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Thematic Session 1: Ecosystem-based approach to water-resource management GWP-Med, Wetlands International & WWF-MedPO. Q1: What are the current challenges and trends on your thematic issue?. Difficulty to integrate the different sectors linked to water management
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Thematic Session 1: Ecosystem-based approach to water-resource managementGWP-Med, Wetlands International & WWF-MedPO
Q1: What are the current challenges and trends on your thematic issue? • Difficulty to integrate the different sectors linked to water management • Conflicts in water usage due to scarcity of the resource • Climate change impacts • Increase of water demand due to socio-economic development • Difficulty in comprehending and implementing the ecosystem approach • Set up appropriate legislative and regulatory framework and enforcement mechanisms • Mainstreaming ecosystems in IWRM planning and implementation • Knowledge management • Communication strategy (internal and external)
Q2: How to ensure the sustainable use of water and wetlands? • Development of a comprehensive set of indicators for monitoring the ecological status of wetlands with the appropriate institutionalisation provisions • Based on these indicators ensure effective stakeholder involvement to determine the appropriate (feasible) status of the wetlands under given circumstances • Integrated planning and management of river basins (notably based on the provisions of the EU WFD) • Support further scientific research to understand the functioning of freshwater ecosystems (including coastal ones) • Development of schemes for payment for ecosystem services (integrating the upstream-downstream aspects) • Encourage the institutionalisation of wetlands, notably by declaring them as Ramsar sites.
Q3: How to reorient and strengthen the mechanism of collaboration and networking in the field of the water related ecosystems? • Mechanisms of collaboration for knowledge management and transfer at N-S, S-N and S-S levels, including: • identification of success stories for replication • bridging the gap between science and practice • use and sharing of traditional knowledge
Q3 (cont.) • Establish stakeholder collaboration mechanisms at river basin level, ranging from informal networks to institutionalized structures • Empower stakeholders (esp. local communities) in wetland and water resource management • Promote joint activities between the water and the wetland communities, e.g. joint events, international fora, etc.
Q3 (cont.) • Linking/synergizing different initiatives at regional, local and national levels e.g. • transnational/cross-border cooperation between local initiatives for sharing of knowledge replication of projects • cooperation/synergies between regional intitatives/organisations • Intra-institutional collaboration at all levels within countries • Develop and communicate a vision for wetlands, building on the work of Mediterranean Wetlands Observatory