Framework for Water Management – challenges at national/local and trans-boundary scale Gordana Kozhuharova, REC, Regional director for SEE, Shkodra, Albania, 9th March, 2015

Structure Global figures and issues on trans-boundary waters Pillars for transboundary water cooperation - Legal Framework - Institutional structures and capacity development - Integrated approach - Exchange of information, monitoring and assessment - A participatory approach - Benefits and costs-sharing - Financing

Global figures on trans-boundary waters Water – most “shared” resource on earth Close to half of Earth’s land surface area is comprised of shared river and lake basins They account for 60% of the world's freshwater supply 40 % of the world’s population lives on trans boundary rivers, lakes and groundwater reservoirs More than 261 water catchment areas worldwide are shared by more than two states - 176 flowing through two countries - 48 through three countries and - 37 through four or more

Global issues on trans-boundary waters Since ‘50 the global freshwater supply per person has fallen by 60% World's water consumption has increased by 180% expected to increase by a further 40% in 20 y. 2/5 of the world's population already suffer serious water deficits Scarcity of Water resources - competition between countries wanting to access and use transboundary waters increases Large-scale development projects on the upper reaches of a river may significantly affect water availability further downstream Management - might be a opportunity or obstacle to economic cooperation, even cause of conflict in bilateral or multilateral relations Challenge - to support cooperation between states on transboundary waters in ways that promote peace and sustainable development in the region

Pillars for transboundary water cooperation Legal Framework Institutional structures and capacity development Integrated approach Exchange of information and joint monitoring and assessment A participatory approach Benefits and costs-sharing Financing

Water management – cooperation or conflict?

Legal instruments Cooperation, however, is not necessarily based on formal agreements Cooperative institutional arrangements - which means that states – formally or informally – ‘agree to a common set of rules that govern their interactions 41 % of transboundary river basins - 158 of 276 world’s international river basins, plus trans boundary aquifer systems, lack any type of cooperative management framework’ (UN-Water, 2008, p. 6) Reason? cooperation on water management between states is: - a lengthy and complicated process, - requires substantial resources, capacities and support in order to be sustained Still - Institutionalized cooperation in transboundary settings is generally assumed to result in benefits for the states involved, as it provides them with - information and - reduces uncertainty as well as transaction costs

Institutional structures and capacity development Effective trans boundary water management starts at the national level The right institutional structures at the national, trans boundary and regional levels – precondition A clear mandate for the different national and trans boundary organizations - important prerequisite for the formation of strong governing bodies Stakeholder involvement – CSO, Academia, research, private sector, donors Complemented with sufficient financing and political commitment Joint bodies with strong enforcement capacity, such as river, lake and aquifer commissions, is fundamental to ensuring - cooperation between the various governmental entities and - good management of shared resources

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Transboundary as well as national water development and management are strongly linked to sustainable and responsible growth Integrated approach favoring: - planning on long-term contingency - building resilience into vulnerable systems with an emphasis on - increased diversity and flexibility IWRM - promotes coordinated and efficient development and management of water, land and related resources to maximize the economic and social welfare without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems Holistic management of surface and groundwater, implemented with the entire river basin.

Exchange of information and joint monitoring and assessment Assessment - essential for making informed decisions and formulating policy at the local, national and transboundary levels Prerequisite for accurate assessments of water resources and problems - information based on well-organized measurement networks and monitoring programmes Conditions: - Data management systems - Harmonized (if not standardized), - Compatible assessment methods and - Uniform reporting procedures.

Information exchange- build trust factor Exchange of information – including on: - pollution caused by accidents, - on infrastructure projects that could affect downstream countries - on extreme events (floods and droughts) as well as on - operations such as for hydropower, navigation and irrigation is vital to building trust and a shared vision among riparian countries

A participatory approach Fundamental for: Maximize agreement effectiveness Enhance transparency and decision-making Create ownership and Facilitate the acceptance and enforcement of decisions and policies. Also a mechanism for: - gaining a better or common understanding on the nature of a given problem - desirability of specific outcomes Stakeholder participation: - strengthens integration, - contributing to conflict prevention, and risk reduction - all highly important in large infrastructure development projects.

A participatory approach – how, who? Numerous methods –compilation of a stakeholders’ database for network interaction to public hearings To be organized in an open and transparent way Inclusive - should involve all relevant groups , - local residents, government representatives, - the research community, - farmers, industries, the private sector, - women and minority groups Obstacles: public can be insufficiently aware of how to take part in decision-making. mechanisms of public participation are not well developed in many countries adequate financial resources to be effective

Benefits and costs-sharing Primary - first to focus on optimizing the generation of basin-wide benefits, and Secondly on sharing those benefits in a manner that is agreed as fair Best scope– to agree on the use of water, rather than the allocation of water itself Consensus over basic entitlements should be reached attention is paid to the differential distribution of costs resulting from the use of the water resources of the entire water body in question due to the limited amount of overall available water in some cases, such decisions sometimes involve very difficult trade-offs and choices. Application of special approach to benefits and costs that are not easily quantifiable or commensurable Payment for ecosystem services (PES) – such as for flood mitigation, regulating run-off and water supply – is a new and still contested approach.

Financing However, these require strong political support Investment needs in most cases exceed the resources available Level of necessary financing varies broadly There are mixture of financing mechanisms and various sources - national budgets - external bilateral or multilateral donors funded projects - strategic programmes and funds or private public partnerships Number of innovative approaches such as: Strategic partnerships comprising regional funds, Regional revolving funds, PES, cost recovery of water services inter-riparian financing and However, these require strong political support good governance and appropriate institutional structures.

REC services in Water Management (WM) Creation and support for policy enforcement Policy Building capacities, providing assistance Participatory approach Institutional Development of technical documentation and specification Technical

Why regional and cross border cooperation? catalyst for bringing people to work together how much more we can achieve by working together No or very small language barriers Common historic heritage

REMEMBER Effective management of trans boundary waters starts at the national level in your municipalities in your communities Taker proper care of your rivers and lakes their status depends on us and we depend on them