Side Event WFN_Michael Spencer, AWS, 14th January, UN Water Conference Zarago...
Civil Society: Khin Ni Ni Thein, ARBRO, 16th January UN Water Zaragoza Conference 2015
1. 2015 UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference
Water and Sustainable Development: From vision to action
Zaragoza, Spain, 15-17 January 2015
Civil society dealing with water scarcity and
allocation session: main case study (Myanmar)
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and
allocation: Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
Presented by Prof. Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein
Secretary of Expert Group and Member of the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC),
Myanmar
Fellow, ASEAN Academy of Engineering and Technology, Visiting Professor, Yangon Technological
University, Steering Committee Member, Global Water Partnership, Stockholm, Sweden. 1
2. 1
Global Context: Post 2015 SDGs and
Dedicated Water Goals
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and allocation:
Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
3. Global Context:
Myanmar NGOs participation in formulation of Post-2015 SDGs
3
Myanmar has participated in three Post-2015 SDG consultative meetings so
far.
1. Stockholm
2. South Korea
3. New York
• By 2030, substantially increase water use efficiency across
all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply
of freshwater to address water scarcity
• By 2030, implement IWRM at all scales, including through
transboundary cooperation as appropriate
*Understanding context specificity will be key
4. 2
National Context: Promotion of Green Economy
and Role of Water in Green Economy
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and allocation:
Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
5. Myanmar Overview
• Location: 9° 32’ N & 28 ° 31’ N, 92 ° 10’
and 101 ° 11’E
• Land area - 677,000 Sq Km
• Administratively divided into 7 Regions &
7 States – Population over 50 million
• Agriculture based country (40.2 % of
GDP)*
• Tropical climate with three seasons
Rainy season (mid-May to mid-Oct.)
Winter season (mid-Oct. to mid-Feb.)
Summer season (mid-Feb. to mid-May)
• Large variation in average precipitation
Coastal (4000 mm to 5600 mm)
Central dry zone (600 mm to 1400 mm)
51
7. Ayeyarwady River
Basin
• 61% of the total land area of
Myanmar
• 100 million Acre
• 99.70% flows in national
territory
• 2170 Km long
• 413, 674 Sq. Km
• Sub-basins with area in
sq.km are shown in the
picture
• 26 million peoples live in the
basin
• 3000+ towns and villages
• Most important commercial
water way
8. Land Cover and Land Use Variables
in the Ayeyarwady River Basin Area
Percent Forest Cover: 25%
Percent Grassland, Savanna and Shrubland: 9.7%
Percent Wetland: 6.3%
Percent Cropland: 3.4%
Percent Dryland Area: 4.4%
Percent Urban and Industrial Area: 1.9%
Percent Loss of original Forest Cover: 60.9%
8
1
9. 9
Big Social Issues and Conflicts
• Based on water scarcity and need for fair
allocation of Water and Water Resources
• Accumulated past time discontents and
broken promises resulted in mistrust
among various stakeholders including the
Government
• Sadly, it is a multi-layered mistrust!
10. 10
Myanmar Government’s Commitment in Nov. 2012
• Myanmar believes in Green Economy and
Green Growth as a new development policy.
• The age of “Growth first, Clean up later” is over.
• Once efficient use of fresh water is neglected,
then the stress will be more severe leading to
conflicts among some nations in the final stage.
Quotes from the opening speech of the Vice President 1 at the 2nd GEGG Conference
11. 11
Myanmar Government’s Commitment in 2013
1. The vision of the National Water Resources Committee (NWRC) is
Myanmar to become a Water Efficient Country by implementing
Integrated Water Resources Management System together and to bring
benefits of income generation, better quality of life, greener environment
and peace and stability for Myanmar people. ( Vice Present 2, Chairperson
of NWRC)
2. As population growth and economic development in urban and rural
areas increase water demand in the country, it is important for all water
related ministries to collaborate and coordinate to set up strategies and
action plans to implement for Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM). (Minister of Transport, Vice Chairperson of NWRC)
Quotes from the National Water Policy Book by Vice President 2
(Chairperson of NWRC), Minister of Transport (Vice Chairperson) and
Secretary of NWRC (DG of DWIR, MoT)
12. 12
Myanmar Government’s Commitment in 2013 (Contd.)
