Global Environment Facility
CONCEPT PAPER FOR A FULL SIZED GEF PROJECT1
1 Project
title
Strengthening Global Capacity To Sustain Transboundary Waters: The International Waters Learning
Exchange and Resource Network (IW:LEARN), Operational Phase
2
GEF Implementing Agency
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
World Bank (IBRD)
3
Country or Countries in Which the Project is being Implemented
Global
4
GEF Focal Area(s)
International Waters, with relevance to water-related projects of other focal areas.
5
Operational Program/Short-term measure
OP10: Contaminant-based Operational Programme Regional/Global Technical Support Component2
6
Country Drivenness (Project linkage to national priorities, action plans
and programs)
IW:LEARN has fostered information sharing, structured learning, and collaboration across the GEF's
International Waters portfolio. At local, regional and global scales, IW:LEARN stakeholders have
adapted and applied information, skills and tools tested through IW:LEARN to sustain the benefits of
their respective transboundary waters projects.
A successful Pilot Phase now nearing completion assessed and addressed the needs of country-driven
GEF IW projects and their staff. IW:LEARN demonstrated how the GEF IW projects can effectively
apply new Information and Communications Technology (ICT)3 tools to increase access to transboundary
waters information across participating countries. The Pilot Phase also tested the use of inter-project
dialogue to clarify the needs of stakeholders relative to skills development and institutional capacity
building. The Pilot Phase then evolved a methodology to target IW:LEARN activities to meet emerging
GEF IW projects' demands.4 In this manner, country-drivenness has been demonstrated by meeting the
technical support demands of GEF IW projects that themselves received country-driven, focal point
endorsements.
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The Pilot Project directly contributed to the GEF's OP10 objective5 of developing several global
International Waters projects aimed at:
· "Deriving and disseminating lessons learned from projects undertaken in the pilot phase and the
permanent GEF,
· Sharing the learning experience with groups of countries cooperating on International Waters
projects, and
· Addressing the technical and institutional needs of those countries cooperating on International
Waters projects."
The Pilot Phase technically supported the national priorities and activities of over 120 nations in more
than 70 International Waters (IW) projects that are now under implementation or in the GEF pipeline, as
well as in water-related projects of other GEF focal areas. Based on this successful experience, the GEF
Implementing Agencies6 (IAs) now propose jointly launching an Operational Phase of IW:LEARN to
scale-up information sharing and structured learning activities in order to strengthen the management of
IW projects. In partnership with the GEF Secretariat and the GEF M&E Unit, the Operational Phase will
also continue influential GEF International Waters Conferences (IWCs) and test innovative
approaches to enhance efficacy throughout the GEF's IW portfolio.
Annex 3 highlights IW:LEARN's global importance and maps the nations with GEF-supported IW
projects or programmes benefiting from participation in IW:LEARN. Many of these nations have
expressed explicit need for technical support in building their own TWM capacity, as reflected in their
GEF project briefs, Transboundary Diagnostic Analyses (TDAs) and Strategic Action Programmes
(SAPs).7 National representatives conveyed similar sentiments at the 2000 and 2002 GEF IWCs and other
recent regional IW meetings.8
7 Context
General Status of International Waters Capacity
In pursuit of their respective environmental and development objectives, IW projects have common
capacity needs.9 From the outset, project proponents rarely know where to go to discover viable solutions
to the shared waters problems they face. They need access to information on TWM.
Fortunately, a high level of untapped experience exists among the GEF partners worldwide regarding the
cooperative management of shared water resources. Projects supported by the GEF and its three
Implementing Agencies (IAs) have accumulated a wealth of practical experience in managing
International Waters over the past decade. The valuable information generated by mature projects,
associated intergovernmental organizations, IAs and Executing Agencies (EAs), as well as other bodies,
is only starting to become available via the Internet, learning exchanges, and other mechanisms.10
Ongoing efforts are required to ensure that pertinent experiences are rapidly transferred throughout the
GEF IW portfolio. IW:LEARN support for such initiatives must be aligned with the Strategic Priorities
of the GEF and its IW focal area, and fit directly within the scope of projects supported by the GEF OP10
Technical Support Component.11
Until very recently, learning by trial and error among isolated IW projects had largely been the status quo
a serious challenge to effective adaptive management across the GEF IW portfolio. Project personnel
rarely have the time or resources for extended off-site education. It is thus important to establish readily
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accessible information sharing and structured learning mechanisms to assist TWM personnel and their
partners.
Structured learning is in high-demand. GEF IW project personnel and participants in IW:LEARN's Pilot
Phase learning activities have indicated -
· Substantial demand for advanced training and learning from one another in order to increase their
understanding of IW issues and their project management capacity.
· An urgent need for assistance regarding specific technical aspects of TWM as well as ways for
applying ICT to improve TWM.12
· Projects and their partners can rarely afford to invest in prolonged off-site technical training.
Limited face-to-face encounters coupled with experience sharing via distance learning13 (DL)and
information systems can lower the threshold for access to ongoing peer-to-peer learning opportunities in
developing countries and countries with economies in transition. At the same time, hands on learning can
be linked via ICT in real-time to work responsibilities in remote locations over an extended period.14
Where existing information and training opportunities are not readily accessible, peer-to-peer transfer of
experiences is a valuable alternative. To this end, hundreds of representatives of GEF-supported
transboundary waters projects and partners have expressed a common need: To regularly share TWM
experience between practitioners within and among countries, in order to maximize the effectiveness of
their respective project activities.15 Regional and thematic learning exchanges help participants address
specific technical problems, such as "how to develop an effective river basin or coastal management plan"
or "ways to proactively involve civil society or the private sector river basin management." But such
opportunities are not systematically organized to cross international and ecosystem boundaries. Ongoing
structured learning and ICT-mediated information transfer are needed to foster communication and
collaboration around the world towards addressing the causes underlying global threats to transboundary
waters.16
The recent GEF International Waters Program Study (IWPS) highlighted the difficulty of determining
whether lessons learned are being channeled back into ongoing projects or into the project development
process.17 Participants in GEF IW projects may seek out these lessons, but they are difficult to discover
and utilize without dedicated technical support mechanisms, such as those promoted through OP10.
