-1/5 of the fresh water in the world flows through the Amazon system
Amazon river average annual discharge of 175.000m3/second
Ica Putumayo
Japura
Jurua
Madeira
Mananon
Purus
Rio Negro
Tapajos
Ucayali
Xingu
MGT of America, Inc.
International interest in water issues has grown rapidly over the last few years. In response to this heightened interest, the Brundtland Commission (The World Commission on Environment and Development), proposed "sustainable development" to the world in 1987, and identified water as a key issue amongst global environmental concerns. The idea of sustainable development gained momentum at The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), or the Earth Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 1992. This conference was of particular importance to water issues since new organizations were created as a result of the increasing interest in water issues. The conference adopted Agenda 21 that forms the plan for governments, civil society and international organizations for working toward sustainable development.The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established to forge international cooperation and finance actions to address critical threats to the global environment. It was launched in 1991 as an experimental facility but it was restructured after the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio the Janeiro. In 1994 it was restructured as a permanent financial mechanism.
Transboundary Issues: global perspective
Bolivia Brasil Colombia Ecuador French Guyana Guyana Peru Suriname Venezuela
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The member countries (176) include developing and developed countries, as well as those with economies in transition. Each country has GEF representative officials: a Political/National focal point who coordinates matters related to GEF governance and an Operational Focal Point who oversees project-related matters. These focal points help ensure that projects arise from their country's own priorities.The GEF Council is the main governing body of the GEF. It is comprised of 32 members who represent GEF member countries. All GEF full-size projects must be approved by the GEF Council. The GEF Assembly is comprised of all the countries that are members of the GEF. It meets once every four years to review the policies and operations of the GEF. The GEF Secretariat serves and reports to the Assembly and Council. It is headed by the GEF CEO and chairman Len Wood. The Secretariat coordinates the implementation of GEF activities such as projects, programs, as well as the formulation of policies and operational strategies.
Transboundary Issues- Future Development
Economic growth Road
Construction Water Supplies Enery Supplies Sanitation
MGT of America, Inc.
The member countries (176) include developing and developed countries, as well as those with economies in transition. Each country has GEF representative officials: a Political/National focal point who coordinates matters related to GEF governance and an Operational Focal Point who oversees project-related matters. These focal points help ensure that projects arise from their country's own priorities.The GEF Council is the main governing body of the GEF. It is comprised of 32 members who represent GEF member countries. All GEF full-size projects must be approved by the GEF Council. The GEF Assembly is comprised of all the countries that are members of the GEF. It meets once every four years to review the policies and operations of the GEF. The GEF Secretariat serves and reports to the Assembly and Council. It is headed by the GEF CEO and chairman Len Wood. The Secretariat coordinates the implementation of GEF activities such as projects, programs, as well as the formulation of policies and operational strategies.
Transboundary Issues- Future Development
Climate Change Deforestation Social impacts Displaced
population Indigenous people
MGT of America, Inc.
The member countries (176) include developing and developed countries, as well as those with economies in transition. Each country has GEF representative officials: a Political/National focal point who coordinates matters related to GEF governance and an Operational Focal Point who oversees project-related matters. These focal points help ensure that projects arise from their country's own priorities.The GEF Council is the main governing body of the GEF. It is comprised of 32 members who represent GEF member countries. All GEF full-size projects must be approved by the GEF Council. The GEF Assembly is comprised of all the countries that are members of the GEF. It meets once every four years to review the policies and operations of the GEF. The GEF Secretariat serves and reports to the Assembly and Council. It is headed by the GEF CEO and chairman Len Wood. The Secretariat coordinates the implementation of GEF activities such as projects, programs, as well as the formulation of policies and operational strategies.
Amazon Basin Future:Brazil Perspectives
Legal Amazon Development
(Colonization)
Gold mining (Water Contamination)
Agricultural Boom -Soybean
MGT of America, Inc.
Over the past decade, the GEF has been the most important proponent of projects that help the developing countries to initiate a joint action to protect their shared waters and develop projects on a sustainable fashion way. The GEF's international waters focal area includes both marine and freshwater systems. The facility acts primarily as a channel for the implementation of comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary waters and their drainage basins. The GEF seeks to assist countries to identify and work jointly with their neighbors in order to address threats to the shared water body due to human activities. This approach is multi-sectoral, and the operational strategy in international waters is to help countries to use their full range of technical, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional activities needed to find solutions for the transboundary waters and their drainage basins issues (GEF, 1996)
What to do about Amazonia?Brazil Perspectives
Comprehensive, ecosystem-based approach to managing waters and their drainage basins.
