Survey results of stakeholders’ perceptions in Peru

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Survey Presentation Peru_Oct17As part of a global initiative of 2030 WRG, Peru also interviewed its main stakeholders to gain insights into their appreciation and perceptions about the work that 2030 WRG has been undertaking in Peru. The results are encouraging:

  1. Awareness: 97% consider the role of the 2030WRG to improve governance and reduce the water gap excellent or good
  2. Collaborative and coordinated action: 52% acknowledge that 2030WRG has contributed to the improvement in water resources management.
  3. Leadership and mobilization: 50% believe that the internal mobilization has been successful.
  4. Interaction among members: 94% acknowledge having worked with counterparts with whom they did not previously work.
  5. Variations in involvement on specific issues: 45% increased their participation in governance actions.
  6. Results and impact: 71% state that 2030 WRG is very effective and 74% recognize socio-environmental and / or socio-economic results.

As pending challenges, it was suggested to involve new actors and / or define more specific roles for some of the existing working groups, as well as to communicate the actions now that concrete results are beginning to occur.

 

2030 WRG and the Peruvian State promote Blue Certificate with the private sector

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Blue Certificate_Peru1Since 2016, 2030 WRG Peru has been working closely with the National Water Authority (ANA) to look for the best possible alternatives to ensure that companies in the private sector measure their water footprint throughout the value chain. This now means that they are aware of their own water consumption and can take actions to reduce it. That is why they have created and launched the Blue Certificate, a form of recognition that encourages companies to meaesure their water footprint and additionally to have a Shared Value strategy with the community, which makes it a sustainable program.

The certificate has been very well received in the private sector and there are already about 10 companies in the process of being certified. One company has already obtained certification in July of this year. A communication strategy with private sector companies from the 2030 WRG working groups is being implemented, and an advocacy strategy and bilateral meetings for the presentation of the Blue Certificate and its benefits has been developed since the beginning of the year. A meeting with high-level representatives from the private sector is scheduled for November to engage even more companies with this innovative approach.Peru Blue Certificate2

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Maharashtra’s Multi-Stakeholder Platform for Water Resources Management Launched at First Steering Board Meeting

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MUMBAI, 13 Oct 2017 – The Government of Maharashtra has partnered with 2030 WRG to form the State’s first Water Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) for transformative solutions in water resources management.  The first meeting of the MSP Steering Board for was convened under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, on 7 August 2017.  Emphasizing the importance of a multi-stakeholder partnership approach, Sumit Mullick (IAS), Chief Secretary, indicated that “government can only solve the serious water problems we face with the active and enthusiastic participation of the private sector and civil society.”

At the Steering Board meeting, Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Merchant’s Chamber and State Level Banker’s Committee actively represented the private sector, BAIF Development Research Foundation, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), Indian Water Works Association and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT, Bombay), represented civil society and academia. Experts at the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority, Department of Agriculture, Water Conservation and Water Resources of the Government of Maharashtra attended the meeting.

Acknowledging that Maharashtra faces a high risk to climate change and agriculture sector is the highest user of freshwater in the State withdrawing more than 80% of the water available, the Steering Board agreed to formalize the Rain-fed Agriculture Work stream (anchored by the Agriculture Department) and the Command Area Water Productivity Work stream (anchored by Water Resources Department), and appoint its multi-stakeholder members.  The MSP emphasizes the importance to aligned with current state priority initiatives such as the Chief Minister’s flagship Jalayukt Shivar (focused on Water for All – drought-free state by 2019), the World Bank supported USD$480 million Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (POCRA), the multi-stakeholder Maharashtra Cotton Water Platform promoting greater water use efficiency in the cotton sector, and the US$270 million Green Climate Fund submission Scaling Adaptation in Maharashtra Rain-fed Agriculture (SAMRA), supporting most vulnerable village clusters adopt water conservation measures leveraging private sector/market linkages.  The latter two are existing 2030WRG initiatives launched previously in partnership with the Maharashtra Department of Agriculture and other key stakeholders.

The Steering Board’s decision to develop these Work streams was informed by the Maharashtra Hydro-Economic Analysis of Opportunities to Improve Water Use in Agriculture Sector championed by 2030WRG in 2015. The report addressed the question of how Maharashtra can continue to grow its State GDP in the agricultural sector 4% overall and 6% in rain-fed areas, while maintaining or even reducing the overall water footprint.