The GEF also recently emphasized the importance of continuing "targeted learning based on the success
of the IW:LEARN approach."18
Outcomes of the IW:LEARN Pilot Phase
The IW:LEARN Pilot Phase project directly contributed to realizing the expected outcomes for OP10.19
The Pilot Phase initiated procedures for incorporating portfolio experiences into formulation and
implementation of GEF IW projects by fostering a learning community of GEF IW projects and partners
through face-to-face interactions and distance learning. Pilot activities demonstrated various distance
learning, information sharing and ICT products and services, and tested their value to this community.
Specific outputs and lessons from the pilot Phase are presented in Annex 5.
Independent evaluation has identified several highly successful capacity-building activities emerging
from the IW:LEARN Pilot Phase. As Annex 6 details, the Pilot Phase has demonstrated a suite of
complementary face-to-face, paper and ICT-mediated service areas that have proven relevant to GEF
projects, effective and ready to be scaled up and made operational.
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For instance, the first International Waters Conference (IWC) in Budapest (2000) provided participants an
overview of the GEF portfolio and M&E process and acquainted projects with the upcoming
International Waters Program Study. Over the course of 6 months in 2001-2002, project and portfolio
managers used an IW:LEARN electronic forum to suggest themes for the next IWC and discuss findings
from the Programme Study. The Programme Study and forum archives along with GEF IW project
profiles and related documents are now accessible via an IW:LEARN-administered electronic
clearinghouse, the International Waters Resource Centre (IWRC). The IWRC is available on-line via the
World Wide Web and was circulated via CD-ROM to all participants of the second IWC in 2002. In an
iterative manner, the second GEF IW Conference (Dalian, 2002) returned from email-based dialog to
face-to-face discourse on project development, implementation and M&E. The 2nd IWC also revealed
strong demand from project managers for additional guidance for developing effective indicators and for
public involvement in IW projects, among other issues.20
The GEF's International Waters Program Study evaluation underscored that IW:LEARN and
International Waters Conference pilot projects were "promising steps taken" to address existing
deficiencies in inter- and intra-project collaboration to incorporate lessons learned, prevent duplication of
effort and ensure efficiency. It concluded that there is a need to formalize the process of feeding back
experiences in a transparent and effective manner, such as proposed through the Operational Phase of
IW:LEARN. The GEF's 2001 Project Performance Review further stated that IW:LEARN's "efforts
towards horizontal linkages and learning between projects should be continued and strengthened."21
Independent evaluation also determined that IW:LEARN's objectives are very relevant to GEF IW
projects, emphasizing that the justification for the project is as valid today as it was when IW:LEARN
was originally conceived.22
The GEF's IAs are now proposing to use IW:LEARN's successfully tested techniques in an Operational
Phase Full-Sized Project (FSP) to build the capacity of GEF IW projects through ongoing information
sharing, structured learning, IW conferences and innovative approaches to strengthen IW projects'
implementation. IW:LEARN is poised to address projects' priorities (Annex 7) at the global scale and to
collaborate with other projects to replicate its activities within their transboundary basins and subsets of
the GEF IW portfolio.23
8
Project Objectives and Rationale
Project Objective: To strengthen the management of International Waters by facilitating information
sharing and learning among Transboundary Waters Management (TWM) constituencies.
Baseline and Alternative Scenarios
In the baseline scenario, information transfer and learning across GEF IW projects remains piecemeal and
transboundary waters management (TWM) capacity builds gradually in isolation. This disrupts the pace
and quality of project implementation and limits success. There exists no mechanism to deliver projects'
experiences on demand. Technical support services within each IA are unresponsive to stakeholders'
expressed needs across the entire GEF IW portfolio. Numerous opportunities are missed for projects to
leverage emerging ICT tools for greater learning, transparency and participation in TWM. Project
personnel operate in an experience vacuum, significantly limiting the overall performance of the GEF IW
portfolio.
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In the alternative scenario, the IW:LEARN Operational Phase project actively promotes TWM
information sharing and targeted learning in support of the GEF's strategic priority areas. Thriving face-
to-face international exchange and accessible ICT infrastructure foster community-level learning to
promote the GEF's strategic priority areas for IW. Experiences regarding good practices and lessons
learned are transferred horizontally across projects, and fed back from GEF M&E Unit to projects in
preparation and those underway. Such interchanges create enduring in situ capacity to sustain TWM
benefits well beyond the GEF project cycle.
Under the alternative, the IW:LEARN Operational Phase scales up and replicates its effective structured
learning and information transfer activities across countries participating in the GEF IW portfolio, with a
focus on GEF's new strategic priorities. For approximately $5 million over five years, the GEF and its
three IAs operationalize lessons learned from the IW:LEARN Pilot Phase to improve portfolio
performance indefinitely. Highly successful structured learning and information sharing activities, such as
biennial GEF IW Conferences and the International Waters Resource Centre, are sustained and enhanced
through ongoing stakeholder participation and feedback. Targeted technical assistance proactively
characterizes and addresses projects' needs early and rapidly during the GEF IW project cycle.24
Meanwhile, the GEF and IAs collaborate through IW:LEARN to test innovative approaches for meeting
projects needs and to extend IW:LEARN benefits beyond the Operational Phase.
Initially comprised of IA and GEF Secretariat leads for IW, the IW:LEARN Steering Committee (SC) is
enhanced with representation from the GEF M&E Unit, which utilizes the FSP as an instrument for
assessing emerging information needs and advising IW projects accordingly. Additional funding
agencies and non-GEF transboundary waters programmes are also invited to participate in IW learning
exchanges. The SC plays a key role in coordinating IAs' contributions to and use of IW:LEARN in their
respective projects. In this fashion, technical services and comparative advantages25 that each IA provides
can benefit the entire GEF IW portfolio. Projects receive additional technical support from IW:LEARN's
Technical Advisory Panel (TAP), chaired by IW specialists from the GEF STAP (coordinated by UNEP-
GEF). Thus, IW:LEARN integrates experiences and capacity-building activities across GEF IW
stakeholders and agencies to improve TWM globally.
