Reflections from the good Reflections from the good practices of the Erhai Lake Basin practices of the Erhai Lake Basin

Management Commission Management Commission (ELBMC) in Integrated Watershed (ELBMC) in Integrated Watershed

ManagementManagement

Dr.Jianping WangDr.Jianping Wang

Yunnan University, P.R.ChinaYunnan University, P.R.China

contentscontents

Rationale & BackgroundRationale & BackgroundResearch questionsResearch questionsMethodologyMethodology Initial findingsInitial findingsReflectionsReflections

Rationale & BackgroundRationale & Background

upriver part of the upriver part of the Lancang-Mekong Lancang-Mekong River Basin (Xier River Basin (Xier river flows into the river flows into the upper Mekong upper Mekong drainage system) drainage system)

approximately approximately 2,565km2 and 120 2,565km2 and 120 rivers which empty rivers which empty into the Lakeinto the Lake

Rationale & BackgroundRationale & Background One lake located One lake located

nearby the big urban nearby the big urban area with population area with population of 650,000of 650,000

successful case of successful case of integrated watershed integrated watershed management management presented in the 13th presented in the 13th world congress of world congress of lakes in 2009 (class 3-lakes in 2009 (class 3-to-class 2 seasonally)to-class 2 seasonally)

The roles of Erhai Lake The roles of Erhai Lake Watershed Management Watershed Management

Commission (ELWMC) has Commission (ELWMC) has played?played?

Research questions 1Research questions 1

What political, economic, social and What political, economic, social and cultural factors enable and affect cultural factors enable and affect ELBMCELBMC’’s role in adopting integrated s role in adopting integrated watershed management? watershed management?

What are the main elements contributed to its What are the main elements contributed to its efficient management and what are the main efficient management and what are the main restrains facing ELBMC?restrains facing ELBMC?

Research questions 2Research questions 2

How is the How is the performanceperformance of the ELBMC in of the ELBMC in terms of institutional transparence, terms of institutional transparence, accountability and financial sustainabilityaccountability and financial sustainability,, and how efficient it is in and how efficient it is in balancingbalancing local local development aspirations and the development aspirations and the conservation goals in the context of Lake conservation goals in the context of Lake Basin management? Basin management?

Research questions 3Research questions 3

How to integrate How to integrate top-downtop-down project project interventions with the interventions with the local local mobilizationmobilization and user-led and user-led initiatives?initiatives?

What roles the local community could possibly What roles the local community could possibly play in facilitating sustainable integrated play in facilitating sustainable integrated watershed management and user-centered social watershed management and user-centered social

learning process?learning process?

Research questions 4Research questions 4

How significant to establish How significant to establish multiple multiple incentive mechanismsincentive mechanisms, namely market-, namely market-based or non-market-based (politically or based or non-market-based (politically or institutionally), to foster the integrated institutionally), to foster the integrated watershed management? watershed management?

and what are the roles the lake basin organization and what are the roles the lake basin organization could play in establishing such multi-layers could play in establishing such multi-layers incentive mechanisms?incentive mechanisms?

MethodologyMethodology

in collaboration with the Great in collaboration with the Great Mekong Subregional Study Center Mekong Subregional Study Center (GMSSC) of Yunnan University (GMSSC) of Yunnan University

A A Literature reviewLiterature review of latest of latest approaches approaches

Field investigation Field investigation

MethodologyMethodology

Field surveys and investigation:Field surveys and investigation:

Methodology: Methodology: Semi-structural interview Semi-structural interview and focus groups interviewand focus groups interview

MethodologyMethodology

Project sitesProject sites’’ visit and outcome visit and outcome evaluationevaluation

Initial findings: Positive aspectsInitial findings: Positive aspects

ELBMC--powerful ELBMC--powerful organizational organizational supports for the sound supports for the sound integrated water integrated water managementmanagement

4 Sectors (water 4 Sectors (water resource; fishing; resource; fishing; tourism and tourism and technology extension)technology extension)

Two main elements contributed to Two main elements contributed to its efficient managementits efficient management

A:A: practicable practicable laws and laws and regulations specialized regulations specialized in IWMin IWM

B: the concept of IWM B: the concept of IWM has been emphasized has been emphasized since the day one, since the day one, embodied in all embodied in all strategy -makingstrategy -making