Given the rapid urbanisation in the state of Maharashtra and legacy of industrial development, the Steering Board also consented to the immediate launch of a third Workstream for Urban Industrial Water Security, to be anchored by the Urban Development Department.

 

Relevant Links

Maharashtra’s MSP for Water Resources Management Launched at First Steering Board Meeting

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Mumbai, 13 October 2017 – The Government of Maharashtra has partnered with 2030 WRG to form the State’s first Water Multi-Stakeholder Platform for transformative solutions in water resources management.  The first meeting of the MSP Steering Board for was convened under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra, on 7 August 2017.  Emphasizing the importance of a multi-stakeholder partnership approach, Sumit Mullick (IAS), Chief Secretary, indicated that “government can only solve the serious water problems we face with the active and enthusiastic participation of the private sector and civil society.”

At the Steering Board meeting, Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Merchant’s Chamber and State Level Banker’s Committee actively represented the private sector, BAIF Development Research Foundation, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), Indian Water Works Association and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT, Bombay), represented civil society and academia. Experts at the Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority, Department of Agriculture, Water Conservation and Water Resources of the Government of Maharashtra attended the meeting.

Acknowledging that Maharashtra faces a high risk to climate change and agriculture sector is the highest user of freshwater in the State withdrawing more than 80% of the water available, the Steering Board agreed to formalize the Rain-fed Agriculture Work Stream (anchored by the Agriculture Department) and the Command Area Water Productivity Work Stream (anchored by Water Resources Department), and appoint its multi-stakeholder members.  The MSP emphasizes the importance to aligned with current state priority initiatives such as the Chief Minister’s flagship Jalayukt Shivar (focused on Water for All – drought-free state by 2019), the World Bank supported USD$480 million Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (POCRA), the multi-stakeholder Maharashtra Cotton Water Platform promoting greater water use efficiency in the cotton sector, and the US$270 million Green Climate Fund submission Scaling Adaptation in Maharashtra Rain-fed Agriculture (SAMRA), supporting most vulnerable village clusters adopt water conservation measures leveraging private sector/market linkages.  The latter two are existing 2030 WRG initiatives launched previously in partnership with the Maharashtra Department of Agriculture and other key stakeholders.

The Steering Board’s decision to develop these Work streams was informed by the Maharashtra Hydro-Economic Analysis of Opportunities to Improve Water Use in Agriculture Sector championed by 2030 WRG in 2015. The report addressed the question of how Maharashtra can continue to grow its State GDP in the agricultural sector 4% overall and 6% in rain-fed areas, while maintaining or even reducing the overall water footprint.

Given the rapid urbanization in the state of Maharashtra and legacy of industrial development, the Steering Board also consented to the immediate launch of a third Work stream for Urban Industrial Water Security, to be anchored by the Urban Development Department.

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Toluca Water Security Initiative endorses the establishment of a Multi-Stakeholder Groundwater Management Committee

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Toluca MSP meeting_Oct11Mexico City, October 11, 2017 – A core group of representative of industries (including Bimbo, Danone, Cuahtémoc Brewery, and Femsa Foundation), the Toluca Valley Business Council (representing more than 40 international and domestic industries with operations in the Toluca Valley), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Lerma River Commission (a local government body in charge of supporting multi-stakeholder participation in water resources management processes) met to discuss the progress made so far in the design of the Toluca Water Security Initiative (TWSI). The TWSI has the objective of supporting the efforts of government and civil society in facing severe groundwater exploitation and pursuing long-term water security for the Toluca Metropolitan Region, one of the most important industrial regions in the country.

During the meeting, the 2030WRG representative presented some reflections on how to face the groundwater management challenges faced in the Toluca Metropolitan Region, suggesting that a central element of TWSI should be to establish the Groundwater Management Technical Committee or COTAS (Comité Técnico de Aguas Subterráneas). The COTAS are multi-stakeholder platforms that exist in the National Water Law as the institutions entrusted with enabling participatory groundwater management and producing a groundwater management plan. This was followed by a presentation of the CEVAT who has been working with CONAGUA and the Lerma River Commission to establish the Toluca Valley Aquifer’s COTAS. The plan is to launch the COTAS before the end of the year.

