Good Practices and Portfolio Learning in Transboundary Freshwater and Marine Legal and Institutional Frameworks

The objective of this project is to strengthen international cooperation and enhance the development of regional international waters (IW) governance frameworks with a view towards increasing the social, economic and environmental benefits of GEF International Waters projects globally. Through adaptive management decision-making methodologies and collaboration with local experts and practitioners, the project will develop, promote and deliver innovative and targeted experiential learning tools for transboundary water governance. A central output of the project is the development and delivery of management tools by local experts to enhance livelihoods and ensure continous replication.

Background
Currently some 2.4 billion people throughout the world do not have access to adequate sanitation. As a result, an estimated 2.3 billion people suffer from water borne diseases. Eighty percent of illnesses are transmitted by contaminated water, yet ninety percent of the wastewater discharged to waterways in developing countries goes untreated.

In response to the emerging global crisis in water scarcity and diminution in water quality, there has been a global water agenda since at least the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in 1972, which famously acknowledged the importance of protecting and improving the human environment. Combinations of governments, experts and nongovernmental organizations have joined to raise international attention and priority to the issues and to commit themselves to addressing the most acute problems. This has resulted in various ministerial declarations proclaiming water as a “security” issue while acknowledging that water scarcity contributes to poverty and water supply to its reduction.

Documents & Resources

report (GEF IW Governance Project) Lessoned Learned in Transboundary Water Management Governance Case Study International Waters: Review of Legal and Institutional Frameworks by White & Case International Waters and Governance Reference and Training Manual International Waters and Governance Reference and Training Manual - Bibliography (GEF IW Governance Project) In Depth Case Study of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GEF IW Governance Project) In Depth Case Study of the Caspian Sea (GEF IW Governance Project) In Depth Case Study of the Columbia River Basin (GEF IW Governance Project) (GEF IW Governance Project) In-Depth Case Study of the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GEF IW Governance Project) In Depth Case Study of the Iullemeden Aquifer System (GEF IW Governance Project) In Depth Case Study of the Lake Tanganyika Convention (GEF IW Governance Project) In-Depth Case Study of the Nile River Basin ProjectInceptionReportWeb workshop Workshop Report: Building and Managing Sustainable Transboundary Water Institutions in Africa and Beyond Workshop Report: Experiences from Latin America and the Caribbean in Good Practices of International Waters Workshop Report: Experiences from Asia and the Asia Pacific regarding Governance and Good Practices in International Waters. Governance Tools Project Inception Report Workshop Report: Building and Managing Sustainable Transboundary Water Institutions: Review of Tools project-document Governance-Project document newsletter IW Governance Tools Brochure project-identification-form Project Inception Report results-notes 2011 Results Notes - Second Shandong EnvironmentGood Practices and Portfolio Learning in GEF Transboundary Freshwater and Marine Legal and Institutional Frameworks File Draft Case Study Analysis International Waters: Review of Legal and Institutional Frameworks presentation Governance and International Waters (IWC6 Presentation) maps_graphic SAM_0459