Implementing United Nations Environment Programme
Agency
Region Argentina and Bolivia
Focal Area International Waters
Project Title Water Resources Management in the Bermejo River Binational Basin
GEF Allocation US$3.221 million
Cofinancing US$2.735 million
US$2,510,000 (Governments of Argentina and Bolivia)
US$150,000 (United Nations Environment Programme
US$75,000 (Organization of American States)
Total Financing US$5.956 million
Dates July 1996-April 1999
Environmental ·
Human activities degrading river corridor of globally important biodiversity and regional
Problem
economic importance
Project Goals ·
Promote a comprehensive binational program of environmentally sustainable development
The Bermejo River Basin, shared by Argentina and Bolivia, is a regionally important part of the Plata Basin and
acts as a corridor connecting biotic elements of both the Andean mountains and the Chaco Plains. An array of
rain forests, humid valleys, and mountain deserts exists in the upper basin and dry forests and humid and gallery
forests in the lower basin. These ecosystems harbor exceptional biological and habitat diversity.
Despite its potential, the basin is economically disadvantaged in both countries with a history of extractive
exploitation of forests and natural pastures. Although the opportunity exists to gradually substitute new
systems of production, poverty and low levels of education complicate proposals for changes in managing the
basin. Innovative environmental management, agroforestry, and watershed management will be required as well
as active participation of communities to understand and adopt new practices. In addition to these challenges,
planned and proposed dams for the region could together seriously affect the Bermejo River to the detriment of
the economy and environment of the basin and downstream. Binational actions are also needed to address
problems caused by a remarkable level of commercial activity as well as migration of Bolivian nationals into
Argentina.
The Project This project responded a request by the governments of Argentina and Bolivia for technical assistance
in formulating a strategic action plan for the Bermejo River Basin. More than fifty institutions,
government agencies and NGOs, participated in proposing the project, many of which participated in
its execution. It was implemented by a binational commission that reported to UNEP and OAS. The
project's primary objective was to promote environmentally sustainable development within the basin,
taking into consideration the program of investments being prepared by the Binational Commission for
the Development of the Upper Bermejo and Grande de Tarija Rivers Basins. This project will help gain an
understanding of possible transboundary concerns and help to guide the development projects so that they will
be more environmentally sustainable.
Activities ·
Conduct an environmental diagnostic survey of the basin to identify priority transboundary
environmental concerns and related sectoral issues
· Formulate a strategic action program for the binational basin addressing different GEF focal areas
and intended to solve priority transboundary environmental issues, while implementing water
resource and environmental agreements between the countries
· Assist the national governments to incorporate transboundary environmental concerns, including
biodiversity and land degradation protection, into basin development policies, plans, and
programs
· Conduct pilot demonstration activities during the process of formulating the strategic action plan
to gain information needed for management purposes
· Help both countries to institute a system of public consultation on implementing and developing
projects of general interest in the basin, so that they are environmentally sustainable and socially
acceptable.
Benefits ·
Preserve integrity of ecologically and economically important river basin
· Protect exceptional biological and habitat diversity and increase productivity of soils
· Prevent and control erosion, reclaim land, control sediment, and ensure water supply.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a financial mechanism that provides grants and concessional funds to developing countries for projects and
activities designed to protect the global environment. GEF resources address climate change, biological diversity, international waters, and depletion
of the ozone layer. Activities concerning land degradation, primarily desertification and deforestation as they relate to the four focal areas, are also
eligible for funding.
GEF is a joint venture of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Bank.
These three agencies implement GEF projects.
For more information on this project, contact:
For more information on GEF:
Organization of American States
GEF Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
1818 H Street NW
Washington DC 20433 USA
United Nations Environment Programme
Tel: (202) 473-0508 Fax: (202) 522-3240/522-3245
UNEP GEF Coordination Office
www.gefweb.org
John Pernatta
P. O. Box 30552
Chief Executive Officer:
Nairobi, Kenya
Mohamed T. El-Ashry
Tel: (2542) 624153 Fax: (2542) 520825
E-mail: john.pernetta@unep.org
Senior External Relations Coordinator:
www.unep.org/unep/gef
Hutton G. Archer
E-mail: harcher@worldbank.org