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Many countries around the world share river basins and therefore have an interest in the collaborative management and use of the water resources. As such river basin management entities have been established to facilitate this collaboration. At the same time, transboundary conservation has become a recognised approach to the achievement of common conservation goals across ecosystems that have been divided by international boundaries, and many of these initiatives are located within shared river basins. This provides the ideal opportunity for entities with common interests to collaborate further given that the achievement of ecosystem conservation objectives through transboundary conservation arrangements will contribute to the sustainable management of shared river basins. This webinar will explore the role which transboundary conservation can play in the enhancement of shared river basin management and present case studies, thus providing a platform for the sharing of knowledge and experiences and for learning.
AGENDA
14:00 Stefania Petrosillo and Piet Theron: Welcome
14:05 Kevan Zunckel: Challenges in Multi-national River Basin Management and the Role of Transboundary Conservation
14:15 Interventions:
Eddie Riddel: Multinational Management within the Limpopo Commission - South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
Nadav Tal: Harnessing Water for Regional Cooperation - Israel, Palestine and Jordan
Henk Zingstra: Reconnecting the Latorica River Floodplain Landscape in a Transboundary Context - Ukraine and Slovakia
15:00 Questions and Answers, Debate (*) Moderated by Kevan Zunckel
15:25 Kevan Zunckel and Stefania Petrosillo: Conclusions
Eddie Riddell is the Regional Coordinator for a UNDP-GEF International Waters program within the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM) & Global Water Partnership Southern Africa (GWPSA). He served as the freshwater ecosystem manager for the Kruger National Park, South African National Parks (SANParks). Dr Riddell’s research and technical approaches aims to achieve resilient river basin management and adaptive ecosystem outcomes. Through this his work has a transboundary focus, in southern Africa, harmonising the mutual interests of River Basin Organisations (RBOs) and Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). He is also an Honorary Research Associate at the Centre for Water Resources Research, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and a registered Water Resources Professional with SACNASP.
Nadav Tal is a professional hydrologist and Water Officer at EcoPeace Middle East since 2015. Previously, he worked in the private sector as a consultant for Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection in the field of soil contamination and groundwater remediation. In 2011, he completed his studies in groundwater remediation at Princeton University. Mr Tal is an environmental activist dedicated to nature conservation and environmental protection, integrating outdoor activities across the Middle East. He previously managed the "Good Water Neighbors" project alongside his role as a Community Coordinator, and led research with Oxford University on water use efficiency in the Jordan River Basin. Today, he is leading EcoPeace Middle East efforts on environmental conservation in the Dead Sea basin and protection of UNESCO world heritage sites.
Henk Zingstra is part of a project funded by the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme aiming to initiate transboundary collaboration on the Latorica River, shared between Ukraine and Slovakia. Mr Zingstra was project manager of several projects in the field of nature protection and integrated water resources management across Europe. Among others, he led a project that brought the former Yugoslav countries together to establish the Sava River Basin Commission and to develop an ecological network along the Sava River. He contributed to fostering collaboration between Spain and Portugal on their shared rivers and managed a project that resulted in the designation of a transboundary Ramsar site along the Estonia-Latvia border. He is currently self-employed and works for Wetlands International Europe and Eurosite.
Kevan Zunckel is an independent ecological and environmental management consultant, with experience in both river basin management and transboundary conservation. He is Senior Advisor to the TBCSG.
Stefania Petrosillo is an expert on Protected Areas and international cooperation. She is self-employed and works as a consultant for the European Commission. She is Co-chair of the TBCSG.
Piet Theron is a Landscape Architect. He works for Conservation International and he is Senior Advisor of Greater Kruger & Mozambique. He is co-Chair of the TBCSG.
This Webinar is organised by the IUCN WCPA Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group. Our primary goal is to promote and support the development of transboundary initiatives that enhance biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use, safeguard cultural values and strengthen international cooperation and co-management of specific sites. The TBCSG strives to facilitate the exchange of knowledge between protected area managers and international experts, contributing to the effective planning and management of transboundary areas.