Page 9 - Biodiversity and Conservation Framework

Biodiversity & Conservation Framework

Enhancing CIWA’s Impact

in Transboundary Waters,

Biodiversity Conservation,

and Ecosystem Health

Introduction
Key direct benefits include facilitating integrated and
CIWA is a multi-donor trust fund that supports SSA to innovative approaches to better understand the linkages
realize sustainable, inclusive, climate-resilient growth by between improved ecosystem integrity and connectivity, the
addressing constraints to cooperative management and role of climate change adaption in current freshwater
development of transboundary waters. The program has resource planning and management, and the provision and
sought to strengthen water resource development and enhancement of ecosystem services through nature-based
management and regional cooperation with the aim of solutions (NBSs). NBSs are often the most cost-effective
increasing access to water resources, security, and approach to water resource management, disaster risk
sustainability across the region.² CIWA works closely with reduction, and climate change mitigation. To maximize their
river basin organizations (RBOs), regional economic benefits, it is crucial that NBS programs adopt an inclusive
communities, national governments, and other stakeholders and equitable approach that engages and empowers women
through both Bank-executed and recipient-executed and men, especially those who have traditionally been
activities, under three modalities of engagements: i) through excluded or marginalized.⁴
sustained engagements with priority basins, CIWA helps
strengthen foundational elements such as data systems, World Bank approach to biodiversity
policy and legal agreements, institutions, and investment and
operational plans; ii) strategic engagements contribute to conservation
high-impact prospects through analytical activities, capacity Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development
building, and technical assistance; and iii) knowledge
generation and management initiatives strengthen the The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted
evidence base to cooperatively manage international waters. by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a
blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the
In FY23, CIWA assessed its biodiversity work, which concluded planet. Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
that CIWA operations support a range of biodiversity-related provide the basis for a global partnership that recognizes
activities in SSA. These activities provided both direct and that ending poverty requires strategies and policies that
indirect benefits to biodiversity conservation, however, they support action to improve health and education, reduce
were largely opportunistic and lacked an explicit agenda and inequality, and foster economic growth, among others,
systematic approach to improve transboundary water-related while addressing climate change and securing the natural
biodiversity conservation. capital that sustains life. The SDGs encompass four key
pillars—Social Inclusion (Goals 1 to 7), Economic Growth
The CIWA program supports a wide range of (Goals 8 to 11), Environmental Responsibility (Goals 12 to
transboundary water resource management activities, 15), and Governance (Goals 16 and 17).
including initiatives that intersect with biodiversity
conservation and management. Project examples include
the development of a Multi-Sector Investment
Opportunities Analysis (MSIOA), which is part of a
systematic strategy by the Permanent Okavango River
Basin Water Commission (OKACOM), and advanced
modelling for improved decision-making for Inner Niger
Delta ecosystem services.³ Other key interventions in
support of direct benefits include the implementation of
best practice feasibility studies and environmental and
social impact assessments (ESIAs), development of
integrated watershed management strategies and plans,
interventions to support improved water quality in lakes
and river systems, river-bank restoration projects, and
analytical work to facilitate improved understanding of
groundwater dependent ecosystems (GDEs).

² CIWA website: 7, February 2023
³ https://www.ciwaprogram.org/blog/enhancing-niger-basins-ecosystem-through-modeling-and-improved-decision-making/
⁴ https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/sustainablecities/integrating-gender-and-social-inclusion-nature-based-solutions-way-forward
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