Impact of Global Challenges on Water Resources
09/04-2009 07:04
Today the world is facing such rapid changes as population growth, migration, urbanization and changes in the use of land and water resources and global warming. By 2050 population on the planet will increase by 50% up, according to the estimates, meaning that population will grow by 3 bln people up. More than a half of population on the planet resides in the cities and tendency of urbanization and migration growth will increase only.
By far competition for limited water resources in the world has only strengthened. In many river basins, the available water is not enough to satisfy all needs or for river water resources to reach seas. Water under its scarcity is becoming an economic commodity and is important for decision making between various sectors of economy. It is imperative when it is impossible to increase water supply, and competing demands are taken into account. Water scarcity leads to restriction of food security. Along with population growth the demands for water and, probably, prices for natural resources and energy will go up.
Domestic, municipal and energy needs may have been better satisfied if in agriculture water was used more efficiently and better managed. Investment income may have been gained if systems and institutes were better prepared and were able to optimize comprehensive use of resources. At political levels many countries do not realize that water is an important factor affecting global challenges today. All these challenges indicate the necessity to change ways the water resources are managed.
These issues have been discussed by governments and experts at the 5th World Water Forum through dynamic interactions. The Forum was recently held in Istanbul and became a platform for discussion of issues related to global changes prevention and adaptation by governments.
At the Water Forum the necessity to assess climate change impact on water cycle has been discussed as well. Capacity development aimed at water management improvement at all levels, such as national, regional and local, including management of river basin organizations, should be supported. Application of an integrated water resources management will balance the social and economic impact, minimize environmental impact and protect ecosystems.
So, what is the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)?
IWRM is a policy of management based on the generally accepted principles:
Hydrologic boundaries basin-based management, i.e. within the boundaries of water basins and water systems;
Multipurpose use and protection of water resources;
Coordination of all types of water use, both across and down;
Participation of WUAs and NGO in decision planning and implementation;
Sustainable ecosystems;
Policy aimed at water losses reduction;
Transparency at stage of planning and implementation, with the use of modern information technologies;
Economic sustainability using market principles in development of national water funds.
What is the situation of water resources management in the country? The consequences of water scarcity in 2008 have demonstrated the importance of water as the strategic resource of Kyrgyzstan and shortcomings of the present-day structure of water resources management.
In the course of the country renewal for 1—15 years announced by President Bakiev yesterday, negative consequences of global challenges and the world crisis and the country readiness to react and adapt to them have been underlined. As an imperative, the capability of the country to do this through building effective economy and reforming the system of power and management were determined.
In the country, the Water Code regulating the basics of integrated water resources management has been passed. How flexible it is? And how much it takes account of improved water resources management, involvement of stakeholders in planning, funding and monitoring?
In our view, despite certain shortcomings the Code is a comprehensive and modern piece of legislation that reflects best practice and international experience of IWRM. Water Management Improvement Project, financed by the World Bank, Kyrgyz Government and Government of Japan, is aimed at implementation of the Water Code.
In the frame of the project the Department of Water Resources has already elaborated practical recommendations on implementation, institutional principles to introduce integrated approaches. With the support of SMEC consulting company (Australia) the best experience of such countries as France and Spain being the IWRM initiators has been studied thoroughly. Mexico, Turkey, Russia and Kazakhstan are of interest too. Lessons have been learned, based on the examples of some countries of Africa and Latin America where radical reforming and transfer of water resources management to the private sector, both foreign companies and joint ventures, was not so successful.
Today realities request for necessity of establishment of an independent government organization such as State Water Administration (SWA) being responsible for integrated water resources management and issuing licenses for abstract surface, underground water and for sewage disposal in compliance with the Water Code. At the same time, functions related with irrigation service delivery are the functions of the DWR as a supplier of services and should be separated.
In our opinion, the combination of licensing functions and service provision functions specified in the Water Code could potentially cause problems and conflicts of interests, which originally lays the principles impeding transparent water resources management.
The SWOT analysis of functions of the agencies and ministries involved into water resources management and duplicating each other or bearing fragmented nature has been made. The progressive way is proposed to establish a new vertical of democratic institutes including national, basin and water councils as major public stakeholders to be engaged in an evolving process of overall monitoring of state agencies’ activity.
Based on experience from other countries, integrated water resources management is a complex, time consuming and, at times, painful process that requires political will and investments in a purposeful effort. This would require changes in old-fashioned styles of work of water organization. It would also require applying of decentralized principles of democracy in water management, with involvement of all practices concerned at various levels in decision making. This would imply changes, including opportunities and risks.
Further consultations at all levels would help the Government to make the right decision. One of important factors influencing on decision-making will be consequences of global challenges such as an impact on productivity and ecosystems, and strategy and legislation based on adaptive management approaches will be required in response to such challenges.
By Ainura Kupueva, M.E.Sc., Operations Officer, World Bank Country Office in the Kyrgyz Republic
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