1. Towards a Strategy for the implementation of the SEEAW
Second Meeting of the United Nations Committee of Experts on
Environmental-Economic Accounting
(New York, 5-6 July 2007)

2. Outline of presentation
Background
Components of the implementation strategy
Practical guidelines
Training and promotion material
Technical cooperation programme
Harmonisation of data collection activities

3. Background
UNSC adopted the SEEAW as an interim international statistical standard in February 2007 and encouraged its implementation in countries
UNSC requested UNSD to prepare an implementation strategy for the SEEAW for discussion at the next session of the UNSC
Implementation strategy will be linked to the national policy frameworks (e.g. IWRM and Water Master Plans)

4. Practical guidelines on water statistics and accounts
The manual will cover:
Agreed list of variables and definitions on water statistics fully harmonized with the SEEAW concepts
Practical guidelines on how to compile the variables and populate the SEEAW standard tables

5. Training and promotion
Training workshops on the SEEAW and water statistics are carried out in all regions of the world in cooperation with various partners (Regional Commissions, regional programmes, etc.)
Training programme with UNESCO-IHE as part of regular training of hydrologists on IWRM

6. Training and promotion (Cont’ed)
Raise awareness in the users community
Through UN-Water
Working with partners at the country level (e.g. UNDP, World Bank, GWP, IUCN, etc.)
Develop promotion material

7. Technical assistance programme
Regional workshops
Phase 1 – Brings together users and producers of water information to raise awareness of the usefulness of the SEEAW
Phase 2 – Training on the compilation of the tables
Phase 3 – Sharing experience on implementation
Pilot country projects
Regional networks of compilers and users of SEEAW in countries

8. Planned UNSD activities
Workshops
Medstat II (February 2007)
Expert Group Meeting in ESCWA (June 2007)
ECLAC ( Dominican Republic, July 2007)
Training in cooperation with UNESCO-IHE (Netherlands, September 2007)
SADC Region (2008)
ESCWA (2008)
Country assistance
China, Dominican Republic, Jordan, Namibia, South Africa

9. Harmonization of international data collection activities
UNSD/UNEP and OECD/Eurostat questionnaire are broadly consistent with the SEEAW
Fine-tuning of the questionnaires is needed for complete harmonization ( )
FAO questionnaire on water use needs some work to harmonize
Updated questionnaire to be discussed at the next Expert Group Meeting on Water Statistics (December 2007)

10. Questions for the UNCEEA
Does the UNCEEA agree with the 4 components of the proposed strategy for the implementation of the SEEAW [para 4]?
Does the UNCEEA agree with the thrust of the manual on water statistics [paras6 and 7]?
Does the UNCEEA agree with training and promotion programme proposed [paras 8-13]?

11. Questions for the UNCEEA
Does the UNCEEA agree with the technical assistance programme on the SEEAW implementation [paras 14-18]?
Are there other on-going activities related to water statistics that could be part of the technical assistance programme?
Does the UNCEEA agree with the plan to harmonize international data collection activities with the SEEAW and the proposed time schedule [paras 19-20]?