Promoting Cross-Border Cooperation for River Basin Environmental Sustainability

Partnership
Initiative

Background

The Association of European Border Regions - AEBR (Germany) and the Comisión Administradora del Río Uruguay (Administrative Commission of the River Uruguay - CARU, in Argentina and Uruguay) have a long history of collaboration, supported by the European Union; first, through the EUROsociAL+ programme, and again in the framework of the Initiative ‘Strengthening cross-border governance of water basins’, coordinated by AEBR and co-financed by the ADELANTE Window.

On the other hand, AEBR and the regional government of Andalusia (Spain) have worked together for decades to promote cross-border governance between Spain and Portugal, primarily within the regions of Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal). In addition, AEBR and the Agencia Andaluza de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (Andalusian Agency for International Development Cooperation - AACID, Spain) worked together on several projects to transfer knowledge on this subject to Latin America.

AEBR and the Fundación Indígena FSC (FSC Indigenous Foundation, Panama) have previously collaborated in the search for Indigenous solutions based on the forest-nature-climate nexus. FSC contributed its knowledge on Indigenous governance of natural areas in the Initiative 'Strengthening cross-border governance of water basins'.

In addition, since 2018, Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional Ecuador (Nature and Culture International Ecuador) and AEBR have worked together on cross-border governance of water basins with an environmental approach on the Ecuador-Peru border, with Plan Binacional Ecuador (a collaborating entity in this Partnership) leading the joint work.

Thanks to the coordination of AEBR and previous collaborative experiences in cross-border water basin governance, these entities formed a Triangular Cooperation Partnership to address the environmental protection needs of biological corridors, as well as promote joint solutions in the water basins of Catamayo-Chira and Zarumilla (Ecuador-Peru) and Sixaola (Panama-Costa Rica).

In addition to Plan Binacional Ecuador, the Comisión Técnica Mixta de Salto Grande (Joint Technical Commission of Salto Grande, Uruguay) and the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (Ecuador) also joined as collaborating entities in the Partnership.

Entities and roles

Beneficiary entities

Naturaleza y Cultura Internacional

Ecuador

FSC Indigenous Foundation

Panama

First provider entities

Comisión Administradora del Río Uruguay

Argentina-Uruguay

Second provider entities

Asociación de Regiones Fronterizas Europeas - ARFE

Germany

Agencia Andaluza de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo / Junta de Andalucía

Spain

Collaborating entities

Comisión Técnica Mixta de Salto Grande, Uruguay

Plan Binacional de Desarrollo de la Región Fronteriza Perú-Ecuador, Ecuador

Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Ecuador

Development challenges

Droughts, floods and other unusual events due to climate change, together with environmental issues caused by human activity, such as the degradation from intensive agriculture and the subsequent inadequate management of waste and discharge, have put the rich biodiversity of the ecosystems and livelihoods of local communities and Indigenous populations at risk; in this case, affecting the Catamayo-Chira and Zarumilla basins in Ecuador and Peru, and the Sixaloa basin in Costa Rica and Panama.

In order to address the environmental protection needs of the biological corridors of these basins, the Partnership entities proposed adapting the lessons learnt from the work carried out on the cross-border governance of the Uruguay river basins, as well as European cross-border basin governance models, to develop a governance model with solutions based on the protection of nature. The model was developed in accordance with the world view of Indigenous peoples, with the participation of civil society, local communities and Indigenous groups; incorporating scalable and replicable tools.

This Triangular Cooperation Initiative was able to harness the knowledge of the Provider entities to transfer and adapt their model of cross-border governance of water basins, drawing from the practices and knowledge of Indigenous groups and local communities to promote the conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems located in international watersheds.

Triangular approach

In addition to its experience in cross-border cooperation between the different levels of government, academia and civil society for the protection of natural resources, the Administrative Commission of the River Uruguay (CARU) lent its expertise on the Uruguay water basin with regard to cooperation strategies between binational and local bodies for the management and development of water basins, as well as the establishment of cross-border bodies for the region's regional economic and environmental development.

