Outlook on GEF6 – Proposed International Waters Strategy Astrid Hillers GEF International Waters Focal Area IWC 7 Barbados

International Waters Focal Area  Goal: to promote collective management for transboundary water systems and foster policy, legal, and institutional reforms and investments towards sustainable use and maintenance of ecosystem services.  Focus: joint management of shared water systems to balance competing uses and enabling sharing of benefits from their utilization.  Key approaches/tools are still valid…

Delivering GEF International Waters Global Environment Benefits Foundational Capacity Building/Enabling environments, Basic Policy and cooperation framework Strengthening policy and legal and institutional frameworks Full-scale SAP Implementation TDA SAP Transformational Change GEF IW investments through series of interventions

Water is key to development – balance water needs across sectors and borders continues to be key. Cooperation across borders takes time – GEF 6 remains to aim at supporting series of interventions Climate change - no longer is the past a predictor for the future; to be addressed in ALL new TDA/SAPs – update early ones Cooperation needs investments & investments need cooperation – GEF 6 foundational activities will continue to build in tangible demonstrations What have we learned & influence on GEF-6 IW Strategy approaches (1)

Bridge science-policy gap – scientists and technicians need to produce information in a form accessible & relevant to decision makers – From perceptions to facts – game changer – Advance economic evaluation – implications of development decisions Food demand likely increase groundwater use - Advancing conjunctive management in tb basins/basin organisations & on national level and strengthening groundwater governance OUT OF THE WATER BOX - Supporting green growth/green economy through delivery on Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystem Nexus GEF-6 IW Strategy approaches (2)

Melting High Altitude Glaciers - special challenge & attention –over 1 billion people dependent on water resources of Himalayas alone Ocean Health – address key threats to oceans ecosystem health in an integrated way. Address multiple stresses on their shared LMEs and coasts through three interlinked programs: 1.Reduce Ocean Hypoxia 2.Prevent Loss and Degradation of Coastal Habitats 3.Foster Sustainable Fisheries GEF-6 IW Strategy approaches (3)

Knowledge Management and Learning – build into all interventions. IW Learn has been an essential mechanism through GEF life & will expand into a wider partnership. Targeted Research – staying ahead of curve Results – clearer indicators to allow demonstrating impacts Gender – more explicit attention & tracking access of gender differentiated indicators GEF-6 IW Strategy approaches (3)

Proposed GEF-6 IW Strategy Objective 1: Catalyze Sustainable Management of Transboundary Waters Objective 2: Balance Competing Water-uses in the Management of Transboundary Surface and Groundwater Objective 3: Rebuild Marine Fisheries, Restore and Protect Coastal Habitats, and Reduce Pollution of Coasts and LMEs 1.1 Foster Cooperation for Sustainable use of Trans- boundary Water Systems & Economic Growth 1.2 Increase Resilience & Flow of Ecosystems Services in Context of Melting High Altitude Glaciers 2.1 Advance Conjunctive Management of Surface & Groundwater systems 2.2 Water/Food/Energy/ Ecosystem Security Nexus 3.1 Reduce Ocean Hypoxia 3.2 Prevent the Loss and Degradation of Coastal Habitat 3.3 Foster Sustainable Fisheries Goal: To promote collective management of transboundary water systems and implementation of the full range of policy, legal and institutional reforms and investments contributing to sustainable use and maintenance of ecosystem services + Proposed Signature Program: Rebuilding Global Fisheries

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