Integrate the lessons learned from earlier experiences to achieve better results.
Work with neighbors countries (eg. Bolivia, Peru) to develop joint water development projects.
MGT of America, Inc.
Over the past decade, the GEF has been the most important proponent of projects that help the developing countries to initiate a joint action to protect their shared waters and develop projects on a sustainable fashion way. The GEF's international waters focal area includes both marine and freshwater systems. The facility acts primarily as a channel for the implementation of comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary waters and their drainage basins. The GEF seeks to assist countries to identify and work jointly with their neighbors in order to address threats to the shared water body due to human activities. This approach is multi-sectoral, and the operational strategy in international waters is to help countries to use their full range of technical, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional activities needed to find solutions for the transboundary waters and their drainage basins issues (GEF, 1996)
Case Study: Samuel Dam
MGT of America, Inc.
Over the past decade, the GEF has been the most important proponent of projects that help the developing countries to initiate a joint action to protect their shared waters and develop projects on a sustainable fashion way. The GEF's international waters focal area includes both marine and freshwater systems. The facility acts primarily as a channel for the implementation of comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary waters and their drainage basins. The GEF seeks to assist countries to identify and work jointly with their neighbors in order to address threats to the shared water body due to human activities. This approach is multi-sectoral, and the operational strategy in international waters is to help countries to use their full range of technical, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional activities needed to find solutions for the transboundary waters and their drainage basins issues (GEF, 1996)
Case Study: Samuel Dam
Madeira River Sub-basin
Location: Jamari RiverNearest City: Porto Velho, Rondonia.Type of Vegetation: Tropical forestRiver annual flow: 366 m3/sYear filled: 1988
MGT of America, Inc.
Over the past decade, the GEF has been the most important proponent of projects that help the developing countries to initiate a joint action to protect their shared waters and develop projects on a sustainable fashion way. The GEF's international waters focal area includes both marine and freshwater systems. The facility acts primarily as a channel for the implementation of comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary waters and their drainage basins. The GEF seeks to assist countries to identify and work jointly with their neighbors in order to address threats to the shared water body due to human activities. This approach is multi-sectoral, and the operational strategy in international waters is to help countries to use their full range of technical, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional activities needed to find solutions for the transboundary waters and their drainage basins issues (GEF, 1996)
Case Study: Samuel Dam
Madeira River Sub-basin
Planeation and Construction
Rol of politics
Environmental impact assessment?
Development
MGT of America, Inc.
Over the past decade, the GEF has been the most important proponent of projects that help the developing countries to initiate a joint action to protect their shared waters and develop projects on a sustainable fashion way. The GEF's international waters focal area includes both marine and freshwater systems. The facility acts primarily as a channel for the implementation of comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary waters and their drainage basins. The GEF seeks to assist countries to identify and work jointly with their neighbors in order to address threats to the shared water body due to human activities. This approach is multi-sectoral, and the operational strategy in international waters is to help countries to use their full range of technical, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional activities needed to find solutions for the transboundary waters and their drainage basins issues (GEF, 1996)
Over the past decade, the GEF has been the most important proponent of projects that help the developing countries to initiate a joint action to protect their shared waters and develop projects on a sustainable fashion way. The GEF's international waters focal area includes both marine and freshwater systems. The facility acts primarily as a channel for the implementation of comprehensive, ecosystem-based approaches to managing transboundary waters and their drainage basins. The GEF seeks to assist countries to identify and work jointly with their neighbors in order to address threats to the shared water body due to human activities. This approach is multi-sectoral, and the operational strategy in international waters is to help countries to use their full range of technical, economic, financial, regulatory and institutional activities needed to find solutions for the transboundary waters and their drainage basins issues (GEF, 1996)
Lessons for the future
Questions for discussion
Development in the Amazonia Basin region is just beginning and it has been compared to the 19th-century “wild west” of the United States. The rich hydrology of the region presents an opportunity for several water and hydropower related projects.
Do you think a global policy or recommendation should be adopted in order to limit the number of projects (Dams, waterways) for this region?
How can future projects avoid the mistakes made in older waterprojects?
