09 May, Negombo, Sri Lanka - The 8th Global Environment Facility (GEF) Biennial International Waters Conference (IWC-8) opened today in Negombo, Sri Lanka, convening representatives from over 80 countries to tackle some of the most pressing water issues on the planet.
The week-long conference, Scaling Up Investments from Source to Sea in the Context of Achieving the SDGs, is jointly organized by the GEF, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). This year marks the 25th anniversary of the GEF, the largest financier of cooperation in shared waters systems, and with it the 25th anniversary of the International Waters Program.
IWC-8 is being held for the first time in Sri Lanka, a country with a strong commitment to sustainably manage water issues, and home to over 30,000 small lakes, 130 big lakes and 103 rivers and water sources.
Hon Jayarathne Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment noted "safeguarding and managing our water resources remain a priority for His Excellency the President, who oversees this portfolio and with his guidance, we are keen to partner with GEF and UNDP to host this conference in Sri Lanka for the first time." "The conference will provide the international practitioners the opportunity to learn about good water management practices, coastal zone management, protected areas and alternative livelihoods in Sri Lanka," he noted.
The conference brings together 250 foreign delegates, including government ministers from Seychelles, Maldives and Angola, and representatives of GEF beneficiary countries, non-governmental organizations, transboundary waters management institutions, United Nations agencies, GEF International Waters project managers and staff, and the private sector.
Mr. Joern Soerensen, UNDP Country Director said: "With the new global development commitments in mind, IWC organized under the theme Scaling Up Investments from Source to Sea in the Context of Achieving the SDGs will be very important. Especially as it will look at two SDGs—Ensure access to water and sanitation for all and Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources— with learning tracks devoted to catalyzing transformation and scaling up investments; strengthening governance processes to sustain project interventions; and data to policy."
The GEF Biennial International Waters Conference is the signature learning event for the GEF International Waters portfolio of projects. The IWC objectives are to facilitate cross-sectoral and portfolio-wide learning and experience sharing. Participants sum up progress achieved and also look to the future of programming within and beyond the GEF International Waters focal area.
Mr. Christian Severin, Sr. Environmental Specialist of the GEF International Waters Portfolio said, "This 8th IWC will represent about 70 active GEF International Waters projects and will strive to solicit advice from the existing GEF International Waters portfolio on burning issues related to international waters management, and to assist in building participant capacity in key management and technical areas."
Severin continued, "At this conference, we are proud to celebrate 25 years of the GEF and the International Waters Focal Area. With a GEF International Waters portfolio consisting of 242 projects and a portfolio of $10 billion in combined GEF and co-financing, the GEF International Waters will continue to deliver substantial results and impacts on the local, national and regional level. The GEF, as the largest financier of cooperation in shared waters systems, occupies a unique space in the International sphere to help facilitate countries delivery towards a suite of the SDGs, with a specific focus on SDG 6 and 14, and in the process leading to sustainable management of shared aquifers, lakes, rivers, large marine ecosystems and open oceans."
Contacts
Mr. Taylor W. Henshaw, IWC8 Secretariat, taylor@iwlearn.org | 0112580691 Ext. 1501 | 0774448401
Mr. Christian Hofer, Senior Communications Officer, GEF, chofer@thegef.org | +1 202 413 4185
Note to Editors:
UNDP
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.lk.undp.org
The GEF
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems. Since then, the GEF has provided $14.5 billion in grants and mobilized $75.4 billion in additional financing for almost 4,000 projects. The GEF has become an international partnership of 183 countries, international institutions, civil society organizations, and private sector to address global environmental issues.
The GEF International Waters (IW) focal area targets transboundary water systems, such as shared river basins, lakes, groundwater and Large Marine Ecosystems. The cumulative 25-year GEF IW portfolio consists of 242 projects with about US$1.5 billion of GEF grants and $8.7 billion in co-financing invested in 170 different GEF recipient countries. Since the inception of the GEF in 1991, the IW Portfolio has delivered substantive results and replicable experiences to be scaled up and mainstreamed globally.
This year marks the 25th year of the Global Environment Facility. www.thegef.org