The experience in Latin America was enhanced by the contribution of the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), which, together with the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, lent its expertise on the sustainable use of natural resources through shared management processes in the European context, mapping of cross-border areas of environmental value, the creation of networks for environmental studies and protection, cross-border analysis and monitoring of environmental variables, and joint risk management. In turn, the Andalusian Agency for International Development Cooperation (AACID) offered its expertise and knowledge acquired through cross-border projects in Europe and Latin America on the sustainability of natural spaces, multi-level and cross-border governance, integrated management of aquifers and green corridors. In addition, the Guadiana cross-border observatory was studied as a success story.

Based on the European and Latin American experience, new knowledge was generated in order to classify natural spaces and create a cross-border governance model for their protection. This included tools for data collection and monitoring, as well as for the coordination of public sector actors at different levels and on different sides of the border, civil society organisations, Indigenous communities, women leaders and other groups; ensuring processes of inclusive governance and environmental protection.

Furthermore, the FSC Indigenous Foundation offered its knowledge related to Indigenous peoples’ vision of development, in which water and nature are not considered objects to be exploited, and where the balance and protection of nature is essential; operating in sustainable harmony with life cycles and the environment. In addition, NCI Ecuador provided the knowledge of various local actors on the conservation of cross-border nature reserves. These two entities, while assuming the role of Beneficiaries within the Partnership, provided essential expertise for the suitability and relevance of the cross-border governance model, and were responsible for ensuring its applicability.

Sectoral approach - Contribution to the 2030 Agenda

Primary SDG

Goal 15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

Goal 15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

Secondary SDG

Goal 6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate

ADELANTE SDG

Goal 10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

Goal 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

Goal 10.B Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to States where the need is greatest, in particular least developed countries, African countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their national plans and programmes

Goal 17.9 Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

Goal 17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

Territorial approach

Intervention methodology

The work plan of this Initiative consisted of six activities that aimed to jointly explore the environmental, institutional and social dimensions of the development challenge between the Partnership member entities and the various local actors in Europe and Latin America. The process of developing the model was carried out through a series of strategic stages that fostered the exchange of knowledge and collaboration between the Partnership member entities, with the support of the collaborating entities.

The Initiative began with a seminar in Europe, which took the Partnership to Germany, together with AEBR and the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine, in order to learn about their experiences in ecosystem protection. As part of the same activity, they also travelled to Spain, where they visited the Lower Guadiana, together with AACID, in order to learn about wetland management and governance strategies.

The second activity was a seminar held in Loja (Ecuador), which addressed the challenges of environmental sustainability of river basins and focused in particular on the governance of the Zarumilla and Catamayo-Chira river basins (Ecuador - Peru).

In the third activity, a consultancy was carried out with the support of three experts, who offered proposals for the creation of binational monitoring and cross-border cooperation schemes with a gender-based approach. The proposals were based on the case studies of the Catamayo-Chira (Ecuador - Peru) and Sixaola (Panama - Costa Rica) river basins, building on the knowledge generated through the initiative 'Strengthening cross-border governance of water basins'.

The fourth activity was a seminar in Panama, which provided an opportunity to learn about experiences in environmental protection in the Sixaola basin and its cross-border governance needs, as well as Indigenous participation in these processes.

The fifth activity was a course on binational monitoring and management plans for natural areas. The course was aimed at rural environmental stewards, specialists and authorities in municipal conservation areas, community reserves and protected areas, as well as representatives of water councils. Afterwards, participants received a certificate from the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, a collaborating entity.

The initiative concluded with a congress on the Argentina-Uruguay border, where local cross-border experiences were presented and the lessons learnt, good practices and outcomes of the Initiative were shared.

›› Download the document 'Cross-border Governance for the Development and Environmental Sustainability of International Watersheds' (Spanish)

Direct beneficiaries (individuals)

According to Rule 9 of the Guidelines for Applicants: all persons participating in the activities of the Initiative.

This Initiative reached 267 direct beneficiaries from the Partnership member entities, as well as representatives of local governments and national government entities in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Uruguay who are directly involved in the administration and conservation of watershed ecosystems, along with representatives of water administration boards and community entities in charge of managing micro-watersheds that supply water for human consumption in rural areas, and representatives of Indigenous communities.

Budget

EU contribution: 181,163.61 €

Co-financing - Triangular Cooperation Partnership: 87,700.30 €

Total budget: 268,953.70 €

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