3. River Basin Organisations (RBOs) are needed to be established in order to
enable the active participation of all peoples of Myanmar in the
implementation process of the Integrated Water Resources Management
(IWRM). (Director General, DWIR, MOT, Secretary of WRC)
Quotes from the National Water Policy Book
13. 13
Myanmar Expert’s Commitment in 2013
Quotes from the Water Policy Book by Chairperson and Secretary of the
Expert Group of NWRC (EG of NWRC)
1. Water is the natural legacy, we received from our ancestors. We must also leave
behind us natural legacy to our future generations, clean and potable water
guarded by National Water Policies and lawful practices. ( Chairperson of the
Expert Group of NWRC and Member of NWRC, Former Deputy Minister of
MOAI)
2. Water belongs to all of us. We have responsibility and right to water. Water is
everybody’s business and especially women play a vital role in Integrated Water
Resources Management. Myanmar National Water Policy provides fairness,
practicality, sustainability and intergenerational principle in theoretical term.
Successful implementation of this policy depends on all of us. (Secretary of the
Expert Group and Member of NWRC, Founder and President of water NGO,
WRTC)
NB: Myanmar experts are in a way non-state actors who act as a bridge bettwen Government and
Communities and can be projected to Public at large
14. 3
Reality Check: Water Management in Myanmar
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and allocation:
Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
15. Water (non-) Allocation in Myanmar
Water use distribution in 2009
Domestic use 6.0 %
Industry use 3.1 %
Agriculture use 90.9 %
Industrial water use will be increased by the further
economic developments.
NB: Water Allocation, Chapter 4 of the National Water Policy may change this ratio
and develop more water resources. The volume for Agriculture use will increase while
the percentage of the whole will decrease to 50%.
Source: ID, YCDC and WRUD, from U Hla Baw’s presentation, 2011
16. The 4 pillars of Sustainable Water Use
1. Standards/Compliance
2. Information/Decision Making
3. Services/Products
4. Education/Training
Overall reality check => 1. Lack, 2. Weak,
3. Weak, 4. Weak
16
17. • “Water, energy and food security have always been interlinked and
interdependent. However, as we get to better understand the
planetary limits of growth and consumption in an environmentally
constrained world, this nexus has acquired new and more vigorous
dimensions. Achieving water, energy and food security has thus
become more urgent and yet ever more difficult and complicated.”
Asad Khan
Vice-Chair of the Bureau for the Rio 2012 Preparatory Process
“…Any strategy that focuses on one part of the water-food-energy
nexus without considering its interconnections risks serious
unintended consequences...”
World Economic Forum
Global Risk Report 2011
Why NWRC is promoting IWRM in this context?
18. National Water Resources Committee to find solutions
for increasing Water, Energy, and Food Demands
18
• Myanmar in transition: changing consumption patterns, climate change
and population growth, rapid increase of economic activities may increase
local water demand by 100% or more and energy demand by 80 to 100%
• In Myanmar, rapid development of special economic zones and agriculture
expansion, water and energy demand began to increase unprecedentedly
• Heavily depending on the availability of water resources, water supply,
energy and food security will face difficult decisions to be made in the near
future
• Hence series of conflicts may cause crisis and instability if we don’t put
“Good Water Governance “ and implementation of IWRM in place
• National Water Resources Committee (NWRC) was born out of necessity
and created by Presidential decree on 25 July 2013 followed by the
establishment of the Expert Group on 6 Aug 2013
19. 4
Civil Society: catalyst for change and change agent
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and allocation:
Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
20. 20
• While the NWRC develops democratic National Water Policy, National Water
Framework Directive and Drinking Water Standard at the Union Level, five public
consultative meetings were held in 5 key cities across Myanmar.
• Ayeyarwady River is the main life line of Myanmar which basin area covers 61% of
the total land area of Myanmar.
• In different locations along the River Ayeyarwady, riparian communities expressed
different needs and priorities that NWRC has to reconcile.
• Following questions were raised among participants of the consultative meetings,
Expert Group of NWRC (now Advisory Group of NWRC) and NWRC itself.
Deliberations based on five following questions:
1. What is the appropriate level of intervention?
2. Who are the different relevant stakeholders; and what are their roles?
3. What tools do they need to implement IWRM in their area and within the national
framework directive?
4. How does the government stimulate cooperation between the different stakeholders?
5. How to use the opportunity to participate most effectively and maximizing the impact
by all stakeholders?
Civil Society gaining space to practice IWRM
21. • Up to 50% of water is lost in irrigation water supply and drinking water supply systems
before it reaches the actual consumer, mainly due to poor infrastructure.
