Governance structures for transboundary water management in the Jordan Basin Content Executive summary 4 About the authors 5 Abbreviations and acronyms 6 1. Introduction: Context and aim 7 2. Purpose 9 3. Approach 10 4. Types of basin governance structures 11 5. Types of basin instruments 12 6. Defining the mandate 14 7. Regional governance dispute resolution mechanisms 16 8. Sustainable financing mechanism 18 9. Legal framework – Proposed generic articles of a future Jordan River Basin Commission 20 Intellectual Property Rights 10. Case studies 27 ©All Rights Reserved. The contents of this report are the absolute property of the Stockholm International Water Institute and EcoPeace Middle East. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any 11. Identifying, assessing and communicating the benefits of regional governance 35 form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, for commercial use without prior permission 12. Conclusions and recommended next steps 37 from both the Stockholm International Water Institute and EcoPeace Middle East. The text can be used for educational and research purposes with full accreditation to the Stockholm International Water Institute. References and additional resources 38 This study has been commissioned by EcoPeace Middle East as part of its Jordan River Rehabilitation Project supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). The contents of this paper do not necessarily reflect the positions of EcoPeace Middle East, Sida or the individual authors and contributors. ISBN: 978-91-88495-01-3 How to cite: Yaari, E., Neal (Patrick), M.J., Shubber, Z. 2015. Governance structures for transboundary water management in the Jordan Basin. Stockholm International Water Institute, Stockholm. Cover photo: Jonathan Kalan/EcoPeace Middle East. Authors: Elizabeth Yaari, SIWI, Marian Neal, SIWI and Zaki Shubber. Design: Elin Ingblom, SIWI. Print: Molind, Stockholm, Sverige. The printing process has been certified according to the Nordic Swan label for environmental quality. For latest information please visit www.siwi.org 2 | Governance structures for transboundary water management in the Jordan Basin 3 Executive summary About the authors This report was commissioned from the Stockholm In- • Governance structures can develop over time in This report is authored by experts from the Transboun- Study advisors ternational Water Institute (SIWI) by EcoPeace Middle function and scope to meet the evolving needs of their dary Water Management Unit at the Stockholm Inter- East for the benefit of a wide range of stakeholders members and stakeholder communities. national Water Institute (SIWI) and its partners at the SIWI is extremely grateful for the involvement of its high concerned with designing and establishing a future basin • Benefits of regional cooperation should be assessed UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. Support level panel of advisors who gave their time, expert advice, governance structure for the Lower Jordan River. This regularly and repeatedly to account for emerging chal- for this project was provided by the Swedish Internatio- and feedback throughout the process to produce this work should be considered complementary to the Regi- lenges, new realities and shifting priorities in a basin. nal Development Agency (Sida) to EcoPeace Middle East report. onal Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Master • Intentionally inclusive processes involving a range of as part of their Jordan River Rehabilitation Project. Plan for Sustainable Development in the Jordan Valley stakeholders, ensuring gender equality, and partici- Mr Björn Druse, Managing Director, Finance and released in 2015 by EcoPeace Middle East and its partners pation of community representatives creates more SIWI is a policy institute that generates knowledge and Administration Department, SIWI SIWI and Global Nature Fund (GNF) with the support representative and sustainable outcomes. informs decision-making towards water wise policy and of the European Union’s Sustainable Water Integrated sustainable development. SIWI performs research, builds Dr Therese Sjömander Magnusson, Director, Management (SWIM) programme. The step-wise approach adopted by the authors enables institutional capacity and provides advisory services in Transboundary Water Management Unit, SIWI Throughout this report readers are guided through this document to be used as a consulting tool to facilitate five thematic areas: water governance, transboundary the main questions policy makers and other stakeholders discussion among stakeholders – rather than provide de- water management, water and climate change, the wa- Mr Greg Shapland, Visiting Research Fellow, must address when considering the development of a finitive closed recommendations. Nonetheless, following ter-energy-food nexus, and water economics. SIWI orga- University of Sussex; Honorary Research Fellow, basin governance structure such as: the examination of numerous basin governance agre- nizes the World Water Week in Stockholm – the leading University of Exeter, Research Analysts Alumnus, • What type of basin governance structure is most ements, the authors present a proposed Generic Articles annual global meeting place on water and development Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK relevant? of a Jordan River Basin Organisation. While typical issues – and hosts the Stockholm Water Prize and the • What type of basin instrument is most relevant? in many aspects, the Generic Articles are rooted in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize. Ms Lena Salame, Overall Coordinator of Potential • How the mandate of the basin governance structure context of the Jordan and invite discussion and consul- Conflict to Co-operation Potential, UN World Water could be defined? tation among all stakeholders. The articles represent the The UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education is the Assessment Programme and the International Hydro- • What type of dispute mechanisms can be embedded first detailed formulation of a basin governance structu- largest international graduate water education facility logical Programme of UNESCO in order to manage conflicts that could arise between re for the Jordan and can serve as a starting point for in the world and is based in Delft, the Netherlands. parties? discussions regarding what a future Jordan River basin The Institute confers fully accredited MSc degrees, and Ms Maria Vink, Programme Manager, Transboundary • What kind of financing mechanism could support the governance structure might look like in practice. PhD degrees in collaboration with partner universities. Water Management, SIWI operation of the governance structure and the projects UNESCO-IHE carries out educational, research and to be implemented in the basin? Going forward, SIWI recommends: capacity development activities that complement and Dr Neda Zawahri, Associate Professor of Political • Undertaking a concerted multi-level stakeholder reinforce each other in the broad fields of water engine- Science, Cleveland State University Each of these questions are explored at length alongside consultation process inclusive of both government and ering, water management, environment, sanitation, and a series of short case studies that demonstrate how other civil society voices in all riparian states. governance. Case study contributors basin policy makers and stakeholders have addressed • Workshop discussions of the proposed Generic Artic- these foundational questions. les of a Jordan River Basin Commission articles with Cooperation to develop this report between SIWI and SIWI is grateful to Dr. Dejan Komatina, Secretary of the While each basin is unique – good practice and les- riparian stakeholders. UNESCO-IHE was undertaken under the framework of International Sava River Basin Commission for contri- sons can be transferable to a variety of different contexts. • Implementation of tailor made training modules to a memorandum of understanding on transboundary wa- buting the case study on the Sava Basin, Ms Klomjit Case studies elaborated in this report describe the deve- support capacity building on governance, multi-level ter management and water diplomacy with the support Chandrapanya, Senior Advisor for South East Asia at the lopment of transboundary governance structures where stakeholder consultation processes and water diploma- of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Transboundary Water Management at SIWI for contri- cooperation was fostered around water issues against a cy among riparian stakeholders. buting a case study on the Mekong River Basin, and background of conflicts, where water represented (and • Joint learning tours to the basin case studies discussed The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect Mr Anton Earle, Director of the Africa Regional Center continues to represent) a possible avenue for overcoming in this report to explore governance options in depth. the positions of Sida or the individual authors and at SIWI for his contributions to the Southern Africa case differences between countries or in which the conflict • Regular and repeated assessment of the benefits of contributors. studies. setting of the basin contributed to the trajectory of how cooperation based on international best practices to the governance structure developed. Many lessons of account for evolving political, social, economic and Authors Note of gratitude relevance can be drawn from these experiences such as: environmental challenges