1. Ongoing GEF Projects Executed by
UNESCO
on
Groundwater Resources
UNDP/GEF –UNEP/GEF
GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT IN THE
TRANSBOUNDARY SYR DARYA BASIN
Project Preparation Phase – Inception Meeting
3-4 February 2014
UNESCO HQ, Paris - 1, Rue Miollis
Salle XIV (Floor -1)
Dr A. Aureli
UNESCO IHP Chief Groundwater Section
Project Executing Agency

2. Set up Coordination and Cooperation for the
Sustainable Management of the Transboundary
Dinaric Aquifer System
• GEF / UNDP / UNESCO-IHP IGRAC
regional Full -Size Project
• Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Croatia and Montenegro
• Regional and international
partners
• Post conflicts countries
• 2010-2014
Objectives:
• facilitate the equitable and sustainable utilization of the transboundary
water resources of the Dinaric Karst Aquifer System, and
• protect the unique groundwater dependent ecosystems that
characterize the Dinaric Karst region of the Balkan peninsula.

3. Protection and Sustainable Use of the Dinaric Karst
Transboundary Aquifer System (DIKTAS))))
•
•
•
•
The rise of several new sovereign states
created new transboundary interlinkages
TDA: Expansion and consolidation of the
current scientific and technical knowledge
base; preparation of thematic maps to
guide management
Development of mechanisms for
coordination and information exchange at
national and regional level
Joint development and implementation of
the Strategic Action Programme

4. Global Objective
• focus attention of the international community on
the huge but vulnerable water resources contained
in karst aquifers
• Replication of experiences in other Karst areas

5. “Groundwater Governance:
A Global Framework for Action”–

6. GEF-UNESCO-FAO-WB-IAH
Thanks to UNESCO-IHP Network
Latin America & Caribbean
19 countries
Sub-Saharan Africa
19 countries
5 regional consultations96 countries Regional Diagnostics / Recommendations
Asia & Pacific
17 countries
Framework for Action
Arab States
19 countries
Providing policy makers with science-based
guidelines for informed decision making
UNECE region
22 countries + private sector
GOVERNANCE of GROUNDWATER RESOURCES

7. Management of coastal aquifers and groundwater
 In the frame of the Strategic Partnerhsip for the Mediterranean
 12 Méditerranean participating countries + the Palestinian territories
Objectives:
•
Identify land source pollution to the mediterranean sea
• reverse the trends in over-extraction and degradation of the coastal aquifers
quality through policy interactions and to provide appropriate capacity and
technology for groundwater management
• Characterization and management of Groundwater supported ecosystems
• Regional actions for Coastal Aquifer Management through the development of
a regional and national plan for actions relating to coastal groundwater.
• Legislative, policy and institutional reforms for Coastal Aquifer Management
One main expected objective : Coastal aquifers supplement to the TDA-Med
http://themedpartnership.org

8. IW LEARN Project (2011-2014)
Goal:
Strengthen Transboundary Waters Management by
facilitating information sharing and knowlegde management
amongst GEF IW projects and partners



International Waters
Learning
Exchange
And
Resource
Network
Unique initiative in the GEF portfolio
Strong focus on groundwater protection and
management
Improve effectiveness in combating land
degradation in MENARID through an enhanced
role of groundwater
Community formed
by practitioners,
project managers
and Ministries
representatives.
Structured targeted
dialogues around
main challenges and
themes such as
Groundwater Governance,
Climate Change Adaptation,
Traditional knowledge,
Transboundary Aquifers,
Managed Aquifer Recharge…
Analysis of the global portfolio of GEF Projects on
Groundwater in light of disseminating outstanding
results, lessons learned and replicable practices
A series of interviews and videos
from events across the world
looking at groundwater issues!

9. GEF Transboundary
Waters Assessment
Programme (TWAP)
GEF- UNESCO IHP -IGRAC –
TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS
ASSESSEMENT

10. TWAP Transboundary Aquifers Objectives
The project builds on the achievements of the UNESCO
International Shared Aquifer Resources Management
Initiative (ISARM)
UNESCO HAS FORMULATED INDICATORS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF
TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS
• (1) Provide a description of the present status of transboundary aquifers
(TBA) and aquifers in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
• (2) Bring to the global attention the potentialities and the vulnerability of
transboundary aquifer systems, and catalyze action.

11. As Follow up of the UNESCO ISARM Inventory
UNESCO HAS FORMULATED INDICATORS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF
TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS
Characterization and better knowledge of selected aquifers in all regions

12. TWAP -TBA
- use of indicators • Indicators:
Smart combinations of variables in
order to describe the complex aquifer
system in 20 easy to understand and
intuitive indicators
• To enable comparison of TBAs:
Indicators will be aggregated per TBA
and per national segment (1 value per
TBA/national segment)

13. UNESCO project financed by the Swiss Development
Cooperation (SDC)
Transboundary Aquifers- Groundwater Resources
Case Studies
Objectives:
•
improve the knowledge on national groundwater
resources
•
recognition of the importance and vulnerability of
transboundary aquifer resources,
•
improve cooperation between countries
•
and
•
establish cross-border dialogue and cooperation

14. Transboundary Aquifers- Groundwater
Resources case studies
Three case study TBAs
i.
The Esquipulas-Ocotepeque-Citalá (Trifinio)
Aquifer (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras) –
ii.
The Stampriet Aquifer
(Namibia, Botswana, South Africa)
iii. The Pretashkent Aquifer
(Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan)

15. THE PROJECT “GROUNDWATER RESOURCES
GOVERNANCE IN TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS”
GOALS AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES
PRETASHKENT CASE STUDIES GOALS:
NATIONAL LEVEL
 COUNTRIES IMPROVE THEIR KNOWLEDGE ON NATIONAL
GROUNDWATER RESOURCES AND ON THEIR TRANSBOUNDARY
AQUIFERS,
 ACQUIRE CAPACITY TO BETTER MANAGE THE RESOURCE,
ENHANCED NATIONAL WATER SECURITY AND IMPROVED
OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
REGIONAL LEVEL
 ENHANCED COOPERATION ,
 COUNTRIES COOPERATE AND IMPLEMENT PRIORITY ACTIONS
FOR THE PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE AQUIFER.

16. PRETASHKENT
CASE STUDIES
OUTPUTS
Indicator Based Assessment
of the aquifer environmental and
socio-economic conditions,
Information Management
Systems programs in each
project aquifer
Proposal and Recommendations for
Harmonized monitoring
Countries
Cooperation
Multi-country
Consultative
Meetings in the
aquifer
National studies and
regional seminars

17. CASE STUDY
PRETASKENT
COMPONENTS
• Component 1
It will focus on the assessment of the
hydrogeological, environmental, socio‐eco
nomic conditions, legal and institutional
frameworks, including the identification of
transboundary concerns (diagnostic
analysis)
• Component 2
It will be dedicated to facilitate
cooperation mechanisms among countries
sharing the aquifers.

18. Thank you