1. UNECE GUIDANCE ON WATER AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION
Jos Timmerman,
RWS Centre for Water Management, the Netherlands
Sonja Koeppel
Convention on the Protection and Use of
Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

2. The Water Convention and the Protocol on Water and Health
Convention signed in 1992
Entered into force in 1996
Protocol signed in 1999
Entered into force in 2005

3. Objectives of the Convention
Protection of transboundary waters by preventing transboundary impacts
Ecologically sound and rational management
Reasonable and equitable use  Conflict prevention
Conservation and restoration of ecosystems

4. Ratification of the Convention.
Ratification of the Convention
35 countries and the European Community Parties Countries in accession
Non Parties In 2003 amended to allow access to non-UNECE countries
To date the Convention has 36 Parties and this number is growing as a number of countries
We have information on the intention of Georgia, FYROM and BiH to also accede to the Convention by the end of next year (next MOP) =>it cobvers the whole region .

5. Convention’s legal basis for adaptation
Parties shall
Prevent, control and reduce transboundary impacts including those related to adaptation to climate change or mitigation measures
Use waters in a reasonable and equitable way
Cooperate on the basis of equality and reciprocity
Set joint water quality objectives, use best available technology, exchange information, follow the precautionary principle, develop joint monitoring and common research, create joint bodies, consultations, assist each other…
Although the UNECE Water Convention does not explicitly mention climate, it represents one of the most essential legal frameworks in the UNECE region for cooperation on transboundary aspects of climate change and on development of adaptation strategies.
Moreover the Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that transboundary waters are used in a reasonable and equitable way. Thus the principles of reasonable and equitable shall also be at the basis of any decision on adaptation measures within a transboundary basin. When there is a conflict of uses between Riparian States, and all the conflicting uses are considered reasonable, resolving the conflict will be determined by weighing up all relevant factors and circumstances. Ultimately, in weighing up all relevant factors every effort should be made to maximise the resultant benefits to Riparian States equitably, whilst at the same time protecting the long-term viability of the resource. A close cooperation is necessary in the whole process.
In doing this, Parties shall cooperate on the basis of equality and reciprocity, in particular through bilateral and multilateral agreements and the relevant joint bodies, to develop common research, harmonized policies, programmes and strategies to adapt to climate change.
The principle of solidarity should be applied, which means that risks, costs and responsibilities are shared between riparian States, also taking into account their capacities, the risk entailed, the effectiveness of the different options and the obligations under the Convention.
The Convention also includes a number of obligations related to adaptation to climate change. It stipulates that joint water quality objectives shall be set and measures shall be designed to attain and maintain them. Parties are required to follow the precautionary principle which implies in the case of climate change taking action even before adverse impacts are fully proven scientifically. The Convention obliges Parties to exchange of information about the current (and expected) conditions of transboundary waters as well as the measures and planned to be taken to prevent, control and reduce transboundary impact. The Convention also includes provisions for consultations, common research and development and joint monitoring and assessment; setting the basis for riparian countries to cooperate in the development of adaptation strategies. In addition, Parties are obliged to establish early-warning systems, apply and exchange best available technology and mutually assist each other. Finally, Parties shall make available information about environmental status of transboundary waters, expected scenarios and water quality objectives available to the public.

6. Background of the Guidance
Climate change impacts are already visible
Possible conflict between water users => need for cooperation
Few countries have developed strategies, none at the transboundary level
=> Decision by Meeting of the Parties in 2006 to develop the guidance for possible adoption in November 2009
Builds on work carried out at EU level, a survey in EECCA and SEE, several consultations, workshops and expert review
Water resources are vulnerable and already impacted by climate change and variability with wide ranging consequences to societies, their health, economies and the natural environment.
Many countries in the region already experienced severe impacts from the increasing number of natural extremes and disasters and are facing new challenges under a changing environment. There is the need to adapt now.
The transboundary nature of water resources in the UNECE region entails that risks and challenges are shared and thus solutions need to be coordinated.
Especially in countries in transition planning and implementaton of adaptation is still in a very early stage and guidance is needed

7. Drafting group Netherlands Uzbekistan Germany UNECE Italy WMO Armenia
Belarus
Finland
Hungary
Spain
Switzerland
Uzbekistan
UNECE
WMO
WHO
UNESCO
CPWC

