Cooperation with NGOs on Knowledge Management & Transboundary River, Groundwater & Lake Basin Management 7

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GEF IWC 31 October 2013 Barbados

Knowledge Management (KM)

• A range of strategies and practices used in an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute, and enable adoption of insights and experiences • Such insights and experiences comprise knowledge, either embodied in individuals or embedded in organizations as processes or practices • Overlaps with organizational learning and distinguishable by a greater focus on the management of knowledge as a strategic asset and a focus on encouraging the sharing of knowledge © Gernant Magnin / WWF-Netherlands

Leveraging Knowledge for Rivers Globally

• • • • • • • • • TNC aims to protect and significantly improve the health of globally important natural systems that enhance peoples’ lives - Freshwater is a priority Invest on-ground expertise, global reach, and convening power in (1) integrating nature into large-scale water infrastructure (2) securing water for cities (3) bringing together best partners & science for shared water solutions GRP I explored options for sustainable management & development of world’s Great Rivers (2005) Basin relationships and knowledge sharing e.g. Mississippi and Yangtze managers and scientists (2006) o USGS Miss. fish monitoring experience shared with Chinese, used to develop new monitoring protocol for measuring management impacts on Yangtze health and fishery o Scientists, Gov. agencies & Three Gorges Dam operators implementing fish and eflow releases Formal between-country models for cooperation & large-scale best practices replication (2012) o US- China EcoPartnership collaboration agreement, Miss-Yangtze Implementation Plan o TNC-China Three Gorges Corporation agreement - sustainable hydropower in priority places (2013) GRP II expanded vision & scope - leveraged funds, engaged 100+ public/private sector partners (2012) Knowledge mgmt. to solve critical IRBM challenges in 8 basins

Yangtze, Mekong, Ogooué, Niger, Magdalena, Tapajós, Mississippi, Colorado

Exchanges of capacity, methods/tools, and lessons learnt on issues common to multiple basins – use of problem-solving oriented Practice Areas (hydropower, floodplains/flood risk mgmt., agric., etc.) Scaling up best practices and policy impact to global level o Engaging global actors to influence public/private policy and investment decisions e.g. IHA o Effective use of networks (e.g. Global Network to advance IRBM) © Michel Gunther / WWF-Canon

Learning by Doing: The Value Added of Knowledge Management

• • • Tailored learning and outreach: training and capacity building for multiple stakeholders, including municipal and civil society actors, as well as high-level national officials in water governance, international water law and benefit sharing to enhance knowledge and understanding Network of champions: taking new ideas and approaches forward to stimulate a change in thinking that can result in policy-level changes in how the complex water resources are managed in practice As leader of the river basin learning component of IW:LEARN, WANI and following initiatives have been delivering regional learning workshops from IUCN’s own members and networks

GWP is a Knowledge-Based Organization

• • • • • • • Conferences/workshops (SWWW, WWF, regional/local events) Organization of seminars/trainings Participation in Advisory Boards The Technical Committee (TEC) Publications (different types) IWRM Toolbox Communication (different tools) http://www.gwp. org/en/ToolBox/

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Riverprize

Decades worth of best practice examples globally in integrated river basin management (including transboundary issues) Forces applicants to review and collate documents and history of work into single set of documents IRF is central repository of information relation to integrated river basin management globally Currently looking at how to turn this information into an “education or knowledge” tool for others partnerships to form reciprocal knowledge exchange and peer learning globally

IRF KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTS/MANAGEMENT

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Twinning programs

Riverprize alumni develop programs of knowledge sharing and peer to peer learning globally IRF shares knowledge via website, newsletters, resources, presentations Twinning alumni and partners now have expanded capacity to work internationally and awareness of international programs

GEF PROGRAMS

How can these streams of knowledge feed into other work globally? And vice-versa???

International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River Basin

• • • • • Dissemination of the best practices in RBM • Legal • Institutional • Technical Peer-to-peer learning, capacity building Twinning with other Commissions The 10 FAQs to the ICPDR Opportunity for KM partnership globally www.icpdr.org

© Anton Vorauer / WWF-Canon

The UNECE Water Convention An institutional platform to share experiences and knowledge • • • • • Meetings of the official bodies – report on progress Targeted regional capacity building workshops – capacity building, exchange of experiences National Policy Dialogues – facilitating knowledge sharing at the national level Thematic publications – development process contribute to knowledge sharing Communication - brochures, press releases…

WWF Freshwater Knowledge Management Water Wednesday Webinars: an example of a global learning environment

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A diverse, widely dispersed network; How to connect over time zones, geographies and themes?

Monthly focus point: Third Wednesday of the month = water webinar Wednesday staff in over 50 countries working on freshwater conservation Provide a variety of topics: mix up introductory topics with in depth technical sessions Link to topical event relevant to network, i.e. new publications etc.

Cater to different timezones Participation growing as concept becomes established On average 30-40 participants – up from 10-20 last year Key: recognition, continuity & forward planning

Global Network to Advance Integrated River Basin Management

The core objective of the Network’s collaboration is to facilitate, in all regions of the world, the emergence of more effective and efficient governance and sustainable development of water resources by integrating management at the basin level. © Caroline Simmonds/WWF

www.hydrosustainability.org

BREAKOUT DISCUSSION Taking into account financial and time constraints, identify: (1) 3-5 ways in which you could more effectively access knowledge AND (2) 3-5 ways in which you could better use/integrate knowledge in your work?

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