SWIM-SM technical assistance to the Partner Countries includes six main types of interventions, each one under a Work Package, related respectively to:
1- Water governance and mainstreaming of water considerations into other sectoral policies and strategies;
2- Capacity building and empowerment of water related stakeholders so that they can assist in the planning and development of water resources management in a holistic manner;
3- Application of water management plans by strengthening intra sector and inter-sector dialogue and contributing to the harmonization of approaches and policies;
4- Identification and promotion of good practices and success stories on water management and de-pollution of the Mediterranean;
5- Communication and awareness raising activities relevant to the topics of the project and;
6- Support to the European Commission with the overall implementation of the SWIM Programme and particularly of the Demonstration Projects, to ensure interaction and fruitful coordination among them and between them and the Support Mechanism.
Based on the analytical work realised during the SWIM-SM’s Inception Phase (January-August 2011) and the identification by Partner Countries (PCs) of prominent issues of concern for their water sector, four Thematic Pillars have emerged as regional priorities, around which SWIM-SM activities are structured and implemented.
These are:
A. Non Conventional Water Resources
B. Economic Valuation of Water Pollution and Abatement Interventions
C. No-regret Actions for the Adaptation of the Water Sector to Climate Change
D. Water Governance at the Local Level: Sharing Experiences from Water Users' Associations
For more information on the four Thematic Pillars click here
The six Work Packages cut horizontally across the four Thematic Pillars and SWIM-SM proposes regional activities that address both the Pillars and the horizontal components so as to provide the flexibility required for the Partner Countries to select appropriate activities consistent with their national priorities for the water sector.
Work Package 1: Water Governance and Mainstreaming The aim of this WP is to:
- support institutional strengthening;
- contribute towards ensuring that national water strategies and plans properly address issues of sustainable water resource management, based on internationally accepted principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM);
- promote water considerations and their mainstreaming in other relevant sectoral policies and strategies (for example agriculture, tourism and industry), as well as in national development plans.
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Work Package 2: Capacity Building Activities The aim of this WP is to:
- support the strengthening of stakeholders’ capacity at regional level
- contribute to the empowerment of water related institutions;
- identify and build synergies with competent national and regional training institutions, relevant initiatives and projects
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Work Package 3: Application of Water Management Plans The aim of this WP is to:
- strengthen intra‐sector - within all actors in the water sector, namely ministries, local authorities, civil society, etc. - and inter‐sector dialogue;
- exchange experience in liaison with Horizon 2020 and MED EUWI;
- catalyse action from partner countries and other donors, elaborate upon thematic issues, and harmonise approaches and policies
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Work Package 4: Identification of Good Practices & Success Stories in the Region & elsewhere The aim of this WP is to identify and promote good practices and success stories on water management and/or de‐pollution of the Mediterranean with an emphasis on water issues under SWIM-SM main thematics.
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Work Package 5: Development of a Communication and Awareness Raising Strategy The aim of this WP is to develop a regional strategy for communication and awareness raising that could be applied regionally and nationally and actively involve key players and stakeholders inside and outside the water sector.
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Work Package 6: Support the Commission with the overall Coordination of the Programme The aim of this WP is to provide technical support to the European Commission with the implementation of the demonstration projects, and strengthen the interaction and communication among them and the Support Mechanism.
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Pillar A: Non-conventional Water Resources The objective of this pillar is to:
- enhance the policy, institutional and legal framework for the management of non-conventional water resources, within the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) context; and
- strengthen the institutional capacity and public participation for the planning and management of these resources.
The main non-conventional water resources are: re-use of treated wastewater, including its use in the recharge of groundwater aquifers and, as a last resort, desalination, using renewable energy where technically and economically feasible, and minimising environmental impacts.
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Pillar B: Economic Valuation of Water Resources The objective of this pillar is to:
- update the estimates on the annual costs of water degradation in selected basins or water sheds in the SWIM Partner Countries (PCs);
- identify in specific basins in three PCs priority remedial actions of highly polluted water;
- build capacity in PCs on environmental valuation and
- involve stakeholders in the particular basins through consultation to build consensus and dissemination of results at the watershed /basin level.
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Pillar C: No-regret Actions for Climate Change Adaptation The objective of this pillar is to:
- support Partner Countries in their climate change adaptation efforts for developing no regret actions through technical assistance, policy guidance, capacity development and awareness,
- strengthen the institutional and technical capacity for designing and implementing concrete no regret adaptation actions; and
- improve governance in water planning, allocation and service delivery, increasing awareness and disseminating climate change information.
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Pillar D: Economic Valuation of Water Resources The objective of this pillar is to:
- identify concrete actions for improving local water management and reinforcing users’ participation;
- assess the adequacy of water legislations for the establishment and effective operation of WUAs and identify opportunities for updating and/or amending water legislation;
- provide WUAs with tools that would enable them to be actively involved in decision-making in the water sector on selected areas and at the local level, and
- create partnerships among policy makers, civil society and local communities in ways that enhance mutual trust and collaboration.
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Click on the titles of Work Packages or Pillars in the above matrix to read more about SWIM-SM activities