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Third Workshop on water and climate change adaptation in transboundary basins

25 - 26 April 2012
Geneva Switzerland

This workshop brought together more than 120 participants from all over the world, engaged in activities on water and adaptation to climate change and variability, in particular in transboundary basins.

It offered a platform for exchanging experience on climate change adaptation strategies, best practices, success factors and lessons learned. It was held back-to-back with the fifth meeting of the Task Force on Water and Climate on Friday 27 April 2012.

The workshop was organized in partnership with the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), the Global Water Partnership Mediterranean (GWP-MED), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the World Meteorological Organization and the European Commission.

The workshop focused on the following issue:

  • Vulnerability assessment in transboundary basins
  • Ecosystem-based adaptation in transboundary basins
  • Selecting and implementing adaptation measures
  • Integrating the different levels and sectors
  • Economic aspects of adaptation to climate change

 

Documents

  ENG FRE RUS
Report PDF - -
Conclusions PDF - -
Information notice PDF   PDF
Programme PDF   PDF
List of participants PDF  

Background Documents

  ENG FRE RUS
Guidance on Water and Adaptation to Climate Change see publication
Guidance on Water Supply and Sanitation in Extreme Weather Events see publication
Transboundary Flood Risk Management: Experiences from the UNECE Region see publication
Second Assessment see publication
Report of the Workshop (12-13 April 2011) PDF    
Pilot Projects Progress Report PDF   PDF
Future work on Climate Change Adaptation PDF   PDF

Presentations

  ENG FRE RUS
Vulnerability assessment, experiences from around the world
Water scarcity in the Netherlands
Mr. Jos Timmerman, Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Netherlands
PDF    
Mekong Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative
Ms. Nguyen Huong Thuy Phan, Mekong River Commission
PDF    
Assessment of climate change induced water stress in the Nile Basin
Mr. Mohamed Elrawady, Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE)
PDF    
Vulnerability assessment in Colombian transboundary basins
Mr. Fabio Andres Bernal, National Hydrological Institute, Colombia
PDF    

Glaciers and water use in Central Asia: results of international scientific expedition
Mr. Abdylhamid Kayumov, State Agency for Hydrometeorology, Committee on the Environment of the Government, Republic of Tajiskistan

    PDF
Water and Adaptation to Climate Change in Myanmar
Ms. Tin Yi, Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Myanmar
PDF    
Ecosystem-based adaptation in transboundary basins
Transboundary conservation of the mangrove ecosystem of Sundarbans
Mr. Laskar Muqsudur Rahman, Forest Department, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Bangladesh
PDF    
Building regionally and nationally tailored-based Ecosystem based Adaptation (EbA) in Mesoamerica
Mr. Juan Carlos Sanchez, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
PDF    
Management of scarce water resources for rehabilitation of degraded lands in arid and semi-arid region of Southern Pakistan
Mr. Sahibzada Irfannullah Khan, Sustainable Land Management Project (SMLP), Ministy of Environment in Pakistan
PDF    
How to select and implement adaptation measures
Improving common flood risk management in transboundary basins
Mr. Bart Swanenvleugel, Flood Wise International Cooperation Project
PDF    
The Zambezi River Basin Initiative (ZRBI): Build and strengthen resilience
Ms. Hilary Motsiri, International Federation of the Red Cross
PDF    
Management Tools of Extreme Weather Events in Morocco
Mr. Abdeslam Ziyad, Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, Morocco
PDF    
Transnational adaptation measures against floods and low-flows: The AMICE project on the Meuse river basin
Ms. Maité Fournier, Public Management of the Meuse and its Tributaries (EPAMA), France
PDF    
Integrating different levels and sectors
Introduction: Integrating different levels and sectors in the Danube
Mr. Raimund Mair, International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR)
PDF    
Economic aspects of Climate Change adaptation
Addressing Risks and Uncertainty: the Role of Economic Instruments and Financing Mechanisms
Ms. Kathleen Dominique, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
PDF    
The impacts and economic costs of river floods in the European Union and the costs and benefits of adaptation
Mr. Luc Feyen, European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre
PDF    
Economy-wide analysis of climate change impacts on the Sava River Basin countries
Ms. Sebnem Sahin, World Bank
PDF    
Conclusions and next steps
Making adaptation work: Reflection on the issues discussed during the workshop
Mr. John Matthews, Conservation International, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation
PDF    
Special session on the Convention
The UNECE Water Convention: obligations and practical application
Ms. Francesca Bernardini, Secretary of the Water Convention
PDF    
The Benefits of the Water Convention, Kazakhstan
Mr. Serik Akhmetov
PDF  

Photos

 The opening of the workshop by Mr. Sven Alkalaj, Executive Secretary, UNECE

Opening session: Participant mapping

Opening session: Participant mapping

Ms. Nguyen Huong Thuy Phan, Mekong River Commission

A comment from The Niger Basin Authority

Voting activity during Session 4: Ecosystem-based adaptation in Transboundary Basins

Discussion in small groups: How to deal with uncertainty?

Discussion in small groups: How to make best use of joint bodies in climate change adaptation in transboundary basins

Group discussions during session 7: Integrating different levels and sectors

Group discussions during session 7: Integrating different levels and sectors