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Thematic Discussion 3 : Environmental Water Security

Ir. (Dr.) Keizrul bin AbdullahChairperson,

Network of Asian River Basin Organizations (NARBO)& Wetlands International Malaysia (MyWI)

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Network of Asian River Basin

Organisations

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Establishment of NARBO on Feb 2004 at Batu, East Java, Indonesia

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85 Members from 18 CountriesMembers River Basin Organisations

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i. Goal :

NARBO’s Charter

• To help achieve IWRM in river basins throughout Asia

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ii. Objectives :

NARBO’s Charter

• To enhance the capacity in IWRM• To ensure equitable and sustainable use

of WR among various stakeholders• Capacity building of RBOs, Policy

Makers, Line Departments in IWRM• Exchange info, knowledge, lessons

learned in managing WR and in conflict resolution

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Water Related Challenges in Asia

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Environmental Water Security Challenges

• Population increase higher demand for water, exceeding river carrying capacity

• Urbanization concentrates water demand, increased pollution; increased floods

• Drought has transformed from local problem to transboundary health and environmental e.g. haze

• Environment lowest priority• Issues of environmental water security will be

exacerbated by climate change

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Water Management Challenges

• Water managed by various ministries and agencies, working in silos and sometimes in competition focus on resource exploitation and economic growth rather than resource conservation and sustainable growth

• Increasing acceptance of the need for holistic management best carried out at river basin level

• Concept of river basin

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– Geographical area determined by the watershed limits of the system of waters, including surface and underground waters, flowing into a common terminus

River Basin

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Nov 2015 When population small Impacts localised

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As population grows Impacts extend beyondUpstream activities affecting downstream areas

and vice versa

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Case Example 1Upstream activities

affecting DownstreamAral Sea

The Aral Sea was once the World’s 4th largest lake

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Nov 2015 From 1930s, water was diverted for irrigation

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Nov 2015 This has resulted in the Aral Sea shrinking

One of the Worst

Environmental Disaster in the

World

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Case Example 2Downstream activities

affecting UpstreamBangkok

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Nov 2015 Upstream activities affecting downstream

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Nov 2015 Downstream activities affecting upstream

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River Basin Organisation (RBO)

• Role of RBOs extending from water management resource management ecosystem consideration

• Constraint countries are still judged by economic growth eg GDP

• Environmental water security need to improve management of the river basin

• NARBO’s present emphasis building capacity of RBOs (both people and the organisation) develop manuals and models improvement through benchmarking

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Natural (Green) Infrastructure

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Scaling up investment in natural infrastructureA business perspective

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SMITHGROUP JJR

WHAT IS NATURAL INFRASTRUCTURE?Natural (or “green”) infrastructure: the strategic use of natural ecosystems to provide benefits that substitute man-made physical infrastructure

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Examples of NI components

Shoreline Protection and Flood Control

Levees / Sea Walls

Mangroves / Coral Reefs / Floodplains

Wastewater Treatment

Water Treatment Facility

Wetlands / Reedbeds

Grey Infrastructure

Natural Infrastructure

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Erosion control

Grey Infrastructure

Dredging Operations

Natural Infrastructure

Forests / Soil Management

Examples of NI components

Healthy ecosystems can provide the same services and benefits as man-made infrastructure at lower cost

Natural infrastructure, in many cases, can provide the same services and benefits as man-made infrastructure and at a lower cost.

A well-functioning ecosystem can deliver the equivalent water availability and filtration, flood control and shoreline protection as a major physical infrastructure project.

Investing in ecosystems is often cost-competitive with man-made infrastructure investments for equivalent services.

Financial reality

Air purificationDow Chemical

Storm-water controlNorth Carolina, USA

$8 billion$1.5 billion

$3.53 / 1000 gallons

$3.24 / 1000 gallons

$1.38 / 1000 gallons

$0.47 / 1000 gallons

Water treatment Maine USA

Water filtrationNew York City

Case Comparative cost

Conventional infrastructureNatural infrastructure

Aquifer protectionIdaho, USA

$2,5000-5,000/ ton NOx$2,400-4,000/ ton of Nox**

$44 million

$1.5-3 million

$155 million

$1 millionShoreline protectionShell

* If reforestation occurs on land owned by Dow

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Business benefits

NI is often cost-competitive

It can appreciate and adapt

It provides benefits to society

Climate change mitigationWildlife habitatAir purificationRecreationSupports livelihoodsRaw materials

It’s flexible and relevant worldwide

It’s been done before - successfully

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Natural (Green) Infrastructure

• An opportunity for business • Can help reduce costs, secure access to water• Enhance resilience and sustainability• Contribute to environmental water security• Healthy ecosystem can provide the same

services and benefits as man-made infrastructure at lower cost

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Specific and Targeted Recommendations

To achieve Environmental Water Security :• Manage water and environment on a river

basin basis, with greater focus on control at source

• Best implemented by RBOs front liners• Disconnect between different levels• Improve capacity of RBOs• More investments in Natural (Green)

Infrastructure

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Thank you