Why should GEF promote information sharing and structured learning through IW:LEARN?
The GEF has invested over US$460 million to support countries jointly pursuing International Waters
projects. Judicious utilization of this GEF investment requires that key institutions are effectively engaged
and their experiences included to maximize projects' benefits. The complexity of IW projects also raises a
variety of technical questions among participating countries. Stakeholders cooperating on IW projects
must establish sufficient capacity to meet their common goal of sustaining the shared benefits of
transboundary waters. During its Pilot Phase, IW:LEARN developed key activities designated in the
Global Technical Support Component of OP10 26 to address these capacity issues.
The IW:LEARN Pilot Phase developed and tested several techniques to implement OP10 technical
support objectives. It also helped build the technical capacity of GEF IW projects through face-to-face
and ICT-mediated interactions across various levels of ICT usage.27 Successful techniques are now ready
to be incorporated into the Operational Phase of IW:LEARN.
As stated by the GEF's recent Strategic Business Planning (GEF/C.21/Inf.11):
The GEF Replenishment included a specific approach included in OP 10 and piloted in GEF-2.
The learning experiences among GEF projects undertaken within the IW portfolio has been
successful as judged by survey, project evaluations and OPS2. The learning is aimed at
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exchanging successful approaches among existing projects and those under preparation so that
they may be adopted within the framework of adaptive management that characterizes the GEF
approach to transboundary water systems. They also help avoid problems that have been
encountered by projects. Such South-to-South "structured learning" contributes significantly to
the success of GEF's foundational/capacity building work in IW.
The IW:LEARN Operational Phase will actively involve all three IAs as well as the GEF Secretariat,
M&E Unit and STAP in exchanging experiences and learning across 57 GEF-approved IW projects and
30 or more IW projects in preparation. IW:LEARN, with the support of its Steering Committee members
and their agencies, will facilitate the incorporation of successful measures into current and new projects,
so that the GEF can expeditiously replicate positive results. IW:LEARN technical assistance for
appropriate use of ICT will also help to increase projects' transparency and participation. This, in turn,
will promote greater stakeholder ownership and sustainability of IW projects catalyzed by the GEF. Thus
by partnering through IW:LEARN, the three IAs will improve their IW projects' learning, replication
efficiency, transparency, ownership and sustainability during and beyond the IW:LEARN Operational
Phase project.
IW:LEARN Operational Phase Project Purpose
In pursuit of its global objective, IW:LEARN will improve GEF IW projects' information base,
replication efficiency, transparency, stakeholder ownership and sustainability of benefits through:
A. Facilitation of access to information on transboundary water resources among GEF IW projects
B. Structured learning among GEF IW projects and cooperating partners
C. Biennial International Waters Conferences
D. Testing innovative approaches to strengthen implementation of the IW portfolio
E. Fostering partnerships to sustain benefits of IW:LEARN and associated technical support
9
Expected Outcomes and Activities of Full Project
According to the components above, the proposed outcomes, outputs and activities of the IW:LEARN
Full Project are as follows:
COMPONENT A. FACILITATION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON TRANSBOUNDARY
WATER RESOURCES AMONG GEF IW PROJECTS
Immediate Objective A: To facilitate the integration, exchange and accessibility of data and
information across GEF IW project sites to IW projects, their partners and stakeholders.28
Result A: 95% of GEF IW projects have established Web sites, based on a common format and linked
to a comprehensive information network.
Activity A.1 Establish a central metadata directory of all available IW project data and
information (GEF IW Information Management System: IW-IMS)
Details:
A database for remote search and access to project profiles, contact information,
publications, geo-referenced data, news, etc available on-line. Interface readily
addresses stakeholders' priority needs and questions, and is accessed via the
Web and CD-ROM and through IA-related portals (e.g., env-dir.org,
developmentgateway.org). Additional elements include: (a) portfolio-wide
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electronic lists and e-forums to share experiences and address IW projects' day-
to-day needs (e.g., vacancies, consultancies, questions). (b) dissemination of IW
projects' news, experiences, success stories, tools and events through central
Web site. (c) presentations by and discussions among GEF IW projects
attending IW community events. (Builds upon Pilot Project success of GEF IW
Resource Centre Web site.)
Activity A.2 Develop a "Library of Practical Experiences" to increase access to GEF IW
projects' experiences and address surveyed needs and priorities.
Details:
Searchable Web-based compendium of practical experiences and insights
derived from such experiences to address key IW management problems.
Activity A.3 Provide technical assistance to GEF IW projects to develop or strengthen their
websites and ICT tools according to defined ICT quality criteria,29 and connect
all GEF IW project websites to the GEF IW Information Management System.
Details:
Elements include: (a) An Internet-based help desk, on-line templates, training
materials and workshops to support effective use of Web and ICT in IW project
management established and functioning. (b) collaboration with GEF IW
projects to facilitate transfer of effective ICT tools between projects; and (c)
coordination with GEF IW projects achieved to integrate their information into
the GEF IW IMS and maintain archived content after their projects end.
COMPONENT B. STRUCTURED LEARNING AMONG IW PROJECTS AND COOPERATING
PARTNERS
Immediate Objective B: To establish and technically support a series of face-to-face and
electronically-mediated structured learning activities30 or learning exchanges among related
projects within the GEF IW portfolio.
