Agenda item 2: Project Context. The Rio Bravo A GEF story

Transcription

1 GEF IW project A regional Framework for the Sustainable Use of the Rio Bravo Binational Project Meeting Mexico, June 2012 Agenda item 2: Project Context. The Rio Bravo A GEF story Delta Session 23 Jan 2012 Isabelle Van der Beck UNEP GEF International Waters

2 Content of the presentation The GEF Process The GEF Bravo project history The GEF TDA-SAP approach

3 1.The GEF Process 1. Incremental funding building on a strong baseline 2. Global Environment Benefits GEB 3. Shared transboundary systems of global significance 4. Grant application thru a GEF IA UNEP- with endorsement of the county GEF focal point 5. Resources programmed in accordance with focal area strategic priorities IW Obj 1 & SP 3

4 1. The GEF Process 6. GEF-4 IW Strategy Obj1: Foster international, multi-state cooperation on priority transboundary concerns SP3: Balance overuse and conflicting uses of water resources in surface and groundwater basins that are transboundary in nature through the application of IWRM

5 COUNTRY(S): Mexico (USA) GEF Rio Bravo Project Approved Identifiers PROJECT TITLE: Regional Framework for Sustainable Use of the Rio Bravo IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: UNEP EXECUTING PARTNERS: REGIONAL LEVEL: GS/OAS; NATIONAL LEVEL: MX: National Commission on Water (La Comisión Nacional del Agua, CNA); Environmental and Natural Resources Secretariat (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, (SEMARNAT); US. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA); LOCAL LEVEL: MX: National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM); US: Texas State University - San Marcos, USA DURATION: 4 years ( ) GRANT: USD 4 Million from GEF CO-FINANCING: USD 9,954,491 Project Objective: To formulate a comprehensive, binational, ecosystem-based action programme (SAP) based on the principles of integrated water resources management, for the sustainable management and use of the Rio Bravo throughout its basin, and to create the necessary enabling social-economic and policy mechanisms for implementing the agreed action programme and engendering the neccesary reforms.

6 LoE 7. Approved by MX GEF focal point on 11 Sept 2008

7 Rio Bravo and GEB 1. The 3,000-km long Rio Bravo is the 5th largest river in North America and 24th largest in the world, is a major boundary between Mexico and the U.S. 2. It is one of the best examples of a desert riverine system in the world. 3. At the same time, the Rio Bravo/Rio Grande is a river in serious disarray, being identified among the top 10 most endangered rivers in the world by WWF.

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9 Basin and Delta features 18. This fragile estuary health is extremely dependent on minimum and period flood flows from the Rio Bravo Basin to maintain estuarine habitats and periodically flush the system and facilitate over banking to the riparian wetlands for fish spawning. The region's wetlands, once critical stopover points for migrating birds, are getting choked off. 19. The once grande river is looking more poco, reduced to a trickle these days because of heavy use on both sides of the border. US and MX separated by a beach of dirty sand and an orange nylon fence. 20. Farmers in Texas say they lose $400 million annually due to lack of irrigation water.

10 Basin and Delta features 18. This fragile estuary health is extremely dependent on minimum and period flood flows from the Rio Bravo Basin to maintain estuarine habitats and periodically flush the system and facilitate over banking to the riparian wetlands for fish spawning. The region's wetlands, once critical stopover points for migrating birds, are getting choked off. 19. The once grande river is looking more poco, reduced to a trickle these days because of heavy use on both sides of the border. US and MX separated by a beach of dirty sand and an orange nylon fence. 20. Farmers in Texas say they lose $400 million annually due to lack of irrigation water.

11 Basin and Delta features 18. This fragile estuary health is extremely dependent on minimum and period flood flows from the Rio Bravo Basin to maintain estuarine habitats and periodically flush the system and facilitate over banking to the riparian wetlands for fish spawning. The region's wetlands, once critical stopover points for migrating birds, are getting choked off. 19. The once grande river is looking more poco, reduced to a trickle these days because of heavy use on both sides of the border. US and MX separated by a beach of dirty sand and an orange nylon fence. 20. Farmers in Texas say they lose $400 million annually due to lack of irrigation water.

12 2.The GEF Bravo project history 1. PDF-A October K to probe the idea endorsed by GEF Focal point 2. Meeting in Ciudad Juarez October PIF Endorsed on 26 October 2008 Council in Nov PPG Endorsed on 21 April K 5. Submission of FSP documents 31 October CEO endorsement of the FSP 29 October 2010

13 2.The GEF Bravo project history 7. Internalization December 2010 PCA UNEP-OAS 8. Project initiation January 2011 First cash disbursement 9. Inception phase 2 months >>> 18 months 10.Project execution month 3 >>> month 20?

14 3.The GEF TDA SAP Approach 1. A planning phase followed by an implementation phase subject to a different project 2. Vision -> TDA-> SAP = GEF IWRM 3. Participatory process through binational, national and local champions 4. Multilateral Agencies: UNEP as IA in charge of oversight as task manager OAS as EA in charge of coordination of execution and procurement

15 3.The GEF TDA SAP Approach Building blocks of Vision TDA SAP 1. Binational Vision: Understanding the Rio Bravo Society Policy process with key stakeholder groups Development scenario/projections Understanding the legal and institutional context

16 3.The GEF TDA SAP Approach 1. TDA: Understanding the natural resource base 4 targeted research activities IIS >> Baseline >> monitoring changes in ecosystem health over time Focuses on transbounbary issues Final step is a prioritization exercise of issues worth addressing in SAP A technical but also a policy document to be agreed by key stakeholder group representatives

17 3.The GEF TDA SAP Approach 1. SAP: Binational Response strategies 3 pilot projects on the MX side paid by GEF 6 pilot projects on the US side paid by US Communication and outreach strategy Financial strategy for long term sustainability An agreed SAP at highest political level with a set of binational actions and national action agendae

18 The GEF TDA-SAP approach a solution for the Bravo delta

19 4. Conclusions 1. GEF Grant in line with GEF IW strategy promoting multi-country cooperation on transboundary issues in transboundary water bodies; 2. TDA/SAP will be formulated in country by key stakeholders with all stakeholders for all stakeholders; 3. End product is essentially an agreed SAP at the Ministerial level >>one only gets in what one wants in and what one can commit to;

20 4. Conclusions 4. The GEF Bravo project provides an open binational forum for both governments and Rio Bravo stakeholders to begin addressing barriers to the basin sustainability through the development of an integrated management framework for the basin. 4. It is a foundational project to help riparians understand better common challenges/stresses on the basin and collectively plan how to address them.

21 Thank you!!!!