Brief 3- Policy, Law and Institutions
Rationale
The incomes and livelihoods of billions of people depend on transboundary lake and river basins. These shared water systems hold the potential to be either a source of conflict or a catalyst for regional cooperation, socioeconomic development, security and peace. In its International Waters focal area, GEF assistance has contributed to improvements in regional stability, improved security, and the creation of cooperative management institutions amongst countries previously competing over shared rivers and basins or fragile states emerging from regional conflict.
1. What is the difference between sharing water and sharing the benefits of water?
When does it make sense to share and who are the stakeholders? Key concepts & skills: • The benefits of cooperation • When and how to engage stakeholders • A roadmap for engagement • Mechanism for benefit sharing in practice • Applying benefit sharing at all levels
2. How to attain a country’s vision for water outcomes? How to link policies to realities?
Key concepts & skills: • The role of water policy • Water policy principles and process principles for water policy • Context of water policy: historical or political • Typology of water policy and planning reforms • Paradigms in major international arrangements
3. What legal frameworks are needed for transboundary water management? How to transform policy into law?
Key concepts & skills: • Features of water law • The context, role and reach of water resources legislation • Water allocation and water quality protection • Incorporating conservation into water law • The legal basis for transboundary water management: establishing international treaties
4. How to build a sound institutional mechanism for transboundary water management?
Key concepts & skills: • Inter-Ministerial Committees and River Basin Commissions • Types and levels of water institutions • Designing institutions for IWRM • Mobilising finance: funding water institutions • Public and civil society participation and private sector roles in water management
5. How to implement water governance capacity and cooperative transboundary water management?
Key concepts & skills: • Monitoring and information management • Compliance and enforcement • Water integrity and accountability