Result B.1: 10 - 20 projects share experiences within 3 - 5 regions
Activity B.1 Organize 3-5 inter-project learning exchanges on a regional scale
Details:
Facilitated electronic and face-to-face discourses across the freshwater-to-
marine continuum of GEF IW projects within a region or sub-region. (Meets
regional or sub-regional demand in Africa, Caribbean Sea and Southeast Asia. )
Result B.2: 20 - 30 projects share experiences addressing 3 - 4 IW themes
Activity B.2 Organize 3-4 thematic inter-project learning exchanges
Details:
Facilitated electronic and face-to-face discourses among GEF projects
managing specific types of aquatic ecosystems (e.g., lake or river basins,
aquifers, wetlands, large marine ecosystems (LMEs), coral reefs) or addressing
similar IW management issues (e.g., water scarcity or fisheries depletion) or
challenges (e.g., social indicators).
Result B.3: 10 - 14 projects share experiences through 5 - 7 inter-project exchanges of staff.
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Activity B.3 Coordinate inter-project exchanges between GEF IW projects and partners
Details:
Inter- and intra-regional learning through exchanges of project personnel for
several weeks at a time.31 Staff from public sector or NGO communities
participating in similar GEF IW or other TWM projects would be eligible to
participate in such exchanges.
Result B.4: At least 15 projects increase their capacity to involve the public in project development
and implementation
Activity B.4 Provide face-to-face and virtual training to enhance public participation in
Transboundary Waters Management.
Details:
Targeted training to addresses Public Participation (the highest priority need
among surveyed project participants and partners at the last GEF IW
Conference). This activity draws upon public involvement experiences,
strategies and tools used by projects across GEF focal areas (e.g., IW,
Biodiversity and Climate Change) and by other projects to actively involve
civil society in participatory management of transboundary waters.
COMPONENT C. BIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL WATERS CONFERENCES
Immediate Objective C: To hold GEF IW conferences in 2004 and 2006, gathering the IW
community for sharing experience among GEF IW projects, stakeholders, evaluators and other IW
programs and institutions.
Result C: The GEF hosts two comprehensive reviews (2004, 2006) of the GEF IW portfolio,
including exchange of experience within the portfolio and with related transboundary waters
programs.
Activity C.1 Organize third GEF International Waters Conference
Details:
Continues from Pilot Phase a successful series of global IW conferences hosted
by the GEF.
Activity C.2 Organize fourth GEF International Waters Conference
Details:
Continues from Pilot Phase a successful series of global IW conferences hosted
by the GEF.
COMPONENT D. TESTING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO STRENGTHEN
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IW PORTFOLIO
Immediate Objective D: To test, evaluate and replicate novel approaches and ICT tools to meet IW
stakeholder needs.32
Result D: GEF agencies develop, test and, where successful, replicate regional, sub-regional and
thematic demonstrations for improving Transboundary Water Management among GEF IW projects.
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Activity D.1 Organize Public Private Partnership (P3) Meeting
Details:
Dialog among banks, projects and collaborating countries to promote, design and
deliver innovative P3 mechanisms to support IW management during and beyond
GEF's involvement. This activity supports the GEF IW Strategic Priority to
promote innovative demonstrations of P3 initiatives in water sub-sectors,
drawing on resources and comparative advantages of Bretton Woods partners
(World Bank and IFC, with support from GEF-affiliated regional development
banks).
Activity D.2 Develop African IW network
Details:
A test of mechanisms to support a virtually-mediated network of African projects
and partners sharing information and experiences in pursuit of GEF Strategic
Priorities for IW (water scarcity/competing uses, fisheries depletion, contaminant
reduction) within and between ecosystems, as well as with other GEF focal areas.
This activity builds upon results of a successful DLIST demonstration from the
IW:LEARN Pilot Phase, with potential to replicate or scale-up DLIST across
other African LMEs. This IW Network could include demand-side management
and data valuation as two other possible topics. (Facilitated in cooperation with
existing networks such as African Association of River Networks (AARN, an
INBO-affiliate), LakeNet, SEACAM, etc.33)
Activity D.3 Develop South East Asia Regional Learning Center (SEA-RLC)
Details:
A test of benefits of decentralizing and tailoring IW:LEARN services at sub-
regional level. A draft framework for SEA-RLC has been proposed by the GEF
South China Sea project in partnership with SEA-START RC (Chulalongkorn
University, Thailand), to serve GEF IW projects in SEA region (e.g., Mekong,
Bay of Bengal, PEMSEA, Yellow Sea).
.
Activity D.4 Create a Black Sea/Danube Regional Distance Learning Program
Details:
Deliver targeted training via distance learning to address nutrient reduction and
other issues across the Black Sea and Danube basin. This activity utilizes peer-to-
peer knowledge sharing to build basin-wide nutrient management capacity.
(Coordinated with Train-Sea-Coast course on Reducing Black Sea basin Nutrient
Pollution from Agriculture.)
Activity D.5 Build a Transboundary Aquifer and Groundwater Management Learning
Community
Details:
Build a shared aquifer and groundwater Internet portal to facilitate information
and experience sharing amongst the GEF's geographically dispersed aquifer and
groundwater projects and related organizations and institutions. Partner with
global shared aquifer experts34 and initiatives at the GEF STAP, IAs, ISARM,
UNESCO-IHP, University Partnership for Transboundary Waters, et al. Develop
Mediterranean Rim Transboundary Aquifers Community of Practice35 to promote
interactions among GEF and other aquifer projects in the region: (a) support
exchange of experience and lessons learned on establishing frameworks for
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transboundary groundwater management, (b) catalyse the launch of new
initiatives around the Mediterranean, and (c) enhance the effectiveness of
existing programs, and (d) transfer knowledge from the Mediterranean to other
countries and regions with less experience in Transboundary Aquifer
Management.
Activity
D.6 Address South-eastern Mediterranean Transboundary Waters Information
Management
Details:
Support information management needs of a new Balkans initiative for
Transboundary River Basin and Lake Management. Facilitate exchange of
information from the GEF Danube River Basin and Transboundary Lakes
Management experiences for use by stakeholders in the South-eastern
Mediterranean to develop integrated water resources management plans for
specific transboundary waterbodies in the region.
