asia session: iskandar abdullaev, carec, 15th january un water zaragoza conference 2015
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Central Asian cooperation mechanisms: achievements
and challenges
Dr. Iskandar Abdullaev,
Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC)
Environmental Challenges in Central Asia
• 60 million people (90 million in 2050)- demographic pressure
• Growing economy- total GDP $600 billion+ $4-5 billion annual growth - economic pressure
• Resource intensive- high footprint development mode
• Outdated infrastructure, institutes and policies- path dependency
• Serious consequences of climate change- new challenges
Central Asia: Environmental Challenges
• Anthropogenic Pressure on Environment:– Quality and quantity– Diversity and functions
• Climate Change Impact:– Reduction of river flows– Higher water-energy demand
• Degraded Natural Biodiversity :– Reduced numbers and types– Degraded areas and resources
• Reduced Ecosystem Services:– Social and economical losses
Central Asia: Environmental Challenges
• Central Asia will be worst affected by climate change with river flow reduction of up to 25-30% by 2030
• Environmental resilience – reduced less biodiversity
Stronger institutional capacities, social resilience and economic power required
Central Asia: Regional Cooperation
• Regional Cooperation- pre-requisite for sustainable development
• Transboundary nature of natural resources, processes and infrastructure
• Past dependency and common challenges • Economic growth limitations and social
cohesion
Regional Cooperation in Central Asia• Regional Organizations: IFAS, ICSD, ICWC-
partnership Memoranda's and active cooperation• Regional Networks: research- academia, basin
organizations, environmental experts• Regional Working groups: water quality, basin
planning, SEIS, PES
• Regional processes: ASBP-3, Regional Environmental Goals, Green Business Club
• Partnerships: state, civil – society, business and international processes
Roles of Regional Organizations
Regional Organizations
Policy formulation
Information/Awareness building
Monitoring and Assessment
Project Implementation
EC IFAS + + +
ICSD + +
ICWC + + +
CAREC + + +
Regional Cooperation: achievements
• Regional Organizations: ownership, internalization, rotation of governance, professionalization
• Regional dialogue: (i) continuity, (ii) processes, (iii) platform for discussion
• Regional cooperation: (i) reduction of conflicts, short-term solutions (water allocation), regular
Regional Cooperation: Examples
• Central Asia Initiative (CAI): (i) regional environmental goals, (ii) support to civil society, (iii)
• Water Quality cooperation (UNECE+CAREC): (i) analysis of current state, (ii) regional working group, (iii) regional water quality standards
• Aral Sea programmes (ASBP-I,II,III): (i) nationally agreed regional projects, (ii) continuity, (iii) national and regional components- linked
Regional Cooperation: Challenges
• Regional Organizations: sectoral, un-coordinated, longer process of negotiations and decision making
• Regional Processes: outdated, un-linked from national priorities and global development
• Regional Cooperation: ad-hock, context based, conflictive and result less
Regional Cooperation: new efforts
• EU Strategy for Central Asia: (i) support to regional joint activities, (ii) strengthening of regional cooperation, (iii) coordination of EU regional efforts
• New Silk Road Initiative: (i) joint research and scientific cooperation, (ii)
• Berlin Process: (i) Strengthening of regional organizations, (ii) Capacity building, (iii) transboundary cooperation
• Regional Organizations: (i) Urgench conference, (ii) ICSD and ICWM meetings, (iii) Meeting of regional organizations (CAREC)
Regional Cooperation: Scenarios
• Cooperation: regional organizations, processes and cooperation will improve. Economy and Security will drive cooperation
• Consolidation: regional organizations will consolidate process and cooperation modes
• Disintegration: reduced cooperation, no or few regional processes
SDG’s: Central Asia• Central Asia’s representation in setting post-2015
(SDGs) could be improved through regional institutions
• SDG’s implementation is interest for Central Asian states: (i) for prosperity, (ii) security and (iii) sustainability
• SDG’s successful implementation requires system of monitoring: (i) indicators, (ii) information management and (iii) exchange
Regional Cooperation: SDG’s Accountability Mechanisms
• Regional level:– facilitate exchange of best practices and lessons learned – identify solutions to shared challenges and transboundary issues– inputs can serve to prepare reviews at the global level. – translate global goals into policies, guidelines, recommendations
and standards at the national level, – mobilize partnerships at the regional level– build ownership and understanding for the universal nature of the
SDG in the region
• Promotion of Set of indicators: Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS)
• Using Advanced Reporting Approaches and Tools: Annual State of Environmental Reporting (SoE)
• Improving Public Access to the Information: Aarhus Centers and access to the information
Regional Cooperation: SDG’s Accountability Mechanisms
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