchange experiences (at concept level) on existing platforms and approaches to information technology for knowledge management
• To discuss (potential) use and application of Wikis and other “Web 2.0 technology” for knowledge management, community of practice facilitation, on-line collaboration/communities, etc.
• To discuss opportunities and constraints in view of linking/integration of different tools and/or platforms (amongst each other and with “conventional” (e.g. UN(DP) or other project websites)

Outputs/Outcomes

• An understanding of the various discussed platforms and IT-solutions in view of:

(a) the underlying concept (audience(s), aim, basic approach, etc.)
(b) the specific functionalities (services, elements/modules, “exploring mechanisms”, etc. etc.) and
(c) Strengths (potentials) and Weaknesses (constraints) of various approaches 

• New ideas and concrete recommendations for

(a) improvement of existing (WaterWiki, IW:LEARN, DLIST) and/or
(b) creation of new (UNDP, UNSSC-Wiki, ..) platforms for CoP-management, KM, on-line collaboration, etc.
(c) possibly using and integrating different tools and approaches

• Maybe: An approach/concept for linking or integration of various platforms aiming at (dynamic) exchange of knowledge
• Experience Note: Fostering Online Communities of Practice - DList-Benguela
  

Groundwater Learning Exchange and Study Tour (16-26 April 2007)

Exchange Website: www.iwlearn.net/groundwater

Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: approximately 44%)

Guarani Aquifer: Luiz Amore (project), Jorge Santa Cruz, Roberto Montes (project), Juan Jose Ledesma (Uruguay), Miguel Angel Giraut (Argentina), Elena Benitez (Paraguay), Julio Thadeu Kettelhut (Brazil)
Iullemeden Aquifer: Abdelkader Dodo (Sahara and Sahel Observatory)
NW Sahara Aquifer: Djamel Latrech (Sahara and Sahel Observatory)
Nubian Aquifer (in absentia, participation via the web): Lotfi A. Madi Farag (Libya), Al Mahdi Megrbi (Libya), Ahmed R Khater (Egypt), Sameh Afifi (Egypt), Ismail Musa Mohamed (Chad), Min. Abakar Ramadan Souleymane (Chad)

Host Institution

Ingrid Verstraeten & Colleagues, US Geological Survey (USGS)

Other Funding Partners

Pradeep Aggarwal, Andy Garner - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

• The Guarani Aquifer System requested this exchange to network & benefit from experiential learning with US groundwater management staff and institutions, and with other GEF groundwater projects.
• The exchange provides opportunities for GEF IW groundwater project staff and national coordinators to network & exchange practical experience with cognate staff in the USGS – and with other GEF groundwater project participants
• IAEA will work with USGS to develop a targeted training component of the exchange to address priority learning needs identified by participating projects in depth through workshops and field visits
• Site visits to the USGS headquarters and 2 major field offices will include opportunities for hands-on interactions with state-level aquifer managers
• Guarani Aquifer System will invite USGS-IAEA and projects participating in this exchange to a Guarani regional seminar in 2007, affording an opportunity to follow up, strengthen networking among GEF groundwater projects, and evaluate impacts of the exchange.

Learning Objectives

The objectives of this exchange are to improve management of transboundary aquifers in three general areas:

• Provide overview of technical aspects of water resources in support of management decisions--tools, technology, monitoring networks, characterization, geo-databases, GIS) and aquifer development (recharge, permits, uses)
• Provide overview of managerial aspects of (ground)water in order to ensure a sustainable water supply through discussion about several aquifers in differing climatic and hydrogeological settings--groundwater management models across governing boundaries, water management indicators, institutional arrangements, legal framework, permits, water uses and tradeoffs, policy directions…;
• Provide an overview of public participation options-- advocacy and citizenship building strategies, user groups and stakeholder participation in water management and aquifer development.

Outputs/Outcomes

• Summary Article
• Mission Reports: Abdelkader Dodo & Djamel Latrech, Luiz Amore, Miguel Giraut, Julio Kettelhut and Juan Jose Ledesma
  

Coastal Zone and Tourism Management (4-6 December 2006)

Participants & Projects Involved

Ruth “Wanjiku” Kiambo (Western Indian Ocean-LaB), Jocelyn Rakotomalala (Western Indian Ocean-LaB), Sunny Ukweh (Guinea Current LME), Stephen Utre (Coastal Tourism)

Host Institution

The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Environment (PERSGA) in partnership with the GEF Project DLIST- Benguela ‘Distance Learning and Information Sharing Tool’ (http://www.dlist-benguela.org) and UNEP-ROWA (http://www.unep.org.bh).

Other Funding Partners

UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

PERSGA aims to develop a regional framework for the protection of the environment and the  sustainable development of coastal and marine resources in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Region. In order to achieve this aim, PERSGA is working continuously to strengthen the Region’s capacity in adoption and implantation of integrated coastal zone management plans (ICZM). Tourism in the coastal areas has become a major sector of international economy. As the scale of tourism grows, the recourse use threatens to become unsustainable. Hence, rapidly growing tourism can create pressures on management and can lead to a situation where formerly sustainable tourism becomes unsustainable. Tourisms is often a major beneficiary of effective management of natural resources and processes of ICZM.