Activity D.7 Assist IW Capacity Building in the Amazon Basin
Details:
Support the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Secretariat in carrying out discussions
and capacity building on IW issues involving all countries in the Amazon Basin.
This could also include having a shared database of water-related issues and
projects. The Amazon Regional Initiative will already be conducting some
preliminary work on the establishment of a basin-wide network of monitoring
points for water quality and flow.
COMPONENT E. FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS TO SUSTAIN BENEFITS OF IW:LEARN AND
ASSOCIATED TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Immediate Objective E: To sustain and institutionalise information sharing and learning exchanges
across GEF IW projects and GEF entities.
Result E: GEF agencies design and implement a strategic plan to sustain IW:LEARN project benefits
to the GEF IW community
Activity E.1 Facilitate internal dialogue and partnerships with Implementing Agencies (IAs)
and Executing Agencies (EAs).
Details:
IW:LEARN helps IAs and EAs develop and co-implement plans for progressive
decentralization/delegation of responsibilities for IW:LEARN information
systems and services to projects, IAs, EAs, and regional institutions leverage
these entities' comparative advantages and resources to institutionalise
IW:LEARN activities beyond the Operational Phase IW:LEARN project.36
Activity E.2 Pursue dialogue and partnerships with external organizations
Details:
Exploring collaboration with other partners, such as donor countries with
relevant Transboundary Waters Management experience, to ensure sustained
benefits to GEF IW community. This activity will promote cross-cutting
information sharing systems and learning exchanges, as necessary, to sustain
successful activities not supportable directly by GEF entities. (Actors to drive
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the transfer of this sustainable benefits will be enlisted during the PDF-B period
and explicitly identified in the Operational Phase Project Brief, in order to
foster ownership from the outset of the project.)
This design will be refined during a PDF-B preparatory period, detailed below (Section 16).
10
Sustainability (Financial, Social, Environmental) and Replicability of the
Full Project
Component E is included in the FSP in order to pursue strategic partnerships to sustain IW:LEARN
benefits beyond the conclusion of this project. Additional components of sustainability and replicability
include:
Financial Sustainability
Since this project directly serves the GEF portfolio in IW, GEF and or IA financing is needed to sustain
its core activities. As with the Pilot Project, a number of collaborations and financing mechanisms will
contribute to project co-financing. In addition, GEF IW representatives from all three IAs have agreed in
principle that new projects should include specific budget lines to cover substantial services obtained via
IW:LEARN.
All plans for activities will be developed with defined financing plans. Specific grants may be pursued to
support core activities to integrate project components into a unified capacity-building package. GEF
projects will also benefit from in-kind contributions and IW:LEARN cost-sharing with the broader GEF
and IW community (e.g., Cap-Net, CATHALAC, OAS, UNESCO/IHP). Market-based mechanisms
tested during the Pilot Phase will be further developed and more comprehensively deployed during the
full project (e.g., cost-recovery workshops, fee-for-service technical support to non-GEF IW projects,
etc.). Where appropriate, products and services will be spun-off to regional or other institutional partners
(Activity E.2) to ensure their longevity beyond the project period.37
Institutional Sustainability
The project's institutional sustainability is founded on its ability to integrate broad collaborative
partnerships of, by and for GEF IW projects and their stakeholders. Facilitating dialog and collaboration
across the three IAs and major EAs is expected to help mainstream IW:LEARN support for TWM issues
across these agencies over the course of the project duration. As its core community matures, inter-project
information sharing, learning exchange, and collaboration will become progressively more integrated into
projects' lifecycles and the GEF's information management practices.38 As a result, the project's primary
objective will be realized with the sustained institutionalization. The FSP will also work with existing
capacity-building institutions to develop regional and thematic cross-sections of stakeholders to
contribute to its service lines, so that IW:LEARN's integrated approach can be sustained well beyond the
lifetime of the project. Furthermore, by providing the increment of transboundary experience to existing
IWRM institutions responding to GEF projects' needs, IW:LEARN will ensure that its products and
services are widely adapted and replicated through those institutions.
GEF Secretariat may also consider replicating the successful IW:LEARN approach across other GEF
focal areas before the conclusion of this FSP.
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Environmental Sustainability
The project directly contributes to the improvement of many IW projects' respective process indicators
for environmental sustainability.39 Increased efficiency in GEF IW projects implementation will also
likely expedite their achievement of environmental impact outcome and environmental status changes.
Replicability
Replication is intrinsic to this project's design. The project fosters replication and adaptation of best
practices, ICT tools, information products and expertise across GEF IW projects. Demonstrations of
capacity-building will be regularly co-organized with, transferred to, and replicated by project partners,
with funding from GEF, other donors and market-based mechanisms.
11 Country
Eligibility
IW:LEARN support is made available to GEF projects of countries eligible under the GEF Instrument.
12
Stakeholders Involved in Project
During the PDF-B stage, substantial consultation is planned with representatives from GEF IW projects
and their partners (e.g., regional, national and local agencies, NGOs, etc.), as detailed in Section 16.
Thereafter, continued consultation via electronic forums, interviews and regional and global IW learning
exchanges will ensure that stakeholder interests are regularly reviewed, revised and systematically
addressed by the project and its regional, thematic and institutional partners. Since a number of recent
GEF IW project briefs and documents explicitly identify planned cooperation with IW:LEARN, the
project expects to establish more formal agreements to incorporate stakeholder involvement through these
partnerships as well.
13
Information on Project Proposer
The project proponents are the three GEF Implementing Agencies (IAs) on behalf of all countries
participating in GEF-sponsored IW projects. A letter of support, signed by GEF leads at all three IAs, is
being submitted in conjunction with this Concept Paper.
In order to benefit from the core competencies of each IA, the project will be implemented through close
cooperation between UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank. IW leads from all three agencies and from GEF
Secretariat, M&E Unit and STAP will comprise the project's Steering Committee. An executive from the
Executing Agency and additional donors to the project will also be invited to participate in the Steering
Committee.