Finally, the representatives of the Lerma River Commission presented the Lerma River Basin Integrated Conservation and Restoration Strategy, a comprehensive strategy that seeks to systematically address the pervasive water pollution and environmental degradation challenges faced in the region. It was agreed by the core group of representatives in the meeting to fully endorsed the establishment of the COTAS and to find ways to jointly participate in the implementation of the River Basin Integrated Strategy.

2030 WRG’s work on Water Valuation – the Dhaka Water Conference 2017

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Irrigation BangladeshDhaka – Understanding water scarcity in the Bangladesh context is deeply related to the estimation of the value of water in a particular season, region and use. A comprehensive but flexible framework for Water Valuation for industry, agriculture, municipalities and environmental would be an important element of making approval decisions on Water Resource projects, water allocation among competing uses and establishing water trading markets (a market mechanism to allocate water to most productive uses). Sound methodologies to valuing water can provide decision support tools to policy makers, help harmonize practices at the factory and farm levels, provide a rational basis to resolve conflicts and to set incentives. As Bangladesh lacks such instruments, the 2030 WRG Bangladesh Water MSP decided to prioritize design and adoption of Water Valuation methodologies.

2030 WRG developed preliminary recommendations (Working Paper) to implement Water Valuation in Bangladesh under the Water Governance and Sustainability work-stream, chaired by the Senior Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources which was subsequently endorsed by the high-level National Steering Board (NSB) chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. The Working Paper included the principles and factors that need to be considered for adopting Water Valuation methodologies for the different sectors such as industry or agriculture and international best practices in this area. The NSB recommended further work to arrive at a set of methodologies for Water Valuation for Bangladesh.

Consultation-driven

Internationally, Water Valuation is also a priority and has been designated as a major topic at the High-Level Panel on Water (HLPW) along with Climate Change, Water Data and Water Use Efficiency. The HLPW was formed with the support of the UN and World Bank to accelerate a change in the way governments, societies, and the private sector use and manage water. The HLPW has created the roadmap and principles for applying Water Valuation, including for economies, ecosystems, communities, individuals, political environments (politicians/lawmakers), cultures, and religions. Going forward, the HLPW will finalize the recommendations through an inclusive, consultation-driven process and highly encourages country level initiatives which conforms with the framework developed internationally at the HLPW.

Dhaka Water Conference

In July 2017, the government of Bangladesh invited 2030 WRG to make presentations on its Water Valuation work at the Dhaka Water Conference (including a High-Level Panel for Water Sherpa side-event).  The events brought together the relevant government representatives, experts and scientific community from 28 countries from around the world. 2030 WRG’s presentations on Water Valuation and the subsequent discussions were widely appreciated by the participants and seen as an example of implementing recommendations from the HLPW.  Interesting synergies between the work done on the global level by the HLPW and 2030 WRG’s work on water valuation in Bangladesh have emerged, these will feed into the 2030 WRG process.

Project Proposal

Going forward, 2030 WRG will develop a Project Proposal including detailed Water Valuation methodologies and implementation guidelines and support a series of sectoral and national workshops, from October to December 2017 to solicit feedback into the White Paper. Once, the Proposal is adopted by the National Steering Board, the government of Bangladesh will be able to take measures to implement the methodologies.

Kilimanjaro Water Stewardship Platform stakeholders sign MoU in Tanzania

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MSP_Photo_4 Oct 2017_12Tanzania, October 4 2017 – The Pangani Basin Water Board, the Tanzania Horticultural Association, and the 2030 Water Resources Group signed an MoU in October, showing commitment to the coordination and implementation of the Kilimanjaro Water Stewardship Platform (KWSP).

The role of the Kilimanjaro Water Stewardship Platform is to:

  • Promote the uptake of water stewardship standards;
  • Increase water use efficiency;
  • Develop and scale-up collaboration for improved catchment management; and
  • Strengthen catchment governance.

MSP_Photo_4 Oct 2017_44The agreement initiates the establishment of a dialog framework for all stakeholders involved. The framework was developed following the need to address the region’s water stresses in the Pangani Basin in north west Tanzania to improve water security for people and economic prosperity.establishment of the KWSP gives the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the Pangani Basin Water Board and other key water stakeholders a mechanism to develop, coordinate and scale up interventions and solutions to tackle the growing water resource challenges in the Basin.