Organisation: 1,2 Global Water Partnership Caribbean (GWP-C)

Transcription

1 Sustainability of Integrated Water Resources Management Initiatives in the Caribbean: Key Findings from the Sustainability of Integrated Water Resources Management Initiatives in the Caribbean Report Authors: Natalie Boodram 1, Lena Dempewolf 2 Job Title: 1 Water Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) Manager, 2 WACDEP Programme Officer Organisation: 1,2 Global Water Partnership Caribbean (GWP-C) nboodram@gwp-caribbean.org Abstract While evaluations of Caribbean Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) initiatives are routinely carried out immediately after project completion, assessments are lacking on the long term viability of the work conducted. Sustainable IWRM initiatives are those which create continuous benefits, generate new information, and are replicated and up-scaled in other communities or countries. Financial, institutional, beneficiary, and political support are paramount in order for these initiatives to be successful in the long run. Influencing policy, legislation and regulation, and sustained financing remain some of the major challenges to initiating and following through on regional IWRM projects; however, the involvement of stakeholders at all levels and fostering ownership of the process of change can greatly assist achieving sustainability. This paper examines the sustainability of IWRM initiatives, such as the Caribbean Water Initiative (CARIWIN) Project, the Integrating Watershed and Coastal Areas Management Project (IWCAM), the Reduce Risks to Human and Natural Assets Resulting from Climate Change (RRACC) Project and the Caribbean Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) Programme. In particular, the paper showcases some of the options and strategies that support and increase regional IWRM project sustainability and resilience in the face of increasing threats posed by climate change. Introduction Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is defined by the Global Water Partnership as a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in order to maximise economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems (Global Water Partnership 2010).

2 Even though many projects are successful within their designated timeframes, in many cases follow-up is lacking and the long term effects of the project remain unassessed, therefore limiting the ability to design projects to be most effective in the long run. Additionally, replication of projects becomes difficult when the long term implications of projects are unknown. Sustainability in the context of IWRM projects refers to the continuous flow of benefits that result from the implementation of an activity, project or initiative. Financial, institutional, beneficiary, and political support are required to achieve this. In-depth documentation of the sustainability and long term impacts of IWRM initiatives are generally absent and documentation of challenges in duplication and upscaling of projects has been scarce. This paper therefore seeks to address this gap and assess a number of IWRM initiatives for their sustainability in order to identify their effectiveness over time. IWRM project topics considered here include policy and governance, integrated watershed and coastal areas management, water security, water pollution, wastewater management, hydrological and meteorological data, and climate resilience in the water sector. Initiatives assessed covered development of policies; legislation; regulation or influencing policymaking processes; development of plans and strategies for implementation; implementation of pilot projects; development of tools and guidelines; applied research and information management; capacity development, awareness and advocacy; or developing networks and partnerships. Method This review presents the highlights of the GWP-C report entitled Sustainability of Integrated Water Resources Management Initiatives in the Caribbean (Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) 2015) and is based on a selection of IWRM initiatives compiled in the Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) database (Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) 2014), which was recently developed by the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C). Impacts, challenges, successes, and lessons learnt for replication and upscaling of projects are examined, some of which are complete while others are on-going. The assessment consisted of two major components: Firstly, informal individual interviews were conducted with staff and beneficiaries of a number of projects, led by organisations such as GWP-C, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology & Hydrology (CIMH), the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), Cap-Net/Caribbean

