Workshop for Demonstration Projects into Scaled-Up Investments

Workshop participants are directed to see the Logistics Note for all relevant logistical information for the workshop.

Attendees: GEF IW projects from the Asia and the Pacific region, GEF agencies, regional organizations and interested IW projects operating outside the region.

I. Background
Under the International Waters focal area, the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) focuses on, among others, strategic programs of overuse and conflicting uses of water resources in surface and groundwater basins, and nutrient over-enrichment and oxygen depletion from land-based pollution of coastal waters in Large Marine Ecosystems (LME). Meanwhile, the GEF also recognizes that links between integrated water resource management (IWRM) and integrated coastal management (ICM) at downstream coasts are of pivotal importance as transboundary cooperation contributes to securing not only local waters uses, but also global public goods that benefit all stakeholders in a true Ridge to Reef (or Source to Sea) approach. As a cross-cutting topic in all projects, knowledge management through documentation of good practices and replicating them elsewhere can significantly improve the management performance and results of investment. Earlier this year, the GEF endorsed a medium-sized project (MSP) entitled Applying Knowledge Management to Scale up Partnership Investments for Sustainable Development of Large Marine Ecosystems of East Asia and their Coasts implemented by the World Bank and executed by PEMSEA. The project seeks to enhance the capacity and performance of investments in sustainable development of LMEs and coasts in the East Asian Seas region through knowledge and experience sharing, portfolio learning and networking. Meanwhile, the GEF project, “GEF IW LEARN: Strengthening IW Portfolio Delivery and Impact” or simply, IW:LEARN, has a mandate to further regional inter-basin co-ordination to enhance the management capacity of institutions and project partners. The objective is to increase communication in between project managers of marine, surface freshwater, and groundwater resources. This mandate is being realized thru a series of targeted workshops and project-project twinning exchanges. The workshops are also about transferring management approaches, tools and best practices amongst GEF projects and partners to build capacity based on topics deemed the most appropriate by workshop participants. Finally, the workshops are also about supporting participation in the GEF IW Global Communities of Practice for surface freshwater, groundwater and soon also large marine ecosystems. IW:LEARN is partnered with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, at the global level, to help deliver this learning program. The second targeted workshop for GEF IW Projects in Asia & the Pacific, aims to strengthen the performance of these projects through promotion and facilitation of good policies and practices, and leveraging increased investment in habitat conservation, nutrients reduction and water resource use. The workshop will run back-to-back with the inception of the above GEF MSP.

II. Workshop Focus
The workshop entails the promotion and facilitation of good practices and policies in demonstration projects and leveraging scaled-up investment in conservation, water resource management and pollution reduction projects. The workshop seeks to address a series of questions, including: What are decision makers, investors and Local Chief Executives looking for when preparing development plans and investment strategies? Are demonstration projects providing information that is useful, and does it catch the attention of the people in other municipalities & regions that make decisions benefiting from this information and using it in their development plans? Do case studies or other forms of disseminated lessons-learned clearly demonstrate replication of good practices and increased investments? What were the main drivers behind replication and scaling up? Workshop Objectives: To review case studies and good practices in developing, facilitating and implementing investment projects addressing issues under the blue (ecosystems) and brown (pollution) sectors; To share knowledge and experience on key aspects of scaling up and replication of good practices and lessons learned from demonstration projects; To explore advances in knowledge harvesting tools and indicators used in demonstration projects, as well as in the development of knowledge services and products that strengthen ownership and commitment among policymakers and investors to scaling up and replication of good practices.

III. Targeted participants
Targeted participants at the workshop include managers of GEF Agencies/Executing agencies and/or host governments, team leaders of project technical support of GEF IW projects inside and beyond the region, representatives from local levels, investors and business community representatives in Asia and the Pacific. It is expected that about 25-30 participants will participate in the workshop along with approximately 20 GEF IW projects represented IV. Outcomes of the Workshop The workshop seeks to achieve the following outcomes: Better understanding and appreciation of the “demonstration-replication-scaling up” process and some of the primary drivers behind the process Confirmation of knowledge harvesting and knowledge transfer tools, approaches and indicators that have successfully promoted the replication and scaling up of investments in the blue and brown sectors (i.e. moving from demonstration projects to investment projects) Related content Lessons Learned to Project Mid-Term and Opportunities for Replication and Scaling-up IWRM in Pacific Island Countries Philippines Conducts Seminar/Workshop for the Implementation of ICM as National Strategy Philippines, East Asian Region Prepare Declaration on ICM and Climate Change PEMSEA: Implementing the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (IWC5 Presentation) Workshop for the Sustainable Development of East Asian Seas Concludes with Work Programs Source: IW-Learn - 2nd Regional Workshop for Asia and the Pacific

Mish Hamid
+43.676.415.0281
Mish@iwlearn.org
IW-Learn: 2nd Regional Workshop for Asia and the Pacific