GWP SA’s role in the climate change mainstreaming programme is to facilitate the interaction between the transboundary basin level and the local level. The Programme activities are centred on communications, by taking opportunities to raise awareness and tell stories of climate change in the regional. Opportunities for stakeholder engagements through policy dialogues and national events such as National Water Weeks will provide mechanisms for interactions and ensure that regional initiatives are integrated into national level responses aimed at promoting more investments at local level, which will support responses that have a regional impact.
The update meeting mainly focused on the progress of the implementation of the SADC National Water Weeks so far. The upcoming SADC National Water Weeks will be held in 2014 to promote the regional water programme and create awareness on RWP, Protocol etc.
The meeting among other things discussed:
- Possible dates for holding the National Water Weeks and government and stakeholder involvement and engagement.
- Continued consultation with the RBO’s and national governments on the envisaged dates of the SADC National Water Weeks so that the River Basin Organizations can better advise SADC on this. The role of the Basin Wide Forum should be limited to representing their basin during the SADC National Water Week as the National Water Weeks would be owned by the national governments and stakeholders.
- To speed up the development of a project proposal on climate adaptation. This activity should be expedited to ensure that the draft project proposal is ready for consideration by the ORASECOM Council in late February/ early March 2014.
- The involvement of Waters Department/ Units in each country to lead the SADC National Water Weeks in each country.
- Based on each country’ scenario, constitute an Organization team that would lead the implementation of the National Water Weeks in each country.
photo source: iStockphoto/Roode (2008)