3 WaterNet, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the University of Belize. These informal interviews comprised the majority of the study. Secondly, a literature review was then conducted to supplement lessons learnt key lessons were extracted from two specific documents: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Cluster Country Portfolio Evaluation: GEF Beneficiary Countries of the OECS ( ) (Global Environment Facility 2012) and the GWP Technical Focus Paper on Integrated Water Resources Management in the Caribbean (Global Water Partnership 2014). Results and discussion Generally, it was found that a number of factors contribute to the overall sustainability of an initiative. Sustainability was more likely where processes were institutionalised; benefits generated were sustained in the country or region; technical, human resource, and institutional capacities were sustainable; and pilot projects were multiplied. Contributions of regional human and technological resources and efforts, and the strengthening of academic and research institutes within the region also contributed to sustainability. It should be noted that a key factor is the identification and sourcing of sustainable funding and financing strategies, as this is paramount to every aspect of project sustainability. Initiatives that focus on the development of policies and plans typically target government decision making processes in order to bring about long term institutional change. This, however, provides some challenges. The management of water resources often overlaps between agencies and sectors, or falls into gaps where no agency is directly assigned to this task. In cases where overlaps exist, a lack of inter-agency communication often leads to pitfalls. There is a general trend of slow progress in legislative reform when it comes to water, and difficulties are often encountered when moving legislation from draft to enactment. For example, while rainwater harvesting is typically regarded as a positive step towards water security, hesitation in developing legislation may arise from the possibility of required subsidies and a reduction in revenue for utilities. Frequent changes in government in many countries also leads to challenges, but can be mitigated by facilitating a broad dialogue across political boundaries. Generally, there is a systematic lack of capacity to take recommendations to action and most initiatives require a long lead-time and sustained commitment in order to be successful.

4 Stakeholders are generally aware of many concerns and opportunities that an integrated approach faces but are applying this approach as far as possible despite the challenges posed. Many OECS member governments ratified international environmental agreements with the support of GEF (Global Environment Facility 2012), signalling their commitment and a step in the right direction. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) also has a distinct opportunity to piggyback on progress made in climate change policy and legislation, such as the Liliendaal declaration, as climate change effects have a large impact on water resources (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2008). Uptake may be more easily achieved in some countries than others, and understanding the reasons for this allows for insights into potential entry points. A thorough understanding of government structure is generally recommended, as targeting Ministries of Finance may be more useful than targeting Ministries of the Environment, since sustained funding is crucial for the overall sustainability of projects and initiatives. Finally, it is imperative that existing policies and regulations are enforced before moving on to ensuring the sustainability of policy and legislative reform. As a range of challenges and opportunities were found in projects with different thematic areas, these were analysed under these thematic areas (see Tables 1 and 2 below). Specific examples follow. Thematic Focus Area Development of plans and strategies Implementati on of pilot projects Factors Enabling Sustainability The implementation of cyclical, rather than individual projects; A broad stakeholder base to ensure buy-in and an improved vision of national priorities; Working from a position of strong mandate and an agreed process; The generation of demand at a national level; The use of economies of scale to broker funding and technical knowledge at the regional level; Engaging in stakeholder consultations for obtaining information and buy-in; Focussing on private sector and public engagements; Bringing in regional organisations; Sharing implementation to strengthen partnerships; and Enhancing monitoring and evaluation of impacts. Grounding of projects in existing institutional plans; Identification of lessons learnt as part of the process, and dissemination thereof; Regular stakeholder consultations to identify whether the project meets current and future needs; Setting aside of project funds for hiring a full-time project manager;

5 Development of tools and guidelines Applied research and information management Capacity development, awareness, and advocacy Advertisement of successful projects through media, government, civil society, and funding agencies; Capacity building through training of individuals and institutions to expand project achievements; Sharing of best practices between Small Island Developing States (SIDS) regions; and Planning for sustainability as a project output. Making tool and guideline use mandatory to access funding; Addressing tool and guideline uptake and application early in planning projects. Production of case studies demonstrating effectiveness; Capacity development and awareness raising at national level; Stakeholder engagement throughout the development process to tailor tools to needs and generate interest; Participatory project preparation to meet expectations of national and regional partners; and Improved data collection and sharing; Improved coordination between government agencies and defined roles pertaining to water issues; Government agency support in integrating research findings into policy; Government-driven demand for guiding research activities to be policy relevant; and Broad-base stakeholder engagement for the identification of opportunities for replication and upscaling. The need for long term commitment to capacity development to generate and sustain institutional capacity; Mentoring and on-the-job support for applying new knowledge; Training of trainers at regional level to allow for upscaling of benefits; Online training to create a flexible schedule; Dissemination of wide range of education materials; The use of checklists and guides; Identifying needs prior to training; Establishing linkages between environmental and economic/ social issues; Targeting the right audience; Ensuring that beneficiaries of capacity building exercises have the mandate to apply increased capacity; Targeting private sector for capacity building to take advantage of useful entry points; Inclusion of capacity development in research initiatives to ensure common knowledge base of decision makers for incorporating research into policy;

