Topic 3.3 Wrap-up – Putting nature first: How to install change to ensure water and environmental security? Convening Organizations: Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Mathieu Pinkers Alterra / Wageningen University and Research Centre Wim Cofino

Presentation of Draft Topic 3.3 Resolution Preserving Natural Ecosystems: Ecosystems for Water and Life

Ecosystems for Water, Water for People, Ecosystems for People Ecosystems for Water, Water for People, Ecosystems for People Session – Changing Paradigm: From “Water for Nature” to “Nature for Water” Convening Organizations: Swiss Federal Office for the Environment Sibylle Vermont UNECE Sonja Koeppel Francesca Bernardini

Spreading the Wealth: How to Share the Benefits of Nature? Session – Balancing Competing Water Needs Across Sectors Convening Organizations: International Union for Conservation of Nature Mark Smith Katharine Cross Dutch Province of Noord Brabant Frank Wagemans

Session – Acting Locally, Thinking Globally: What Actions Help Preserve Ecosystems? Convening Organizations: Ramsar Convention Nicholas Davidson Wetlands International Ritesh Kumar

Full fledged interaction with hosted round table discussions and messaging system Participants on hosted discussion tables Audience messaging their individual thoughts and opinions on handset to a central hub as underpinning Wrap up with voting on draft resolution texts and comments from high level panel

12 hours intensive debate All issues commonly discussed were addressed –Need for IWRM –Need for good governance –Stakeholder participation –Integrated natural resource management in river basin management –….. Issues raised will be incorporated in report Examples of results:

Resolution session Paradigm shift ecosystems for water, water for people, ecosystems for people Terrestrial ecosystems fulfill essential functions in the water cycle and provide ecosystem services of great benefit for water management. Realization of these benefits requires pro-active coordination of land- and water management. Sustainable utilization of ecosystem services may represent a cost-effective strategy with multiple benefits for land, water and climate compared with investments in structural measures. Cost- effectiveness is achieved in particular when several sectors recognize the benefits so that the investments can be shared. Payment for ecosystem services can be an important incentive and instrument to achieve the land- and ecosystem management practices desired.

Resolution session Spreading the wealth: How to share the benefits of nature? Water for socio-economic development, and in particular poverty reduction, needs healthy rivers and requires action to encourage application of environmental flows in development, including: (i) employing multidisciplinary teams within water resources management agencies; (ii) using environmental flow indicators within countries' work to alleviate poverty (eg PRSPs); (iii) developing financial mechanisms which take environmental requirements into account; and (iv) enforcement of legislation through building water governance capacity

Resolution session Acting Locally, Thinking Globally To redress the current skewing towards provisioning services at the cost of other ecosystem services, local institutions urgently need to be strengthened and have increased capacity to address the complexities of (re-balancing) ecosystem services exploitation

Main messages The security of all our businesses (food, water, energy, industry) depends on maintaining natural systems (our natural water infrastructure) that provide and manage water resources and other benefits. Many local communities depend on ecosystems for survival There is an urgent need to work collaboratively on land, coastal and water management for future sustainable development Sharing knowledge and experience will let all make better decisions

12 Resolution part 2b Spreading the wealth: How to share the benefits of nature? Water for socio-economic development, and in particular poverty reduction, needs healthy rivers and requires action to encourage application of environmental flows in development, including: (i) employing multidisciplinary teams within water resources management agencies; (ii) using environmental flow indicators within countries' work to alleviate poverty (eg PRSPs); (iii) developing financial mechanisms which take environmental requirements into account; and (iv) enforcement of legislation through building water governance capacity

Thank-you for your participation Session Preserving Natural Ecosystems Ecosystems for Water and Life Topic 3.3 of the Fifth World Water Forum Istanbul, March 2009