8. Target group for the Guidance
Decision makers and water managers
Officials, managers and stakeholders of other relevant sectors
Entire UNECE region, focus on countries with economies in transition

9. Objectives of the guidance
General roadmap towards adaptation of water management to climate change
needs to be tailored to specific local situations.
Step-wise approach
Assess impacts of climate change
Develop policy, strategic and operational responses
Transboundary and health focus

10. General principles and approaches
River basin approach and IWRM
Precautionary principle
Tailoring in space and time
Adaptation should be cost-effective, sustainable, acceptable, prevent conflicts, etc.
The way ahead
The Parties to the Water Convention agreed to focus first phase of the implementation on:
•        awareness-raising and capacity building activities
(Georgia has expressed interest in the organization of a regional workshop for the Caucasus on the application of the Recommendations)
•        Testing it through pilot projects in transboundary river basins in the region ((Serbia has expressed its interest in the development of a pilot project on the Kolubara River; Central Asia also expressed its interest in a pilot project, Ukraine and Moldova have expressed interest in a pilot on the Dniester River);)
•        the promotion of the Recommendations at the Belgrade Ministerial Conference (side event will be organised on 11 October 2007; – 20.30) and at the fifth Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe (declaration and the Resolution both address the interrelations between water and forest)
It has also been decided to cooperate in the organization of a joint event on water and forest during the European Forest Week in 2008 in Rome.
•        Assess its usefulness and implementation in 2009
(The Parties at their fifth meeting will review the experience in the application of the Recommendations and decide to update, if need be, these Recommendations in light of the practice and lessons learned, technological advances, economic and social factors as well as changes in scientific knowledge and understanding.)
Switzerland leads this initiative and number of other countries expressed their interest in supporting it.
All these activities could not be successful without close cooperation with partners.
The Ramsar Convention secretariat, the UNECE Timber Committee, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNDP (for using the Recommendations in the framework of their projects), UNEP, UNESCO and its category II centre on Eco-hydrology in Poland (for the implementation of pilot projects), the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE), the EECCA RECS (for the dissemination of information, the development of pilot projects and the organization of regional workshops), WWF and private-sector organizations. All these organisations are expected to be involved in the work:
Cooperation will also be sought with ongoing or planned international projects, such as GEF-funded projects.
The most important partner remains the state forestry sector itself, in particular national experts that could bring substantive contribution and experience-based knowledge in work. Therefore we very much look forward to your interest in future cooperation.

11. Logical framework: key steps

12. Policy, legislation and institutional framework
Policy and governance: mainstreaming climate change adaptation in development and spatial planning, programmes and budgeting and all policies
Legal aspects: assessment of existing legal framework, also on transboundary level and if needed revision to ensure flexibility
Institutional aspects: clear definition of roles and responsibilities
Education, capacity-building and communication should be ensured at all levels

13. Information and monitoring needs
Definition of information needs
Different types of and sources of information are used
Joint information systems should be built and exchange of information be ensured
Design of adaptive monitoring systems

14. Scenarios and models for impact assessment
(climate, hydrology,
socio-economic)
Impact assessment

15. Vulnerability assessment
Help decision makers to assess vulnerability
Provide information to guide choices
where and when interventions
Based on scenarios and model outcomes

16. Develop measures: safety chain
Prevent
Improve resilience
Extreme event
Respond
Recover
Prepare

17. Development of measures
Mix of structural and non-structural, regulatory and economic, education and awareness measures
Stakeholder involvement
Prioritization based on vulnerability assessment, development objectives, resources available etc.
Consider also long-term changes, not only extreme events
At transboundary level: agreement on objectives, consultations on measures with transboundary impacts, etc.

18. Financial matters National budgets and economic incentives
Insurance and reinsurance
Involvement of the private sector
Bilateral and multilateral programmes and international funds
Financial assistance to countries with economies in transition

19. Evaluation Throughout the adaptation chain
Different levels (strategy and measure/project)
Monitor the progress vis-à-vis achieving objectives
Learning by doing

20. Next steps in the Guidance development
Revision of Guidance based on Expert review and Task Force comments
Adoption at the Meeting of the Parties in November 2009
Plans for Implementation => pilot projects in transboundary basins => platform for sharing information on existing and new experience => need for partners

21. THANK YOU!