6 Developing networks and partnerships Provision of an enabling environment through high level awareness raising; Ensuring adequate provisions for communications programmes in budget allocations; and The use of top-up and bottom-down approaches to support participatory decision-making. Fostering an environment that promotes dialogue across all water-dependent sectors; The provision of a platform for stakeholder exchange by a neutral organisation; Careful planning of regional project coordination to make use of economies of scale and knowledge sharing; and Capitalisation on existing partnerships. Table 1: Summary of factors enabling sustainability for various thematic focus areas With respect to the development of plans and strategies, OECS found it critical to engage stakeholders during the Reduce Risks to Human & Natural Assets Resulting from Climate Change (RRACC) project. This was also found by CCCCC while developing the Implementation Plan for the Regional Framework for Achieving Development Resilient to Climate Change. Stakeholder involvement was also important in pilot projects for the RRACC project in order to reinforce demand and keep on target. CCCCC found that couching the Implementation Plan in the Liliendaal Declaration and the Regional Framework allowed the organisation to operate from a position of strong mandate. Anchoring activities in existing legislation and contributing towards established national goals and agendas, and international agreements ratified by governments often garners great support for project execution. The Caribbean Regional Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) Programme was developed in 2006 as a joint United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) initiative and provided focal points for action in RWH. The flexibility of the programme allowed for accessing funds when they became available, thereby preventing the project from shutting down when uncertainty existed with respect to donor money. The programme also provided a focal point for the many organisations working on RWH projects and provided a forum for information exchange and coordination of efforts. The partnering of GWP-C and CCCCC on the development and launch of the Caribbean Climate Online Risk and Adaptation Tool (CCORAL) Water has been mutually beneficial.

7 The addition of water related resources and source material has bolstered the CCORAL overall contents, while increasing water s relevance in a climate and decision making context. CCORAL components are scheduled for incorporation into IWRM workshops held by GWP-C in the future. Thematic Focus Area Development of plans and strategies Implementation of pilot projects Development of tools and guidelines Applied research and information management Capacity development, awareness, and advocacy Developing networks and partnerships Barriers to Sustainability The need for a vast amount of financing; National level sustainability may be outside of the sphere of the project s implementation plan; and The lack capacity and resources in small countries to develop plans and strategies. The requirement of long transition periods for the handing over of projects to governments; The improvement of public perception of implementing agencies through pilot projects; Unpredictability of the disbursement of national contributions in support of the project; and Lack of human resource capacity within Small Island Developing States (SIDS) manifested through limited hiring options, challenges in procuring contractors for infrastructure, and lack of in-kind support by overextended government agencies. Sustained effort is required for continuous and widespread usage; and Potential lack of long term sustainability of funding. General lack of understanding of the value of primary data by governments; and Lack of data availability and access. Short-term capacity initiatives are not useful in promoting long term sustainability; Difficulties in monitoring outputs of capacity development, awareness raising, and advocacy; and Project-based approaches lead to a loss of capacity. Limited stakeholder buy-in in regional project implementation through o Difficulties aligning with national priorities; o Low visibility at national level; o Insufficient stakeholder involvement; o Targeting of wrong stakeholder groups; and

