A Long-Term Interest: World Bank Worked Extensively on the Management of International Waters Prior to Establishment of the GEF Major pre-GEF programs included the Mediterranean Sea and Baltic Sea Our Environment Network has Viewed Freshwater, Coastal and Marine Resources as a Management Continuum, but this Has Not Been Fully Translated into Bank Water Resources Management Operations

1. International Waters
Program:
New Opportunities for
the World Bank
June 2005

2. A Long-Term Interest
 World Bank Worked Extensively on the
Management of International Waters Prior
to Establishment of the GEF
 Major pre-GEF programs included the
Mediterranean Sea and Baltic Sea
 Our Environment Network has Viewed
Freshwater, Coastal and Marine Resources
as a Management Continuum, but this Has
Not Been Fully Translated into Bank Water
Resources Management Operations

3. A Long-Term Interest
 Current Portfolio Extends across All
Regions and Totals Some $1.8 Billion
(pipeline = $1.9 Billion) (see table)
 Focus is on Consolidating Actions into
Multi-Phased Programs and in Strategic
Partnerships

4. Recent Developments
 GEF IV Replenishment is Uncertain in
Terms of Scope and Level of Funding
 Limited Access to GEF Funds Under
International Waters Window Is Anticipated
– Relative to Need and Historical Levels
 A Significant Mortgage Exists on the
Proposed International Waters Allocation
from Currently Approved Programs and
Multi-Tranche Projects

5. Recent Developments
 Greater Emphasis from GEF Donors on
Using the Funds More Effectively
 Pressure is Coming from Some GEF
Donors to Move to Performance Based
Allocation of Funds
 Paris Declaration – Phase Out, Over Time,
Use of Project Management Units and
Project Implementation Units – Need to
Evaluate When This Would Be Appropriate
for Future Regional/Multi-Country Projects

6. Monitoring and Evaluation
 Increased Priority Being Given to
Independent Evaluation within the GEF
Structure
 Evaluation is Giving Emphasis to
Outcomes and Impacts from GEF
Resources
 Need to Benefit from Review of Evaluation
Studies, Including the Program Study on
International Waters (2004)

7. An Integrated Approach
 Important for World Bank Supported
International Waters Programs and
Projects to Inter-Link with Other Focal
Areas and Bank Supported-Investments
 Key Opportunities Exist for Linkages:
 Biodiversity
 Climate Change
 POPs
 Land Degradation

8. An Integrated Approach
 Allows Bank to Focus on Land, Water,
Biodiversity Interface That Has Been
Central to TDAs and SAPs and to
Consolidate in a Programmatic Approach
 Facilitates Addressing Emerging Issues of
Land Degradation, Climate Change and
POPs
 Recognizes Need to Strengthen
Cooperation with UNDP and UNEP

9. Use of Recent Studies
GEF Supported
 Global International Waters Assessment
(GIWA)
 Report of the Lake Basin Management
Initiative (October 2005)
 Proposed Groundwater Assessment
Non-GEF
 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

10. Integration Into Bank Processes
Planning and Resource Allocation
 Regional/Country Ownership
 Country Assistance Strategies
 DPLs (Cameroon Forestry Project)
 Country Water Resources Strategies
 Country Environmental Analysis
Use of Bank Staff
 Importance of Continuity for Management and
Advocacy

11. Operational Issues for Linkages
 Develop a Shared Vision with the GEF and
other IAs for a New Approach
 Sharing Resources Will be Demanding
 Importance of Incentives for Programs and
Projects Focused on Linkages
 Need to Minimize Transaction Costs
 Avoid Multiple Review by Multiple Focal Areas
 Need to Avoid Multiple STAP Reviews

12. Perspectives on Linkages
 Christophe Crepin – Regional Coordination
Across the Portfolio
 Land Degradation interlinkages
 Coastal and Marine interlinkages