The Steering Committee will approve project work plans and major project outputs. During the interim
PDF-B stage, the committee plans to evaluate and select the most appropriate option for NGO or
international agency execution during the Operational Phase. Co-implementation and executing
modalities among the IAs will be determined through consultations and through their participation in
IW:LEARN's Steering Committee during the PDF-B period.
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14
Financing Plan of Full Project
As discussed above, IW:LEARN products and services are designed to directly assist the strategic
priorities of the GEF IW portfolio and its OP10 objectives. As a result, the GEF will finance most of the
incremental costs of the project. This includes direct activities of the IW:LEARN secretariat and
incremental costs associated with incorporating existing IWRM/ICM centres of excellence as service
providers within IW:LEARN's global network for TWM. As with the IWC pilot, GEF funding will
continue to be required to support the participation of IW projects' government focal points in GEF IW
Conferences. Specific demonstration projects executed jointly by IW:LEARN and IAs primarily to
benefit GEF IW projects will also require direct GEF support. Fully implementing all of these activities
under the Operational Phase of IW:LEARN will require a projected total GEF contribution of
approximately US$5 Million. This estimate will be refined during development of the FSP Budget under
the interim PDF-B period.
During the PDF-B, the project will seek co-financing from a diverse set of sources that contributed to the
Pilot Phase's financial stability. These include IA grants and in-kind contributions; market-based cost-
recovery and fee-for-service activities; and in-kind contributions from NGO partners and the private
sector.
GEF IW representatives from all three IAs have also agreed in principle that new projects should include
specific budget lines to cover any substantial new services expected to be acquired via IW:LEARN.
IW:LEARN services need to be identified early on and integrated into its partners' project documents in
order for this FSP to provide substantial technical services to new projects. This will also ensure that
IW:LEARN services are directly accountable to the projects which aim to benefit from the Operational
Phase.
Supplemental grant-based co-financing from multilateral and private foundation donors will also be
pursued. In-kind contributions through partnerships with other IWRM capacity-building institutions is
also expected to be an important component of IW:LEARN's fiscal planning. An overall target has been
set for 1-to-1 co-financing through these various mechanisms.
The Pilot Phase of IW:LEARN demonstrated that IW:LEARN's products and services are valuable
commodities among partner organizations interested in adopting them in whole or in part. As a result,
IW:LEARN will work throughout the FSP to identify opportunities to spin off portions of its activities to
realize further co-financing for its core initiatives.
15
IA Coordination and Linkages To GEF and IA Programs and Activities
In recent years, GEF support has fostered a broad body of experience and information regarding regional
cooperation in TWM. As products of IW:LEARN's learning exchanges, the project will synthesize and
disseminate information based on the experience and findings of these GEF IW projects and related
initiatives (e.g., French GEF projects, IUCN freshwater, coastal and marine projects, etc) across the IW
community and IAs water resource management-related programs.
Ongoing coordination with all three Implementing Agencies (IAs) and the GEF Secretariat is critical to
the project's success. As a result, the GEF IW leads from each of these agencies will serve in pivotal
strategic roles in IW:LEARN's Steering Committee. In addition, each activity jointly managed by the
project Secretariat and an IA will have a point-of-contact in each organization for day-to-day operational
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IW:LEARN Operational Phase Concept Paper
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coordination. IW:LEARN has also established liaisons with certain GEF executing agencies (e.g.,
UNOPS, OAS, IMO, UNIDO) and non-GEF international partners (e.g., UNESCO) in order to further
operational cooperation across agencies and GEF projects.
Specific comparative advantages and linkages with each IA are presented in Annex 10. Linkages beyond
the IAs to related information transfer systems are presented in Annex 4.
16
Proposed Project Development Strategy
A PDF-B will be required for further development of this project. Intensive preparation began in late
November 2002 to submit the Concept Paper the May 2003 pipeline. Securing co-financing and
partnership commitments will lead to Project Brief submission to the fall 2003 GEF Council meeting,
with Project Document delivered for GEF CEO review by the end of 2003.
Beginning no later than July 2003, the PDF-B will generate detailed information needed to design the
FSP, including a fully developed logical framework (logframe) of activities. As part of this logframe, IAs
and IW:LEARN partners will help determine indicators of success, as well as their co-financing and in-
kind contributions (e.g., through programs they can make available through IW:LEARN to assist GEF IW
projects).
Information will be derived, in part, from a 2002 update of pervasive capacity building needs cited in
project-related documents and from priorities expressed by government focal points to projects, project
managers and agency representatives during the GEF's 2002 International Waters Conference (see Annex
7). The PDF-B process will also further build upon recommendations from the final independent
evaluation of the IW:LEARN Pilot Phase.
Constructive inputs from IW:LEARN's Pilot Phase evaluator, supplemented by consultations with project
beneficiaries and project managers, will contribute to refining FSP components. A summary of this
Concept Paper (motive, objectives, outputs) will be circulated to IWC participants to actively solicit their
insights. To do so, IW:LEARN will use electronic stakeholder consultations via email and IW:LEARN-
mediated electronic discussion forums at global and regional scales. The PDF-B period will also be used
to identify opportunities to pursue joint activities with and for other projects during The Operational
Phase.
Institutional mechanisms for implementation, execution, and sustained management of the project will be
developed during this period. The respective contributions and roles of IAs, primary and partner EAs, as
well as projects cooperating with IW:LEARN will be delineated and inter-organizational agreements
developed as appropriate. In addition, the three IAs will decide on co-implementation, executing
modalities and responsibilities in task management of each project activity. The PDF-B will detail budget
components and activities, including co-financing and market-based cost-recovery mechanisms.
Additional sources of co-financing will be pursued, potentially through a donor conference or similar
mechanism.
It is anticipated that the full Project Brief with incremental cost analysis will be submitted to the GEF
Council in the fall of 2003.
Pending approval and signature of the full project, IW:LEARN will support continuation, scaling up and
replication of existing activities while promoting plans for at least one new demonstration per IA and per
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region during the full project. Initial steps for implementing these activities will be drafted and submitted
as a year 1 (2004) work plan for Steering Committee approval in fall 2003.
