Reducing Transboundary Degradation of the KuraAras River Basin UNDP GEF SIDA

1
Reducing Trans-boundary Degradation of the
Kura-Aras River Basin (UNDP GEF SIDA)

• Juerg Staudenmann
• Water Governance Advisor
• Environment Security Meeting
• Bratislava, 29/30 September 2005

2
First Stage PDF-B

• Project Type GEF PDF-B (Project Development
  Facility) with 2 sub-components
• Countries involved GEORGIA, ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN,
  IRAN (Turkey is invited)
• Time frame October 2003 June 2007
• Partners GEF, SIDA, UNDP-BRC, UNOPS (Executing
  A.)
• Funding PDF-B US 1.6 m
• GEF US 723 k
• Governments US 145 k
• SIDA US 690 k
• UNDP US 125 k
• ? SECOND STAGE 2007 ff. Full-Size Project
  (predicted US 5.0m GEF-funding)

3
Vision Objectives

• Long-term Objective To ensure that Water
  Quality Quantity throughout the Kura and Aras
  Basins meets short- and long-term requirements of
  communities ecosystem functions
• Subsidiary Objective Reduced Contaminant Load
  into the Caspian Sea Improve its Water Quality

4
Lead Country Agencies

• Armenia Ministry of Nature Protection
• Azerbaijan Ministry of Ecology and Natural
  Resources
• Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection
• I.R. Iran Ministry of Energy

5
PDF-B Architecture

• 3 Components
• GEF-sponsored Umbrella Project (all countries)
• Analysis Priority Finding (TDA/SAP)
• Set-up of Transboundary Comm. Coord. Mechanisms
  
• Development of Full-Size Proposal for
  Implementation.
• SIDA-sponsored sub-component (Geo, Arm, Azb)
• Legal-institutional policy needs, national
  analysis
• National Action Plans capacity building
• UNDP/Bratislava-sponsored sub-component (all
  countries)
• Stakeholder Analysis
• Public Participation NGO Forum

6
Expected Outcomes

• Fostered regional information exchange and
  cooperation for enhanced River Basin Management
• Increased regional and national capacities
  regarding IWRM Water QQ issues
• Key improvements at specific points in River
  Basins
• Sustainable institutional financial
  coordination arrangements
• Reforms initiated/promoted in economic sectors
  that cause pollution, water shortage, habitat
  degradation.

7
Roadmap

• Phase I PDF-B (2005-2007)
• Stakeholder Analysis ? Public Involvement Plan
  NGO Forum
• Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA)
• Priority transboundary issues ? Causal Chain
  Analysis
• Shared Basin Vision and prioritization of
  issues
• Draft Strategic Action programme (SAP)
• SAP Implementation Plan Financing Mechanisms
• National Acton Plans
• Institutional framework and options for SAP
  coordination monitoring mechanisms
• Development of demonstration projects for
  Full-Size Project
• Training Capacity Building Activities
• Partnership Conference Full-size Project
• Phase II Implementation of SAP (? Full-Size
  project, 2007-?)

8
The Environment-Security Link

• The project initiates a multilateral dialogue on
  the protection of the environment
• Assists in the creation of a vision for the
  sustainable development of the Kura-Aras basin to
  the benefit of all five basin countries
• Encourages greater stakeholder participation in
  the decision making process in natural resource
  management
• Encourages the implementation of existing
  multilateral environmental agreements in the
  basin
• Through pilot projects, the project will
  encourage creation and implementation of regional
  and community agreements on natural resource
  sharing.
• ? Simultaneously contribute to safeguarding the
  environment and fostering human security

9
Conclusions

• The UNDP/GEF project is the first transboundary
  initiative to involve four of the five Kura/Aras
  basin countries.
• The project will develop a (cross-border)
  sustainable development vision for a significant
  area of Southern Caucasus, including a Strategic
  Action Plan for priority interventions during a
  second phase.
• Although entitled a GEF international waters
  project, it addresses the whole basin environment
  including water, land and biological resources,
  as well as socio-economic aspects.
• Using environment natural resources as an
  entry-point, it promotes a multi-stakeholder
  dialogue inside across borders.
• If acceptable to the countries, the project may
  initiate discussions on a multi-lateral agreement
  and management framework for the protection of
  the Kura-Aras environment.
• Vision Enhance security and living conditions
  for population in the two River Basins, while
  benefiting the environment.

10
Thank You!