During 2013, the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) has engaged a range of actors working with freshwater, coastal and marine issues to explore the potential of establishing a more long-term collaboration platform and seek solutions to the challenges surrounding the governance and management of natural resources in the source to sea continuum. Delta Alliance is one of the founding fathers of the Action Platform for Source to Sea Management and is in good company of several international and UN organisations dealing with the issue.
Background
The dynamic interface between land and oceans captures the key development and environmental challenges of our time. Coastal zones are essential parts of a river basin, but are often managed in isolation. The high social, environmental and economic costs of the disconnected management of land, freshwater, coastal and ocean systems are well documented but are poorly addressed in many parts of the world. With a majority of the mega-cities and economic centers located on or near water, coastal areas are the fastest growing and most valuable territories on earth. They are also the most vulnerable to growing pressures from climate change and land-based activities, which cause 80 percent of nutrient- and chemical-based marine pollution. The impacts of this pollution are compounded by reduced flows reaching the sea after much of the water is abstracted upstream.
The international community has recognized the need for integrated management in the Manila Declaration to Strengthen Protection of Global Marine Environment, adopted by 65 countries in January 2012, which committed “to improve cooperation and coordination at all levels to deal with issues related to oceans, coasts, islands and their associated watersheds, by applying integrated management such as “ridge to reef” approaches, including by involving stakeholders and developing innovative solutions to improve or resolve identified problems”.
Mission and Objectives
This global platform has been designed to convene key stakeholders from the freshwater, coastal and marine communities in order to develop, where none exist, effective partnerships and catalyze innovation and action. It will facilitate contact between decision makers and experts to provide on demand knowledge, support, advice and guidance to policy making and implementation on freshwater, land, coast and sea.
Activities
Several activities are envisaged and will be further developed by the network. These include: i) joint programmes to form effective partnerships to engage in collaborative projects; ii) technical expertise to support planning and decision making; iii) knowledge sharing to collect and showcase best practices and valuable experiences; iv) capacity development on the application of specific tools and approaches; v)support participation and regular contribution to the UNEP-GPA Global Partnerships on Nutrients, Marine Litter and Wastewater, Global Partnership for Oceans (GPO) and vi) Advocacy and policy dialogue to increase attention and action to address “hotspots” in international processes.
Membership
The platform is open to governments, private sector, scientific community, civil society organizations and UN agencies that are committed to improving coherence and coordination in land, water, and coastal management. Membership is voluntary and non-binding. Founding organizations of the platform are SIWI, UNDP, GEF, UNEP-GPA, UNEP-DHI, Delta Alliance international, SEI, Xiamen University and Conservation International.
Read more in the Scoping note dated 29 October 2013.