17
Response to Reviews
The concept paper incorporates contributions from GEFSEC and the IAs as drafts were circulated and
reviewed from June 2002 through May 12, 2003. As presented in Annex 11, this version (April 29, 2003)
also incorporates recommendations from the independent evaluation of the IW:LEARN Pilot Phase as
well as comments received from an Inter-agency Teleconference (November 13, 2002), subsequent
Steering Committee meeting (May 12, 2003), and via email and one-on-one consultations with Steering
Committee members and partners.
Additional oral and electronic communications with Steering Committee members, GEF partners and
stakeholders over the period of January-April 2003 also informed this version of the concept paper.
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IW:LEARN Operational Phase Concept Paper
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ANNEXES
Annex 1. Glossary of Abbreviations
Annex 2: IW:LEARN's Demand-Driven Approach
Annex 3: IW:LEARN Importance, Coverage and Linkage to Global Priorities
3.1. Map of GEF International Waters Projects
3.2. Global Importance for International Waters Capacity
3.3. IW:LEARN Linkage to GEF and Global IW Priorities
Annex 4: Global and Regional Contexts for IW:LEARN
Annex 5: Outputs and Lessons From Pilot Phase of IW:LEARN
5.1 Outputs from IW:LEARN Pilot Phase
5.1.1 Pilot Phase Outputs Towards Development Objective
5.1.2 IW:LEARN Pilot Phase Outputs Towards Immediate Objective
5.2 Lessons from IW:LEARN Pilot Phase
Annex 6: Independent Evaluation of Pilot Phase of IW:LEARN and International Waters
Conferences
6.1. Summary of Findings of Independent Evaluation of IW:LEARN Pilot Phase
6.2. Summary of Findings from International Waters Conference
Annex 7: Priority Needs Expressed by GEF IW Projects and Participating Countries at 2002 GEF IW
Conference
Annex 8: Global IW Threats and Causes, Baseline and Alternative Scenarios
8.1 Global Threats
8.2 Underlying Causes
Annex 9: Operational Phase Concept for the UNEP-IW:LEARN Best Practices Data Base
("IW:Insight")
9.1 Vision
9.2 Scope of Operational Phase of IW:LEARN best practice initiative
9.3 Environmental Experience Portal
9.4 Potential contributors to IW:LEARN Best Practice Initiative
Annex 10: Comparative Advantages and Specific Linkages IAs Bring to IW:LEARN
Annex 11: Detail of Response to Comments
1 See Annex 1 (Glossary of Abbreviations) for all acronyms used in this document.
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2 "Targeted regional or global projects useful in setting priorities for possible GEF interventions, meeting the technical needs of projects in this
focal area, or distilling lessons learned from experience." GEF Operational Program Number 10 [OP10], paragraph 10.2, 10.4, 10.6, 10.10 and
10.18-20. http://gefweb.org/Operational_Policies/Operational Programs/OP_10_English.pdf (According to the GEF Operational Strategy, this
component includes: "activities that help to demonstrate ways of overcoming barriers to the adoption of best practices to limit contamination of
international waters ... Narrowly focused regional or global projects that can help meet particular technical needs, or improve the use of certain
measures by several groups of international waters projects (and build capacity to undertake the measures), are also included in the program ...
Targeted technical demonstration and capacity-building projects can help build awareness in recipient countries of international waters concerns
as well as best-practice measures, tools for finding solutions, and policies for innovative institutional approaches." (GEF. 1996. International
Waters. Ch. 4, Operational Strategy of the Global Environment Facility. GEF, Washington, D.C. pp. 47-61))f
3 ICT is defined here as any tool for recording, storing and processing data or information or for communicating between people separated by
distance or time. ICT usually includes hardware (computers, fax machines, CD-ROMs, scanners), software (word processing programs,
databases, computer simulations) or network applications (email, instant messaging, Web-based training platforms), but also includes less
sophisticated instruments (radio, telephones, books, cassettes, chalkboards, litmus paper) that may be more affordable or pervasive ICT in some
developing areas.
4 See Annex 2 (IW:LEARN's Demand-Driven Approach).
5 OP10, paragraph 10.4(d)
6 I.e., UNDP, UNEP and World Bank.
7 Most GEF IW project-related documents, including approved project briefs and finalized SAP documents, as well as GEF IWC summary
reports and proceedings, can be found on-line via the GEF's International Waters Resource Centre (IWRC), developed and maintained by
IW:LEARN. http://www.iwlearn.net
8 E.g., the 4th Inter-American Dialog in Brazil in 2001; East Asian Seas meeting in Korea, a UNECE meeting in Poland, and Africa Water Facility
presentations at the WSSD WaterDome in South Africa, all in 2002. See footnote 8 for more details.
9 Priority needs of GEF IW Projects were identified by survey at the Dalian GEF IW Conference (September 2002), as summarized in
proceedings ( http://www.iwlearn.net/event/proc.php).
10 See Annex 4 and IWRC.
11 Proposed Strategic Priority IW-2 of the 2003-2005 GEF Business Plan (p.28) explicitly address "support for targeted learning," in noting
"success of the IW:LEARN approach." The OP10 scope includes a component for "narrowly focused regional or global projects that can help
meet particular technical needs or build capacity for the use of certain measures by various on-going International Waters projects. Targeted
technical demonstration and capacity building projects can help build awareness in countries that are participating in International Waters projects
and serve as a means to encourage best practices, develop tools for finding solutions, and formulate policies for innovative institutional
approaches. Also included in this operational program are global International Waters projects that help contribute to the development of
strategic approaches across operational programs in the focal area and facilitate exchange of experience among different International Waters
initiatives. From these exchanges, capacity can be built and lessons learned derived for wider application. " OP10, paragraph 10.6.
