CAREC has a longstanding cooperation with the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Norway since 2012 in the framework of the project aimed at supporting local initiatives in the field of environmental and water management in Central Asia. The 1st phase of the project was completed with the carried out in three main areas:
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Capacity building for environmental management
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Promotion of water-related eco-system services
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Strengthening cooperation on small transboundary rivers (Aspara river)
As part of this project, an annual Central Asian Leadership Program for young environmentalists from Central Asian countries was held, involving participants from 6 countries (5 Central Asian countries plus Afghanistan), sociological surveys were conducted in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, regional and national seminars and trainings “Water-related ecosystem services: creating incentives for better water management”. The main result of the project under the third component of the project was the implementation of 5 pilot projects in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan with the involvement of the local community in solving problems on small transboundary rivers of Central Asia.
In the period from 2014 to 2017, CAREC implemented the Phase II of the project, which served as a logical continuation of the activities started in the Phase 1.
To improve human resource capacities for basin planning, establishment and professionalization of state administrative basin planning processes in the selected river basins and building capacities for the introduction of economic and financial instruments related to river basin planning.
The Phase II continued participatory, interdisciplinary approach with involvement of relevant national authorities in order to implement three blocks of activities:
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Sub-activity 1. Capacity building and dissemination of the knowledge and experience for stakeholders to promote the improvement of environmental governance and enhance regional cooperation in the water sector of CA;
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Sub-activity 2. Promoting the concept of water related ecosystem services in Central Asia;
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Sub-activity 3. Strengthening local initiatives in the management of selected transboundary watersheds.
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Trans-boundary communities of decision makers
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Water experts and users
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Local water management organizations
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Enhancing the understanding and capabilities of target groups to improve environmental management and regional cooperation in the Central Asian water sector (annual Central Asian Leadership Program for young environmentalists from Central Asian countries, Regional workshops on relevant topics; study tours; development of e-course)
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Improving the understanding and capabilities of target groups to integrate the concept of water-related ecosystem services in the field of basin management (Development of an ecosystem services map (ES); assessment of measures / changes proposed to solve local problems through their impact on the provision of ecosystem services and the economy; choice and implementation of the most effective measures (low price - high positive impact on people and nature); capacity building)
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Local initiatives strengthened new technical and managerial capabilities for sustainable basin management (involving the local community in solving problems in small transboundary rivers of Central Asia; identifying existing financial mechanisms to finance the implementation of basin management plans; developing a manual on economic and financial mechanisms for management plans; development of joint action plans (on the new pilot basin); dupporting the implementation of several practical actions; capacity building).
Project manager – Ekaterina Strikeleva
E-mail: estrikeleva@carececo.org
Tel.: +7 727 265 43 33 (ext. 275)