Seminar on the role of ecosystems as water suppliers

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Seminar on the role of ecosystems as water
suppliers

• CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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• Ecosystems management is part of IWRM
• Basic understanding of ecosystem approach is
  still to be promoted
• at all political levels
• in all sectors
• Emphasize the related benefits of protection,
  sustainable use and restoration of ecosystems
• water management (quality, quantity, sediments)
• natural disasters prevention, protection and
  reduction

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• Complex problem ? need to develop a wide range
  of technologies
• Need to monitor
• Need to develop assessment methods
• Need to share experience across sectors
• Need for multidisciplinary coordination and
  cooperation
• Any action should be taken at basin level
• Not forgetting groundwater
• Not forgetting transboundary aspects
• Impact on marine environment

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Legal and administrative dimension in general

• New developments in legal regimes
• (holistic approach to water management,
  sustainable management of environment, ecosystem
  as legitimate water user, synergies between
  international water and environmental legal
  regimes, compliance mechanisms, .)

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Legal and administrative dimension in the
national context (1)

• Need for appropriate legislation and support
  remains
• Need for a reduction of fragmentation between
  governmental institutions in ecosystems
  protection and sustainable use
• Updating of water laws (many EECCA countries)
  provides opportunity to include ecosystems

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Legal and administrative dimensionin the
national context (2)

• Issues to be regulated include
• Competence of ministries (also finance/capital
  investment)
• Coordination between sectors/activities
• Public information and participation
• Role of water user associations
• Provision of water rights

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Legal and administrative dimensionin the
national context (3)

• Issues to be regulated also include
• Coordinate funding for water management
  between the different competent authorities
• Involve the private sector (hydropower,
  farmers and foresters), into financing measures

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Legal and administrative dimensionin the
transboundary/international context (1)

• Opportunity to harmonize practice on ecosystems
  when updating/preparing bilateral and
  multilateral agreements
• Use MEAs (Ramsar, climate, biodiversity, ECE
  environmental conventions) and activities
  thereunder as tools for coherent water
  management counteract/avoid further fragmentation

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Legal and administrative dimensionin the
transboundary/international context (2)

• Participate in activities of joint bodies
  (Danube, Black Sea, etc)
• GEF, World Bank, bilateral funding agreements,
  should be further used for the restoration of
  water-related ecosystems as well as to find
  options for their conservation and sustainable
  use

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• Importance of knowledge-based decision (I)
• Valuation of ecosystems services (goods, water,
  culture, landscape)
• Cost-benefit analysis conservation/development
• SEA and EIA
• Need for further research on ecosystems needs,
  functions and services delivered
• Ecosystems for climate change mitigation and
  impact of climate change on functions of
  ecosystems

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• Importance of knowledge-based decision (II)
• Use of modern techniques and decision-making
  tools (GIS, remote sensing, inventories) as well
  as traditional knowledge
• Tailor-made information
• Free of charge information exchange
  (upstream-downstream, at national and
  transboundary levels, among all involved sectors)

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Implementation tools

• Training and capacity building at all levels
• Public participation, especially at local level
  where action takes place (gender)
• Use of economic tools such as payments for
  ecosystems services
• Upstream/downstream solidarity
• Private sector involvement (economic aspects and
  sharing of good practices)

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Challenges

• Poverty reduction show benefits for local
  population (economic and social development,
  reduction of environmental refugees)
• Strike a balance between conservation and
  development
• Practical implementation