To implement policy change is a process that takes time. During this time, it is possible that the people involved change, resulting in a loss of knowledge. In Malawi, action was taken to combat institutional memory loss by involving as many high-level decision-makers as possible and by organising awareness raising workshops. This demonstrates that it is possible to avoid the loss of knowledge when key decision and policy-makers change.
The water resources of The Bahamas are threatened by over-abstraction, misuse and pollution. In the past, water management in the Bahamas has been conducted through a single-sector approach. To address its issues, actions have been taken to move towards IWRM and a multi-sector approach. In particular, attention has been focused on improving stakeholder participation and advancing political commitment. Presently only being partially successful, IWRM implementation in Bahamas highlights that it is a long term process.
The Purna Area Water Partnership was established in 1995 and has since carried out extensive work in water resources development and management in the Purna River Basin, India.
The EU Water Framework Directive requires measures to achieve good status of all waters by 2015. In Germany, it is not the federal government that is in charge of implementation but it is the responsibility of the county. To meet the objective, transboundary exchange of experiences was promoted by broadening the range of methods and tools available to water managers. From this study, it is evident that interaction with stakeholders plays a central role.
The EU Water Framework Directive requires all EU member states to achieve satisfactory water quality of all waters by 2015. Although each country is individually responsible, cooperation over transnational water resources is required. In the Körös/Crisuri river basin, a project was initiated using the expertise and experience of Hungary and Romania, involving all key stakeholders. The key lesson is the importance of public participation.
The Upper Tisza basin requires international cooperation for its management, recognised through bilateral agreements. To further improve management, action was taken to develop a complex joint flood and water management development plan. This project is being implemented in several stages, ranging from elaboration of methods, description of ecological status to the establishment of environmental objectives to improve the current status. The key lesson is the value of bilateral effort in water management.
GWP has joined the Sanitation and Water for All initiative as a Multilateral Partner, together with other GWP Partner organizations. Sanitation and Water for All aims to address the barriers to achieving universal and sustainable sanitation and drinking water for everyone, including poor water resources management.
GWP Executive Secretary Dr Ania Grobicki wrote about water and climate change in a publication for the G8 meeting in Canada in June 2010.
The Ghana Country Water Partnership (CWP-Ghana) has held the validation meeting for the report on the study entitled “Impacts and Vulnerability assessment of Climate Change in the Upper East Region of Ghana and pathways to Creating Green Solutions and Integrating Climate-Smart Interventions into development Planning”. The program took place at the SSNIT conference room at Bolgatanga on 17th July, 2014 and was chaired by Mr Aduna from the White Volta Basin Office (WVB).
