The goal of the International Waters focal area is the promotion of collective management for transboundary water systems and subsequent implementation of the full range of policy, legal, and institutional reforms and investments contributing to sustainable use and maintenance of ecosystem services.

To achieve this goal, during GEF-5 the following objectives will be pursued:

1. Catalyze Multi-State Cooperation to Balance Conflicting Water Uses in Transboundary Surface and Groundwater Basins while Considering Climatic Variability and Change

   Patterns of intensive and conflicting uses of water resources in transboundary surface and groundwater basins are resulting in significant ecological and economic damage, reduced livelihoods for the poor, and increased political tensions among downstream States. These impacts become exacerbated with increasing climatic variability.

   The use of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) plans/policies at the basin level has been identified as an answer to balancing conflicting uses of water resources. Benefits of collaboration on transboundary basins and adoption by cooperating States of reforms in IWRM policies contribute to improved community livelihoods, increased crop yields, sustainable irrigation, improved environmental flows, and reduced health risks where pollutants create risks.

   Under this objective, GEF will support further development and implementation of regional policies and measures identified in agreed Strategic Action Programmes (SAPs), which through collaborative action would promote sustainable functioning of already existing joint legal and institutional frameworks or help establish new ones. GEF assistance to States includes development and enforcement of national policy, legislative and institutional reforms as well as demonstrating innovative measures/ approaches to water quantity and quality concerns. The projected impact will enable States to negotiate treaties and better balance conflicting uses of surface and ground water for hydropower, irrigation-food security, drinking water, and support of fisheries for protein in the face of multiple stresses, including climatic variability and change.

    

2. Catalyze Multi-State Cooperation to Rebuild Marine Fisheries and Reduce Pollution of Coasts and Large Marine Ecosystems while Considering Climatic Variability and Change

   Coasts and oceans are experiencing increasing threats to their functioning. Especially serious are reductions in the ability to provide protein for food security, livelihoods, and foreign exchange as well as diminished capacity to absorb carbon as part of the ocean’s role in sequestering carbon dioxide.

   GEF project support will focus on the implementation of SAPs with reforms and investments that produce results, for countries where capacity is built and collective action programmes agreed by States significantly contributing to a transboundary concern. Policy, legal, institutional reforms and multi-agency strategic partnerships that contribute to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) targets for recovering and sustaining fish stocks would be a priority, including regional and national-level reforms in legal frameworks and governance, access rights, and enforcement in Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs).

   GEF would also support in a limited way: investments in sustainable alternative livelihoods (such as sustainable mariculture), habitat restoration and limited use designations such as fish refugia, technical assistance, promotion of less destructive gear to reduce stress on wild fish stocks, and support to implementation of the 1995 International Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries in Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and in LMEs.

    

3. Support Foundational Capacity Building, Portfolio Learning, and Targeted Research Needs for Ecosystem-based, Joint Management of Transboundary Water Systems

   GEF interventions in multiple countries with regional projects are more cost-effective than individual country International Waters projects in catalyzing commitments to collective action. Where capacity and agreement among States is not yet built for collectively addressing transboundary concerns or where climatic variability and change are not yet incorporated into adaptive management frameworks, an enabling environment for action will be created through GEF supported foundational processes.

   GEF project support under this objective will be provided for transboundary surface and groundwater systems, groundwater concerns and opportunities would be integrated into management of surface water systems (and surface water concerns into transboundary groundwater) so that basins or aquifers serve as management units.

   National inter-ministry committees would contribute to development of SAPs, which would include commitments to establish or strengthen institutions for multi-state, collective management and subsequent action. An enabling environment for adopting Integrated Water Resources Management plans and policies per WSSD targets will be pursued in States sharing transboundary surface and groundwater systems; and climatic variability and change will be integrated into the GEF supported processes.

   For coastal and marine ecosystems, GEF will utilize similar foundational capacity development as States adopt ecosystem-based approaches at the LME and local ICM scales. Shifting currents and changes in distribution, abundance, and life cycles of marine resources as well as coastal storm vulnerability and sea-level rise may be included in the GEF-supported new efforts.

    

4. Promote Effective Management of Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

   Despite covering 40 percent of the planet, Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) lack comprehensive legal instruments and normal management options. ABNJ are threatened by: increasing pelagic fishing for highly migratory species and bottom trawling for deep-sea species on seamounts, ridges, and other features, maritime navigation, extraction of hydrocarbons and mineral exploration, and other emerging activities such as ocean fertilization, which affects the marine environment.

   ABNJ, deep seas, and open oceans would all be eligible for GEF project support. Protection of deep-sea species, marine biodiversity, and seamount habitat can be greatly improved through enhanced capacity of regional fisheries organizations to manage according to ecosystem-based approaches and application of conservation tools.

   Pilot initiatives with resources and expertise from both the Biodiversity and International Waters areas have the potential to holistically address sustainable fisheries and conservation with Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Benthic Protected Areas (BPAs), spatial management, cooperative frameworks, and improved flagstate fisheries compliance.

   Use of existing legal instruments may be tested along with market and industry approaches. NGOs and other stakeholders with capacity to contribute to the testing of measures and management options would be supported to contribute to urgent need to reverse depletion and habitat degradation.