National Policy Dialogues on Integrated Water Resources ...€¦ · • NPD are led by a senior...

National Policy Dialogues on IWRM in EECCA with UNECE as a key strategic partner

National Policy Dialogues on

Integrated Water Resources Management

under the EU Water Initiative

Gulnara Roll, Water Convention Secretariat

Environment Division, UNECE, Geneva


National Policy Dialogues (NPD)

on integrated water resources management (IWRM) and water supply and sanitation (WSS) is the main operational instrument of the European Union Water Initiative (EUWI).

• This Initiative was launched in 2002 at the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

• The Initiative is a partnership aiming at contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and targets set at WSSD for water supply and sanitation, within an integrated approach to water resources management.


National Policy Dialogues (NPD)

• The EUWI Component for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia targets 12 countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

• Working Group for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia is chaired by the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests

• UNECE is key strategic partner on IWRM, transboundary waters => NPDs are part of the Water Convention programme of work;

• OECD is key strategic partner on water supply and sanitation as well as water resources management financing


• NPDs are a platform for the policy discussions and preparation and implementation of national policy documents (e.g. Governmental and Ministerial Orders)

• NPD are led by a senior official, usually the Deputy - Minister for Environment/Water Resources

• High-level officials representing different sectors of economy (water, agriculture, industry, other) comprise NPD Steering Committee

• Stakeholders include governmental entities, NGOs, science, private sector entities,

• Donors take part in the SCs meetings

NPD – as a policy process rather than a technical project


Update on NPDs development

Diverse activities but one structured approach –

• Pre-mission, analysis of existing reports, EPRs,

• Signing Memorandum of Understanding,

• Establishing Steering Committee,

• Preparation of a report on mapping major stakeholders and programmes;

• Preparation of a NPD Roadmap;

• Work on ground – support to national and international consultants to conduct analysis, prepare thoroughly policy packages

Close coordination and synergies with OECD, EU, other international organizations


NPDs IWRM in countries of Eastern Europe,

Caucasus and Central Asia

Since 2006, UNECE has been carrying out

National Policy Dialogues on IWRM in four

countries: Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of

Moldova and Ukraine.

In 2010, the policy dialogues started in

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkmenistan and

Uzbekistan. IN September 2001, a request has

been received from the Government of

Kazakhstan.


Major issues addressed by the EUWI NPDs IWRM

• Water legislation (EU WFD, Water Convention

principles): development of water strategies, laws,

regulations based on IWRM principles (AM, AZ, GE, MD,

UA, TJ, TM). Synergies with OECD on financing!

• Issues of drinking water quality (UNECE – WHO Protocol

on Water and Health) (MD, UA, AM, GE).

Synergies on WSS with OECD!

• National policies for management of transboundary

waters (UNECE Water Convention) (AZ, GE, MD, UA),

• Adaptation of the water sector to climate change are

high on the policy agenda (MD, UA).


Current NPD-IWRM activities – ENP region

Instruments/frameworks AM AZ MD UA GE

EU WFD principles X X X X X

UNECE Water Convention principles X X X X X

UNECE – WHO Protocol Water & Health X X X X

EU Urban Wastewater Directive X

Climate change adaptation (EU and

UNECE instruments)

X X

EU Flood Directive/UNECE instruments

– Payments for Ecosystems Services

X X

Institutional frameworks (e.g. River

Basin Councils, other)

X X X


Current NPD-IWRM activities – Central Asia

Instruments/frameworks KG TJ TM UZ

EU WFD principles X X X

UNECE Water Convention principles X X X

UNECE/WHO-Euro Protocol on Water

and Health X X

EU Urban Wastewater Directive

Climate change adaptation (EU and

UNECE instruments) X

Flood Directive/UNECE instruments –

Payments for Ecosystems Services

Institutional frameworks (e.g. River

Basin Councils, other) X


NPD IWRM supported in 2009 – 2012

• European Commission,

• UNECE, ENVSEC through OSCE

• Governments of

– Finland,

– Switzerland,

– Germany - GIZ,

– Norway,

– Denmark (expertise),

– Slovakia through IWAC.

• In-kind expert support – Finland, Estonia, Hungary


Global National Income per

capita, 2009, USD

(www.worldbank.org)

6920

870 700

3420

1100

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

GNI per capita,…

15.9

5.3 6.9

5.1

27.8

Kazakhstan KyrgyzRepublic

Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan

Population, mln

people, 2009, USD

Switzerland GNI: $65,430 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Kazakhstan Kyr gyz Republ i c T aj i k i stan T ur kmeni stan Uzbeki stan

r est

other CA

Russi an

t i t l e nat i onal i ty

Ethnic composition of CA

countries, 1993


NPD approach –

what is the role of the Governments?

• With the development of the civil society globally, some scholars considered that the role of the governments is decreasing, diluting and these are diverse stakeholders who actually make decisions

• However, as the practice of management of especially shared natural resources showed, states remain to be main players in managing natural resources

• This is especially true in all the Central Asian countries where management is centralized and, at the other hand, the civil society and other stakeholders (private enterprises, for instance) are still weak and developing.


NPD approach – role of stakeholders?

• The states are the main players in the NPDs, an intersectoral approach (involvement of different sectors) is important;

• Representatives of river basin organizations, regional, local authorities, water companies, are usually involved;

• Several NGOs’ representatives are present – their role is in information collection and dissemination, logistics, preparation of case studies. Often – they are the main institutional memory of longer term processes.


NPD practical approach

• Build on the local ownership, respecting local traditions and

cultures;

• React and adapt to changes;

• Establish personal contacts and networks and support step-

by-step establishment of formal rules and procedures. The

approach, which focuses only on the establishment of

formal rules and institutions and disregards the need to

build on the existing “invisible”, informal, but much stronger

(than formal) frameworks — fails and is not sustainable in

the long run;

• There should be a balance between working “informally”

and formally.


The role of international organizations

• Especially in Central Asia, there are very many donors with often conflicting agendas; frequently their activities are not well coordinated. Sometimes, because of their financial power, donors have more say than the Governments do in terms of deciding which projects to implement.

• NPDs frequently act as a forum for coordination of donor activities or support the donor coordination.

• What kind of effect will the donor activities have in the future on the policies and the stability of the Governments as well as outcomes of the donor-funded projects?

• Who should take responsibility for the coordination — the Governments, the United Nations, the European Union, or other donors?


Conclusions

• NPDs is a part of a continuing cooperation process between the EU, UNECE, OECD and the countries, this helps the process;

• The NPDs respond to countries needs and are much "requested": received requests for the continuation and a new request from Kazakhstan;

• Importance of keeping the NPDs a flexible instrument – responding to needs expressed by the governments;

• Importance of the long-term approach and regularity of the cooperation (vs. one conference);

• Wider stakeholder involvement;

• Donor coordination activities needs much more attention: what are the long-term effects of uncoordinated donor activities?

• Possibility to transfer the experience to other sectors.


Towards Astana Conference

• Need in a more active exchange of experiences between

the countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and CA.

This will help to strengthen the NPDs;

• More of the political involvement from the European

Union, UNECE member states;

• Further discussion at the Astana Ministerial conference,

including the side event “Supporting implementation of

IWRM principles at the national level in countries of

Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia through

the EU Water Initiative National Policy Dialogues and

other initiatives”.

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