Performance of ELBMCPerformance of ELBMC

ELBMC is relatively transparent due to the fact ELBMC is relatively transparent due to the fact that the that the performance evaluationperformance evaluation of the of the governmental officers had been linked directly to governmental officers had been linked directly to the outcome of the Erhai conservationthe outcome of the Erhai conservation

Letter of commitment ,Letter of commitment , default finedefault fine

PES mechanism has been established but mainly PES mechanism has been established but mainly government driven, not market-basedgovernment driven, not market-based

Awareness promotion initiatives at Awareness promotion initiatives at the community level have had the community level have had apparent outcomes; apparent outcomes;

School education, advising campaign,School education, advising campaign, cabbage collector, 70% drinking water from Erhaicabbage collector, 70% drinking water from Erhai

Income from eco-Tourism has supplied the local livelihood Income from eco-Tourism has supplied the local livelihood in certain ways ( but tourism can be a double-edged in certain ways ( but tourism can be a double-edged

sword )sword )

Restriction and issues Restriction and issues (ELBMC)(ELBMC)

insufficient empowerment of ELBMC and insufficient empowerment of ELBMC and insufficient capability of monitoring and implying insufficient capability of monitoring and implying

the lawthe law

Human Resource, technical, financial Human Resource, technical, financial constrains of ELBMCconstrains of ELBMC

During last 5 years , more than 1.6 billion RMB During last 5 years , more than 1.6 billion RMB has been invested into the Erhai conservation and has been invested into the Erhai conservation and protection ,but most of them are from protection ,but most of them are from governmental fundsgovernmental funds

111people in charge of 250km111people in charge of 250km22

Heavily depended on the other technological Heavily depended on the other technological institutions. institutions.

Insufficient consideration on local needs and the Insufficient consideration on local needs and the

heterogeneous of stakeholdersheterogeneous of stakeholders

weak in cross –basin water weak in cross –basin water managementmanagement

Lack of flexibility and proper mechanism to adapt Lack of flexibility and proper mechanism to adapt to climate changeto climate change

Restriction and issuesRestriction and issues

remain government-driven intervention,remain government-driven intervention,

multiple incentive mechanisms, including multiple incentive mechanisms, including technical, political, institutional , market-based or technical, political, institutional , market-based or legal approach, hasnlegal approach, hasn’’t been established; t been established;

The lake ecosystem hasnThe lake ecosystem hasn’’t been fully recovered t been fully recovered due to the historical reason.due to the historical reason.

Insufficient bottom up approach and Insufficient bottom up approach and local mobilization, lack of user-led local mobilization, lack of user-led initiativesinitiatives

Reflections Reflections

Solving non-point pollution issue Solving non-point pollution issue needs multi-dimension effortsneeds multi-dimension efforts

The significance of the balance The significance of the balance between conservation and between conservation and development hasndevelopment hasn’’t been fully t been fully recognized by the governmental recognized by the governmental officersofficers

The lack of organizing and mechanism at the community The lack of organizing and mechanism at the community level has led to inappropriate resource uselevel has led to inappropriate resource use

Strong top-down approach can be very Strong top-down approach can be very efficient, especially at some critical efficient, especially at some critical periods, periods,

However, considering the However, considering the sustainability sustainability of of all sorts of methods, bottom up approach all sorts of methods, bottom up approach needs further emphasized in Erhai lake, as needs further emphasized in Erhai lake, as well as in other Chinese watershed (such well as in other Chinese watershed (such as public monitoring).as public monitoring).

Next stepsNext steps1, Writing up the mid-term report1, Writing up the mid-term report

2, Focus for the second field trip (Feb 2012)2, Focus for the second field trip (Feb 2012) Target one fishing village for in-depth investigation (ie. Target one fishing village for in-depth investigation (ie.

Haiying village)Haiying village) Trace down to the downstream of Xier river and get more Trace down to the downstream of Xier river and get more

information about the water treatment and pollution controlinformation about the water treatment and pollution control Collection of the new 12.5 major plan for Erhai conservationCollection of the new 12.5 major plan for Erhai conservation Collection of more information about the way that the Collection of more information about the way that the

different governmental departments or private sector different governmental departments or private sector cooperated with ELBMC, such as environmental, agricultural cooperated with ELBMC, such as environmental, agricultural and so on and so on

Thanks for feedback!Thanks for feedback!