12 E.g., Public participation throughout the project cycle; monitoring and evaluation, including indicator development; environmental monitoring
and data analysis; remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS); co-financing and financial sustainability; appropriate ICT to
support project management, information management, coordination and outreach.
13 DL is defined here as the ICT-mediated transfer of experience or skills between people.
14 For instance, one student in IW:LEARN's distance MSc pilot program wrote his thesis on local mangrove areas while working in his project
region, providing a basis for him to advance to the project's National Coordinator for Djibouti. Meanwhile, a Namibian regional planner enrolled
in IW:LEARN's virtual ICM training pilot ("DLIST," at http://www.dlist.org) and continued to work while learning about relations between
coastal management and sustainable tourism.
15 E.g., Needs identified at the GEF International Waters Conferences in Budapest, Hungary (2000) and Dalian, China (2002); recommendations
of the IW:LEARN-hosted Inter-American Water Resource Managers Forum in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil (2001) and a similar forum of East Asian
IW projects in Busan, Korea (2002); testimonials at the Second International Conference on Sustainable Management of Transboundary Waters
in Europe in Miedzyzdroje, Poland (2002); the Petersburg Declaration [http://www.dse.de/ef/petersb.htm]; as well as through various electronic
forums associated with regional and global GEF IW communities.
16 Annex 8 summarizes threats to transboundary waters and underlying causes which IW:LEARN helps address.
17 J. M. Bewers and J. I. Uitto. 2001. International Waters Program Study. GEF Monitoring and Evaluation: Washington, DC. On-line at:
http://www.iwlearn.net/ftp/iwps.pdf.
18 GEF. 2002. Strategic Planning: Directions and Targets. (GEF/C.21/Inf.11) at:
http://www.gefweb.org/Documents/Council_Documents/GEF_C21/C21.Inf.11-_Strategic_Business_Planning.pdf
19 OP10 expected outcomes include "a collection of global and regional projects that provide programmatic and strategic benefits for the
global environment through technical support, assessment, and derivation of lessons learned across operational programs in this
[IW] focal area." (paragr. 10.8).
20 Documented in the IWC proceedings and final report, available via the IWRC at http://www.iwlearn.net/event/proc.php.
21 GEF. 2002. 2001 Project Performance Review. GEF Monitoring and Evaluation: Washington, DC. On-line at:
http://gefweb.org/Documents/Council_Documents/GEF_C19/C.19.Inf.6_Project_Performance_Review.doc.
22 The evaluation also provided a number of recommendations for the IW:LEARN Operational Phase (see Section 17)
23 E.g., subsets of stakeholders with common issues, ecosystems or geographic areas.
24 For example, IW:LEARN assesses projects needs at IW Conferences and other venues then developed 2 annual work plans to address those
needs. The project also responds to impromptu requests from IW projects, such as examples of good public participation strategies or M&E plans.
25 See Annexes 9 (Operational Phase Concept for the UNEP-IW:LEARN Best Practices Database) and 10 (Comparative Advantages and Specific
Linkages IAs Bring to IW:LEARN).
26 OP10 (paragr. 10.17) describes typical activities of the Technical Support Component as follows: "The complexity of International Waters
projects raises technical questions about how and what contaminants to monitor, how to analyze complex sets of data, where to get help, how
countries can institutionally work together, and how to involve the public in decision-making. Targeted regional or global capacity-building
projects may be necessary to help increase awareness on how to jointly address these contaminant problems. Global projects in this component
can help individual groups of countries to share experience with other areas around the globe and lessons can be derived from the experience.
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IW:LEARN Operational Phase Concept Paper
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New ... information systems have been developed ... that can help countries sort through complex decisions for dealing with root causes of
transboundary environmental degradation. Targeted technical information sharing, capacity building, and training opportunities may also be
appropriate."
27 For specific examples of benefits derived by stakeholders from these IW:LEARN activities, see http://www.iwlearn.org/benefit.php.
28 Addresses priorities expressed in GEF Operational Program Number 10; "Program Objectives" section, paragraph 10.4(d).
http://gefweb.org/Operational_Policies/Operational_Programs/OP_10_English.pdf, the GEF Business Plan FY03-05 (GEF/C.19/10), GEF
Council Meeting 19 Summary of the Charge (pagr. 61) and GEF/C18/5 (pagr. 11), and Priority Issues which STAP Should Address in GEF
Phase III (section 3). http://stapgef.unep.org/documents/PRIORITY%20ISSUES%20III.doc. Furthermore, this also objective facilitates the lead
responsibility of GEF IAs and EAs to "disseminate project level information, including lessons learned," as expressed in Clarifying the Roles and
Responsibilities of the GEF Entities
(http://www.gefweb.org/Documents/Council_Documents/GEF_C19/C.19.8_Roles_and_Responsibilities.pdf).
29 ICT quality criteria include elements such as usability, accessibility in low-bandwidth contexts, and metadata standards for effective
information searching and discovery via search engines.
30 E.g., conferences, meetings, workshops, virtual forums and e-learning exchanges.
31 Ideally in conjunction with activities such as Activity D.4 here.
32 GEF OP 10, paragraph 10.4(d).
33 See Sub-Saharan Africa setion of Annex 4 for other potential partners.
34 E.g., ISARM/ITARM, UNESCO-IHP, University Partnership for Transboundary Waters.
35 Derived from recommendations to the GEF from transboundary waters meeting in Athens (May 2003)
36 E.g., collaboration with UNEP-DEWA to enhance and integrate IW information management; with UNDP's Cap-Net to provide capacity-
building support at sub-regional scales; with World Bank and IFC to address Public-Private partnerships; with World Bank Institution to sustain
Black Sea -Danube Regional Distance Learning Program, etc.
37 Section 14 provides additional details regarding ensuring financial sustainability of the project.
38 As measured by the level of spontaneous interaction amongst GEF projects, unprompted by and independent of external facilitation.
39 GEF. 22 April 2002 [Draft]. Monitoring and Evaluation Indicators for GEF International Waters Projects. Washington, D.C. p. 9
Document Outline