• Upgrading the Pumping systems efficiency, Dam safety, and control of
sedimentation/siltation into impounding reservoirs are urgently needed as short-term
improvement.
• The high percentage of water losses directly affects the energy costs of the service
providing line agencies such as Irrigation Department, Water Resource Utilization
Department, and various Municipalities, increasing the costs of water supply. This lead
to increase in water pricing.
• High price of basic water and energy supply will hit the poorest of the poor population in
many ways: not only direct costs but also indirect costs hidden in the food price and
transportation expenses, health care expenses, etc. etc.
• In the long run, good water governance and integrated water resources management
is necessary as prerequisites for water-energy-food security nexus.
Water Use Efficiency (?) in Myanmar
22. Policy Advocacy for a new approach in
Myanmar
•Alleviating water scarcity for vulnerable
people requires changes in:
•1. Policies
•2. Laws and institutions
•3. Sustainable Water Management
•4. Water control technologies
For technology to serve the poor, it needs
adequate incentives and institutions.
(www.FAO.org)
23. 5
Concerted efforts of Ayeyarwady River Basin Research
Organization (ARBRO) and sister organizations
(ARBRO, WRTC, Water Mothers, Women for Water
Partnership Myanmar Chapter, Soroptimists
International Myanmar Chapter and World Youth
Parliament for Water Myanmar Chapter)
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and
allocation: Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
24. Myanmar NGOs delegation to Zaragoza Conference
24
• The professional wáter women founded the Water, Research and Training Centre
(WRTC - 17 years old), Ayeyarwady River Basin Research Organisation (ARBRO –
nearly 3 years old ), Water Mothers (WMs – nearly 3 years old).
• Both men and women of wáter professionals in Myanmar then created the Institute
for Civil, Earth and Water Engineering (ICEWE – nearly 4 years old) together.
• Moreover, with the help of International Community, Women for Water
Partnership Myanmar Chapter (WfWP-MM), World Youth Parliament for Water
Myanmar Chapter (WYPW-MM), and Soroptimists International Myanmar Chapter
(SI-MM) were established in order to help the sister organisation, Water Mothers in
Myanmar.
• These Civil Society Organisations consolidated themselves to speak with one voice,
to promote IWRM implementation in Myanmar and network with other CBOs and
partner organisations in the wáter sector.
• Government of Myanmar created the space for all NGOs and giving
recommendations upon request. For example, ARBRO obtained recommendation
from the Minister of Transport to join NARBO based in Japan.
26. Water Governance Dimensions (Text)
• The social dimension refers to the equitable use of water
resources.
• The economic dimension informs on efficient use of water
resources and the role of water in overall economic growth.
• The political empowerment dimension points to granting
water stakeholders and citizens at large equal democratic
opportunities to influence and monitor political processes
and outcomes.
• The environmental sustainability dimension shows that
improved governance allows for more sustainable use of
water resources and ecosystem integrity.
26
27. Our first step towards Effective Water Governance through
NWRC
Working with NWRC in the following elements:
• Policy development : people-centered – done – we have participated together with
other CBOs and NGOs!
• Primary and secondary legislation: has begun => water law drafting process; draft
national water framework directive (comprehensive version)
• Regulation : to come after drinking water standard and effluent standard declared.
• Planning : in principle only – need practical implementations and steps
• Decision-making : World Bank supported decision support system creation soon to
be established – room for Civil Society is significant enough due to Stakeholders
Forum
• Control: monitoring, policing, enforcement and sanctioning : NGOs are
encouraged to promote neighbor-watch-system, once soft measures of social
sanctioning takes place, use of hard measures such as punishments, fine, jailing,
etc. will be reduced and gross national happiness will emerge.
• Word of Caution: Things are not easy and rosy yet – needs many improvements,
however, as a beginning stage it is a very good condition. We hold the attitude of
“Learning by Doing”.
27
28. How do we reach the water cooperation with the
Government of Myanmar and among us?
Conceptual framework and operational structure for IWRM
28
29. Challenges and tools
• Our Challenges are:
– The awareness, understanding and commitment of citizens to the goal
of sustainable water stewardship,
– The human resources available to be educated and trained in the
principles and practices of sustainable water stewardship,
– The financial resources needed to pay for the development and
operation of the capacities and enabling systems, and
– The commitment of the political system to the goal of sustainability and
the continuity needed to achieve that goal.
