Reflections from the good practices of the Erhai Lake Basin Management Commission (ELBMC) in Integrated Watershed Management

Reflections from the good practices of the Erhai Lake Basin Management Commission (ELBMC) in Integrated Watershed Management Dr.Jianping Wang Yunnan University, P.R.China

contents
Rationale & Background
Research questions
Methodology
Initial findings
Reflections

upriver part of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin (Xier river flows into the upper Mekong drainage system)
approximately 2,565km2 and 120 rivers which empty into the Lake

One lake located nearby the big urban area with population of 650,000
successful case of integrated watershed management presented in the 13th world congress of lakes in 2009 (class 3-to-class 2 seasonally)

The roles of Erhai Lake Watershed Management Commission (ELWMC) has played?

Research questions 1
What political, economic, social and cultural factors enable and affect ELBMC ’ s role in adopting integrated watershed management?
What are the main elements contributed to its efficient management and what are the main restrains facing ELBMC?

How is the performance of the ELBMC in terms of institutional transparence, accountability and financial sustainability , and how efficient it is in balancing local development aspirations and the conservation goals in the context of Lake Basin management?

How to integrate top-down project interventions with the local mobilization and user-led initiatives?
What roles the local community could possibly play in facilitating sustainable integrated watershed management and user-centered social learning process?

How significant to establish multiple incentive mechanisms , namely market-based or non-market-based (politically or institutionally), to foster the integrated watershed management?
and what are the roles the lake basin organization could play in establishing such multi-layers incentive mechanisms?

Methodology
in collaboration with the Great Mekong Subregional Study Center (GMSSC) of Yunnan University
A Literature review of latest approaches
Field investigation

Methodology
Field surveys and investigation:

Methodology: Semi-structural interview and focus groups interview

Methodology
Project sites ’ visit and outcome evaluation

Initial findings: Positive aspects
ELBMC--powerful organizational supports for the sound integrated water management
4 Sectors (water resource; fishing; tourism and technology extension)

Two main elements contributed to its efficient management
A: practicable laws and regulations specialized in IWM
B: the concept of IWM has been emphasized since the day one, embodied in all strategy -making

Performance of ELBMC
ELBMC is relatively transparent due to the fact that the performance evaluation of the governmental officers had been linked directly to the outcome of the Erhai conservation
Letter of commitment , default fine

PES mechanism has been established but mainly government driven, not market-based

Awareness promotion initiatives at the community level have had apparent outcomes;
School education, advising campaign,
cabbage collector, 70% drinking water from Erhai

Income from eco-Tourism has supplied the local livelihood in certain ways ( but tourism can be a double-edged sword )

Restriction and issues (ELBMC)

insufficient empowerment of ELBMC and insufficient capability of monitoring and implying the law

Human Resource, technical, financial constrains of ELBMC
During last 5 years , more than 1.6 billion RMB has been invested into the Erhai conservation and protection ,but most of them are from governmental funds
111people in charge of 250km 2
Heavily depended on the other technological institutions.

Insufficient consideration on local needs and the heterogeneous of stakeholders

weak in cross –basin water management

Lack of flexibility and proper mechanism to adapt to climate change

Restriction and issues
remain government-driven intervention,
multiple incentive mechanisms, including technical, political, institutional , market-based or legal approach, hasn ’ t been established;

The lake ecosystem hasn’t been fully recovered due to the historical reason.

Insufficient bottom up approach and local mobilization, lack of user-led initiatives

Reflections

Solving non-point pollution issue needs multi-dimension efforts

The significance of the balance between conservation and development hasn ’ t been fully recognized by the governmental officers

The lack of organizing and mechanism at the community level has led to inappropriate resource use

Strong top-down approach can be very efficient, especially at some critical periods,
However, considering the sustainability of all sorts of methods, bottom up approach needs further emphasized in Erhai lake, as well as in other Chinese watershed (such as public monitoring).

Next steps
1, Writing up the mid-term report
2, Focus for the second field trip (Feb 2012)
Target one fishing village for in-depth investigation (ie. Haiying village)
Trace down to the downstream of Xier river and get more information about the water treatment and pollution control
Collection of the new 12.5 major plan for Erhai conservation
Collection of more information about the way that the different governmental departments or private sector cooperated with ELBMC, such as environmental, agricultural and so on

Thanks for feedback!

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Reflections from the good practices of the Erhai Lake Basin Management Commission (ELBMC) in Integrated Watershed Management

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Reflections from the good practices of the Erhai Lake Basin Management Commission (ELBMC) in Integrated Watershed Management Presentation Transcript