8 o Unclear project objectives and inadequate communication of objectives to stakeholders. Lack of national and regional mechanisms for sharing lessons and experiences; Table 2: Barriers to sustainability for various thematic focus areas The Global Environment Facility Integrating Watershed and Coastal Areas Management (GEF-IWCAM) Project has identified a range of lessons learnt during the execution of that project. Heavy focus on public sector engagements has resulted in some set-backs, as it appeared difficult to institutionalise change this way. Engaging the private sector appears to be helpful and can be done by demonstrating the benefits that may be derived from improved water management practices. Many private sector companies rely directly on the quality of the water supply, and this angle may increase the momentum required for the desired institutionalised change. Stronger partnerships can be formed through shared implementation, which increases the commitment of each partner to the project. The GEF-IWCAM Project also found that, with respect to pilot and demonstration projects, identification of human resources is important. In many cases, there is lack of expertise within the target countries, which makes the implementation of national demonstration projects difficult, if not impossible. Dedicating funds for a full time project manager is likely to improve the implementation of the project as many government departments are already stretched thin in terms of human and other resources, resulting in reduced outputs if the project manager is otherwise engaged. General issues cited by participants centred on financial resources, technical capacity, political mandate, and evidence to support decision-making. Limited financial incentives and budgets with little room for additional expenditure reduces government investment and interest in water sector activities; additionally, National Implementing Agencies are needed to facilitate national and subnational access to international funds. The Caribbean region s previous fragmented approach to water projects in terms of funding and implementation has been limiting the sustainability of water initiatives across the region. Climate change adaptation programmes, on the other hand, although starting out as scattered projects, are now under the umbrella of the regional Implementation Plan, providing a framework for all actions. Water initiatives are well suited to follow the same path, which would result in a far more coordinated approach.

9 Limitations in capacity have been an issue throughout. Capacity building at all levels targeted at SIDS-specific needs is required in order to alleviate related problems. Gaps between research and policy, and researchers understanding of how integration is most effectively executed, have also become evident and need to be addressed through capacity building initiatives. An enabling environment is required in order for water issues to be successfully addressed on national and regional levels. The lack of political support has been a challenge throughout and needs to be addressed. Compounding issues include the general apathy of society towards water issues and lack of service providers responses to changes in needs of customers and citizens at large. Potential risks in water sector changes are often manifested in the short term and more direct, whereas benefits are long term and less obvious, resulting in increased hesitation by the public to lobby for changes in the management of water resources. The identification, coordination, and tracking of projects and their outcomes is often difficult due to the large amount and diversity of initiatives taking place, the large number of stakeholders involved, and scales at which these projects are executed. Coupled with inconsistent reporting, duplication of effort is a potential risk as outputs are frequently not reported or made publicly available. A more coordinated effort is required to truly move water resources management forward in the Caribbean. Conclusion There has been considerable effort in making water resources management truly integrated within the Caribbean region, providing invaluable groundwork on which a more unified approach can be built. These initiatives also resulted in a number of lessons learnt, which must now be assimilated into current and future projects for improved cohesiveness among efforts made. Identifying underlying issues in promoting effective regional efforts is the first step towards such an integrated approach.

10 References Global Environment Facility Cluster Portfolio Evaluation: GEF Beneficiary Countries of the OECS ( ) (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Global Environment Facility Evaluation Office. Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) "IWRM Projects and Initiatives in the Caribbean." Global Water Partnership-Caribbean. Platform/Databases1/IWRM-and-Climate-Initiatives/. Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) Sustainability of Integrated Water Resources Management Initiatives in the Caribbean. Global Water Partnership- Caribbean. Global Water Partnership "What is IWRM?" Accessed 20th July Global Water Partnership Integrated water resources management in the Caribbean: The challenges facing Small Island Developing States (Technical Focus Paper). Global Water Partnership. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Climate change and water. Technical Paper of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. edited by B.C. Bates, Z.W. Kundzewicz, S. Wu and J.P. Palutikof: IPCC Secreteriat, Geneva.