• Our tools are:
-- Capacity building (taking care of by ARBRO, NWRC, YTU, MTU, KMSS and
many others)
-- Technology (taking care of by WRTC, RDE, REAM, FREDA and many
others)
-- Governance (taking care of by WMs, NWRC and many others)
-- Finance (experience from Lift Trust Fund in Myanmar and FSWG) 29
30. Lessons learnt from the challenges
1. Development, governance and sustainable conservation and IWRM are intertwined. It is even
more challenging a country and its populace unknowingly tackled the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
with silo solutions.
2. Stakeholders' full participation based on in depth understanding of Water-Energy-Food Nexus
in conservation and water resources programmes' design, implementation and monitoring is
essential.
3. Knowledge is KEY for informed decision-making processes around water and environmental
issues and in building consensus and shared vision among all stakeholders.
4. The "governance" context largely impacts and determines conservation and IWRM
interventions' successes and achievements.
5. Old school of thought which is stuck in Top down approach is the biggest challenge/obstacle.
6. Declaration of the national water policy is a big achievement, however, implementation of such
a comprehensive and democratic policy need public participation with understanding and trust.
Policy enforcement should be based on friendly discussions and frequent consultations.
30
31. We promote: Necessary Spiritual/World View changes
for all water stakeholders including the Government of
Myanmar
• Be informed
• Involve
• Concern
• Learn
• Apply - PLAN AND IMPLEMENT PUBLICLY
• Disseminate – transparency guaranteed
• Do good – accountability guaranteed
• Respect the law and take active part in law
enforcement activities – Eg. neighbour-watch-
system
Water Stakeholders => citizens, local governments, state and provincial
governments, national governments, the private sector and civil society
organizations
31
32. 6
Solutions and evidence-based improvements
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and
allocation: Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
47. Ayeyarwaddy River Basin Research Organisation
ARBRO as pioneer RBO in Myanmar since mid 2012
Understanding
challenges and
Pressing Issues in
in the Myanma
Water Sector
Training of the
trainers by
NARBO IWRM
Identifying
priorities for
feasibility studies
Policy
recommendations
& suggested
initiatives
Our [ARBRO + WRTC + WMs + EG of NWRC + NWRC] Collective Activity:
Advocacy, Awareness and Implementation of
IWRM
Our [ARBRO + WRTC + WMs + EG of NWRC + NWRC] suggested initiatives: Nationwide Rainwater Harvesting
Campaign; to introduce Water Education into national curriculum as early as at the primary
and secondary school levels; to establish “vocational training schools” to produce skill workers
to meet the demand from water sector reform and selective sub-sector privatization and
foreign direct investment and ASEAN free trade zone activation in 2015.
48. Environmental Flows for the Sustainability
of
Water-Food-Energy Security
Presented at the “Dialogue on Water-Food-Energy Security as a major
contributing constituent for Sustainable National Development”
IBC, Yangon, Myanmar
8:30 hr-12:30 hr, Thursday, 30th Aug 2012
Organized by Myanmar Water Partnership (MmWP)
Presented by Prof. Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein, Founder and President of WRTC
GEGG Convening Group Member
B.E. (Civil) R.I.T., M.E. (WRDE) R.I.T, Dip.H. Delft, the Netherlands
M.Sc. (Computational Hydraulics) Delft, the Netherlands,
Ph.D. (Hydroinformatics) Delft, the Netherlands
49. Counteracting Climate Change Impacts
49
1. Climate change mitigation
2. Climate change adaptation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• “If our global energy habits are the focus for
mitigation, the way we use and manage our
water must become the focus for adaptation”
(Global Water Partnership, 2007)
50. 7
The Next Step in Water Accounting:
Virtual Water, Water Footprint & Water Neutrality
Dealing with scarcity through effective water management and
allocation: Civil Society as agent for Change (NWRC and ARBRO et .al.)
51. The concept of ‘virtual water’
Virtual water is the water ‘embodied’ in a product, not in real
sense, but in virtual sense. It refers to the water needed for
the production of the product.
Global trade in goods and services brings
along global trade in ‘virtual water’
Source: www. waterneutral.org
52. The Water Footprint
Tiger Brands Environmental Strategy: Confidential : October 2009
► The Water Footprint is an indicator of freshwater use that
looks at both indirect and direct water use of a consumer or
producer. It consists of three components:
BLUE wf + GREEN wf + GREY wf
Source: www. waterfootprint.org and www. waterneutral.org
53. 53
Reminding Panellists
1/ Identify how your organisation helpes in WRM
implementation for achieving SDGs
2/ Pinpoint specific tools
3/ Clarify challenges and solutions
