Global Water System Project (GWSP) Support Mechanism(s) „Connecting GEOSS and ist Stakeholders in Science and Technology“ 1st GEO/EGIDA Workshop Bonn, 9-11 May 2011 Global Water System Project (GWSP) Support Mechanism(s) Janos J. Bogardi Executive Officer GWSP IPO

Global Environmental Change Programs

ESSP Structure and Activities

Complicated structures prove that scientists are not great organizers Donors (IGFA,NSF, BMBF, WMO, etc) Sponsors (ICSU, ISSC, UNESCO, UNU, WMO, etc) ESSP (Earth System Science Partnership) of the 4 Programs (IHDP, IGBP, DIVERSITAS, WCRP) /SC/ 4 joint projects (GWSP, GCP, GECHH, GECAFS) /SSC/ 4 Programs have several, sometimes shared projects /SSC/

Nature of Networking Projects Very complex funding structure, multiple obligations and potentially contradictory rules and donor expectations Usually interdisciplinary and international Maturity (life cycle) of participating projects can differ Mixture of paid and voluntary contributors Governance and project cultures and administartions may differ considerably

Which glue keeps it together? Trust and personal affinity Common objectives and scientific values Mutual respect Mutual benefits (win-win) Complementarity Donor dictate

„Lethal“ ingredients Turf mentality Budget discrepancies Too much competition Lack of data and information exchange Donor jealousy

Science Framework and Implementation Activities (GWSP Report No.1.) Theme 1: Magnitudes and Mechanisms of Change (What are the magnitudes of anthropogenic and environmental changes in the global water system and what are the key mechanisms by which they are induced?) Theme 2: Linkages and Feedbacks (What are the main linkages and feedbacks within the earth system arising from changes in the global water system?) Theme 3: Resilience and Adaptation (How resilient and adaptable is the global water system to change, and what are sustainable water management strategies?)

Medium-term Strategy: Integrated Study Areas Global Scale Initiative: Ranking of threats to the GWS, States and Trajectories of Change adaptation Strategies Governance & Simulation modelling & scenarios Observations Climate change 2. Global Catchment Initiative: Bringing the global perspective to river basin research & management METHODS & TOOLS SPECIAL INTERESTS 3. Global Water Needs Initiative: Humans and Nature GSI: Constructed, Developed, translated GCI: Define a new set of global-oriented questions for river basin researchers and managers. “A GWS research template” Address and discuss these questions in an international intercomparison of river basins. Educate water managers & other stakeholders about the importance of global change on the catchment scale. What are the types and magnitude of potential changes in particular catchments due to climate change? GWNI: Develop a global consensus on assessment of environmental flow needs. Valuate freshwater ecosystem goods and services. Devise strategies for harmonising water needs of humans and nature Policy Outreach & Capacity Building

New initiatives launched at the 7th GWSP-SSC meeting in 2009 The Water and Climate Change Mitigation Link Water and Migration Water and Health (with GECHH) National Water Stress/Susceptibility Report Cards (potentially with GEWEX and UN Water)

How to build the GWSP Community The concept of endorsed projects Projects of high scientific quality, addressing themes matching the GWSP Scientific Framework, science driven, global perspective, scientifically integrative, freshwater focussed, fostering the goals of ESSP and the GEC programs, multi party, international, scale medium watersheds and above, interdisciplinary, considering human dimensions Submitted request of association is judged by the SSC which invites the projects for a certain duration

Endorsed (associated) projects Set of actually active endorsed projects: Twin2Go (EU funded), Univ. Osnabrück WATCH – Water MIP (EU funded), Wallingford &Wageningen UR Consistent assessment of global green, blue and virtual water flows in food production (DFG funded), PIK Potsdam

GWSP Products Peer reviewed papers Reports Workshops – special issues Conferences Lectures and presentations Newsletter Digital Water Atlas Data bases (GranD, etc) IS GWSP a STAKEHOLDER?

GWSP-DIVERSITAS-ESSP paper in Nature Sept. 2010 Prevailing Patterns of Threat to Human Water Security and Biodiversity

Digital Water Atlas

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