Learning Objectives

The purpose of the training is to improve the capacity of environmentalists, NGO’s and individuals, tourism stakeholders in how to plan coastal tourism so it is sustainable, and is a financing option a long term coastal management process. More specifically, the course will discuss:

• Tourism and sustainability;
• Tourism as a means of creating development, employment and economic value in coastal and marine environments;
• Financing options, including user fees, concessions, fees and licenses, to meet the cost of protecting environmental services;
• In-Kind support of management;
• Global programs and financing options

Outputs/Outcomes

• Mission Reports: Sunny, Jocelyn
  

Nutrient Pollution Reduction (3-6 October 2006)

Exchange Website: http://www.iwlearn.net/abt_iwlearn/pns/partner/nutrientfiles/moldovaconference

Participants & Projects Involved (IWL Share: approximately 60%)

Supported projects: Oumer Ould Aly (Niger River), Kurt Roos (East Asia Livestock), Adrian Ross (Partnership for East Asian Seas)
Other projects in attendance: Turkey, Romania Agricultural Pollution Control Projects, Bulgaria Wetlands, Serbia Danube Enterprise Pollution Reduction, Georgia Agriculture, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and the Danube River Regonal

Host Institution

Alexandru Jolondvischi and Silvia Pana-Carp, Moldova Agricultural Pollution Control Project

Other Funding Partners

Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, R. Moldova, Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank (IBRD)

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

The purpose of the conference was to examine methodologies to measure results and project potential catalytic effects of nutrient reduction activities. Furthermore, conference organizers intended for the conference to explore how nutrient reduction indicators can be scaled-up from the project level to the national, regional and basin-wide levels. Finally, a more tacit purpose included gathering stakeholders of the UNDP and World Bank’s Danube / Black Sea Strategic Partnership’s GEF project portfolio to share experiences and innovative practices.

Outputs/Outcomes

• The conference aimed to deliver a set of recommendations on the types of indicators which can be utilized to measure results of the Partnership’s attempt to reduce the impact of nutrient pollution, in particular on the Danube River and Black Sea. [Meeting Report] [Presentations, etc.]
  
• Improved networking, coordination and experience sharing among the stakeholders of the Black Sea - Danube strategic partnership.

Project Communications (19-20 January 2006)

Participants & Projects Involved (IWL co-finance: 40%, but actually less than that as all projects self-funded)

Black Sea: Yegor Volovik
Caspian Sea: Hamid Ghaffarzadeh, Melina Seyfollahzadeh, Ardalan Sotudeh
Kura-Aras River: Mary Matthews
REC: Magda Toth Nagy
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden: Khulood Tubaishat
South Pacific Regional Environmental Program: Ritia Bakineti (Kiribati), Deyna Marsh (Cook Islands), Steve Menzies (SPREP), Leah Nimoho (Vanuatu)
UNDP: Vladimir Mamaev, Juerg Staudenmann

Host Institution

Danube Regional Project (hosted by International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR))
Jasmine Bachman (ICPDR), Paul Csagoly (project), Kari Eik (project), Tony Hare (consultant), Sylvia Koch (project)

Introduction, Purpose: Why an Exchange

Around the globe many International Waters Projects are attempting to influence human behaviour in order to protect shared natural resources. These projects are attempting to:

• raise public awareness of resource management problems;
• promote public participation in decision-making, and;
• minimize the harmful impacts of specific human behaviours.

Communications can provide effective tools to:

• promote voluntary behaviour change within target audiences and;
• help build public support for the introduction of new rules and regulations to protect shared resources.

Unfortunately there is often there is a poor understanding of how communications activities can help to achieve realistic and measurable outcomes, whether it is a change in awareness, attitudes, behaviours, or a change in specific environmental indicators.

Despite these common objectives and barriers there are currently no clear guidelines, resources, or tools to help communications practitioners in IW projects to improve the effectiveness of their communications programmes and activities.

The purpose of this proposal is to find a cost-effective way to bring together existing examples of best-practice and case studies to show how communications activities can be used to:

• raise awareness of how our projects are attempting to address key environmental and resource management issues;
• promote greater public ownership of these problems and their solutions;
• promote voluntary behaviour change and/or public support for the adoption of new rules and regulations where this is required
• achieve measurable changes in awareness, attitudes, behaviours and environmental indicators.

The purpose of the proposed stakeholder exchange is to bring together a core group of communications practitioners with a vested interest in improving the effectiveness of their own project communications programmes.

Learning Objectives

The objective of this proposal is to develop a web-based Resource Kit that will provide planning tools and case-studies to assist communications practitioners in all IW projects to improve the effectiveness of their:

• Communications Strategies
• Audience Research Programmes
• Media and Public Outreach Programmes
• Social Marketing (Behaviour Change & Advocacy) Campaigns
• Monitoring & Evaluation Programmes

Outputs/Outcomes

• Communications Planning Guide (download), Link to editable "living version"
• Link to site for Vienna Communication Workshop hosted by UNDP-RBEC Bratislava's WaterWiki
• Mission Reports: Steve Menzies, Ritia Bakineti, Deyna Marsh and Leah Nimoho

Pilot Phase

• South Pacific Regional Environmental Program > Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem
• Danube River (Danube Environmental Forum) > Mediterranean Sea (Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development)

• • detailed report from the exchange including description of the new ideas and lessons learned

  • a short article about the output of the exchange

• Rio de la Plata (FREPLATA) > San Juan River (PROCUENCA)
• South Pacific Regional Environmental Program > Regional Programme on Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA)
• Lake Peipsi (CTC) > Danube River
• Regional Programme on Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) > Chesapeake Bay
• Lake Chad Basin (LCBC) > Lake Peipsi (Chudskoye Project)

LINKS