Log in

You will be redirected to IUCN Accounts to input your credentials. After log in you will be redirected back to this site.

Rest assured your personal data resides with IUCN and IUCN only. For more information please review our Data policy.

WCC 2020 Res 015 - Progress Report

General information
IUCN Constituencies implementing this Resolution
IUCN Members: 
WWF - Deutschland ( WWF ) / Germany
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH ( GIZ ) / Germany
Wetlands International / The Netherlands
BirdLife International / United Kingdom
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust ( WWT ) / United Kingdom
Conservation International ( CI ) / United States of America
International Crane Foundation, Inc. ( ICF ) / United States of America
IUCN Commissions: 
IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law 2021-2025 (WCEL)
IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas 2021-2025 (WCPA)
IUCN Secretariat: 
Yes
Other non-IUCN related organisations: 
UNECE Water Convention, Watercourses Convention, Ramsar Convention
Implémentation
Indicate which actions have been carried out to implement this Resolution : 
Capacity-building
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Fundraising
Policy influencing/advocacy
Describe the results/achievements of the actions taken: 
- Accession to the water convention since the approval of the resolution: Guinea-Bissau (June 2021), Togo (Sep 2021), Cameroon (Nov 2022), Nigeria (March 2023), Iraq (March 2023), Namibia (June 2023), Panama (July 2023), Gambia (July 2023)
- Positive momentum regarding Water Convention. A lot of progress in Africa, esp. west Africa – Interest also in East and Southern Africa, e.g. Tanzania, Uganda and also Zimbabwe. UN Water conference in 2023 built momentum for countries. Also interest in Central and Southern America e.g. Dom Rep, Paraguay. Growing understanding from Latin American Countries that the convention is a tool that can help strengthen collaboration.
- When it comes to Water Convention implementation, there is also progress, many countries have now got implementation plans.
- Reported at the Ramsar COP November 2022: Two additional Transboundary Ramsar Sites have been named since COP13, in Africa, making a total of 22 Transboundary Ramsar Sites established in line with Article 5 of the Convention.
- Resolution XIV.6 on Enhancing the Convention’s visibility and synergies with other multilateral environmental agreements and other international institutions approved at the Ramsar COP in November 2022 sets out:
> ENCOURAGES Contracting Parties to continue to implement the Guidelines for international cooperation under the Ramsar Convention (Resolution VII.19), including by establishing cooperative mechanisms for the management of shared wetlands and hydrological basins to enhance transboundary cooperation, and establishment of transboundary Ramsar Sites;
- Resolution XIV.16 on Integrating wetland protection, conservation, restoration, sustainable use and management into national sustainable development strategies also approved at the Ramsar COP in November 2022 sets out:
> ENCOURAGES Contracting Parties, where appropriate and in line with national circumstances, to develop international wetland conservation and restoration, sustainable use and management partnerships, including for transboundary water basins and to reflect the migratory connectivity of species, in cooperation with neighbouring countries within the relevant frameworks;
- Accession to the Ramsar Convention during the reporting period: Angola
- IUCN has continued to leverage GEF International Water funds to support transboundary water cooperation, building a sizeable portfolio linked to basins in which IUCN has been engaging with (Africa: BUPUSA; SMM; Mano; Asia: Mekong/3S)
- IUCN's BRIDGE 4 programme came to an end in 2022 with the following key outcomes:
1.Transboundary water governance institutions, legal and policy frameworks are strengthened and operationalised. Institutions are better equipped to function sustainably, in a stakeholder‐inclusive manner that recognises the inter‐sectoral nature of water resources management, with improved linkages across scales and with reliable means for operation.
2.Strategies and plans developed and adapted to enable shared benefits on the ground. BRIDGE 4 has paved the way for IUCN to enable joint elaboration of plans and projects, and where possible, facilitate their implementation towards equitable economic, environmental and social benefits for a range of stakeholders at local level.
3.Enhanced knowledge base catalyses dialogues and planning for transboundary cooperation. Knowledge and tools produced through BRIDGE feed into dialogues to facilitate joint identification of issues and cooperative solutions among multiple stakeholders.
IUCN's BRIDGE 5 programme stared in September 2022 with the following outcomes:
1. Shared water agreements and institutions are strengthened to ensure informed and inclusive participation, recognising the inter‐sectoral nature of water resources management.
2. Financial sustainability is an integral part of planning and delivery of transboundary water governance and management, contributing to fit-for-purpose institutions and diversified financing streams.
3. Benefit sharing arrangements are applied and implemented, resulting in equitable economic, environmental and social benefits for a range of stakeholders at local level.
4. The role of women and young people in decision-making and integrated water resources management for transboundary basins is recognised and enhanced, though, inter alia, improved access to knowledge and finance.
- The IUCN-led shared waters cooperation facility initiated during this reporting period and is designed to provide appropriate expertise that can facilitate dialogue and joint action where cooperation has slowed or stopped. Partnership lies at the centre of the Facility in order to respond to the needs of stakeholders and to shift shared water challenges to shared water solutions.
- UN Water Conference 2023 was used to incentivize countries to make commitments on TB cooperation
What challenges/obstacles have been encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and how were they overcome : 
- Low or not the right capacity to deal with transboundary water governance issues in transboundary institutions - in this case, we strive to build internal capacities among relevant staff to increase their intervention on the transboundary water governance agenda.
- Lack of or limited funding to mobilise action around transboundary water cooperation in the long run. As a response to this barrier, we will in the future look to improve the financial sustainability of these process, including the actors leading and participating in them, from local to regional level.
- Potential of wetlands to mitigate climate change continues to not be well understood - improved awareness is needed.
Briefly describe what future actions are needed for the implementation of this Resolution: 
- BRIDGE 5 - IUCN-led transboundary governance programme financed by SDC initiated on 1 September 2022 and will continue to facilitate tranboundary cooperation in 14+ shared basins in South America, Asia and Africa. Through this programme we will strengthen engagement with UNECE and support implementation of this resolution.
- Shared waters facility provides another mechanism to support acceleration of TB negotiations, including engagement on specific issues including climate change and nature-based solutions.
- IUCN will continue to collaborate closely with UNECE and Ramsar Convention, examining opportunities for mutual support in specific shared basins
- Leverage multi-lateral finance, including GEF and GCF to support shared water cooperation.
- World Water Forum 2024 will be used to incentivize countries to make commitments on TB cooperation
Are these actions planned for yet: 
Yes
Status of implementation
Status of implementation for this Resolution: 
Underway: implementation well-advanced
Additional information