1. International Water Quality Guidelines for Ecosystems
Emmanuel Ngore
UN Environment (UNEP)
Cap-Net Meeting Nairobi , Kenya
08 November 2016

2. The Need…. Deterioration of water quality
Depletion of freshwater ecosystem health and associated goods and services to society
Biodiversity is continually threatened despite monitoring of physical, chemical and biological parameters
To help countries meet Sustainable Development Goals
To create a common platform also for transboundary waters

3. What are they?
IWQGES are advisory in nature and provide a basis for both those without any water guidelines & those with guidelines can identify areas to improve for better ecosystem integrity
Water quality, quantity and physical habitats and connectivity are considered for preservation of ecosystems
They provide a base for setting national water quality policy and implementation

4. Typology of water bodies
Running water ecosystems (streams & rivers)
Standing water ecosystems (lakes & reservoirs)
Wetland ecosystems

5. Setting the scene-Freshwater ESH
Type of ecosystem : running water & associated wetlands; standing water; wetland systems
Description
1. High Ecosystem Integrity
The desired end More of reference state Must be guarded
2. Minimally to moderately disturbed
Management to develop to 1 1&2 offer services to humans without fear of disease Are able to restore naturally
3. Highly disturbed
Critical management necessary to stop further deterioration Clear negative impacts on ecosystem integrity functions
4. Extreme impairment
Negatively impacted Point of no return
3& 4 - may target for a Best Attainable Condition through creating artificial ecosystem

6. Best Attainable Condition
Is an important concept that governments and authorities can decide as a condition that could be achieved by implementing best management principles
This may not be category 1 but can be close to or within category 2
Thus its never too late to
redeem any water ecosystem

7. Developing the Water Quality Guidelines
This is based on cyclic approach composed of 4 main phases made up of 9 steps
Repeated cycles allow for adaptive management
This was borne out of the modified - Drivers; Pressures; Stressors; States; Impacts; Responses (DPSSIR) model.

9. 4 phases of 9 steps of IWQGES
Assessment phase 5. Guidelines values for indicators 6. Monitoring 7. Evaluation of state and reporting
Policy development 8. Governance 9. Cost benefit and funding operations
Identification phase 4. Collecting and using existing data - Pressures, stressors, risks - High value areas - Estimate state of water body
Initiation phase 1. Agree on vision and set objectives 2. Classify inland water Ecosystems 3. Set basin context 1 2 3 4
NEW AGENDA & ISSUES
NEED FOR ECOSYSTEM IMPROVEMENT

10. Using data from cycle one and aiming for a higher level of management
Cyclic Improvement
Study area and objectives
Maximizing existing data
New data collection and condition assessment
Data evaluation management and governance
Cycle 2
Diligence brings a better ecosystem
with each complete cycle
How many years to get to BAC?
Using data from cycle one and aiming for a higher level of management

11. Conclusion
This is a timely tool that is simply put and allows water managers to see where they are and where they can make a change
It bridges the gap between monitoring and improved water ecosystems
Provides an overarching framework for SDG monitoring and reporting (targets 6.3 and 6.6)
Sufficient funding could be a challenge to overcome – requires all to give the ecosystem its true value without looking at short-term exploitation gains, else over time ecosystem health will decline and their goods and services will be depleted

12. Thank You We look forward to your feedback! Emmanuel.Ngore@unep.org