The Natural Resources Group, Asia (NRG) is considered one administrative entity, and has evolved from the previous Ecosystems and Livelihoods Group, Asia construct. It brings under one umbrella all component thematic programmes in IUCN.
The Natural Resources Group is involved in a growing number of wetlands-related projects within Asia. Some of the key initiatives are:
1. The “Mekong WET” project on climate change adaptation in the Lower Mekong Basin. Funded by the German Government’s International Climate Initiative (IKI), “Mekong WET” seeks to build climate resilience by harnessing the benefits of wetlands in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam. In particular, the project aims to: • Conduct climate change vulnerability assessments and develop management plans in ten existing or potential new Ramsar sites in the Mekong Basin, with a focus on climate change adaptation and resilience building; • Improve regional collaboration on transboundary wetlands management. • Build the knowledge, skills and expertise of wetland management staff and community representatives on climate change adaptation in wetland socio-ecological systems.
2. The SDC supported programme, Building River Dialogue and Governance (BRIDGE) is a global programme facilitated by IUCN and is being implemented in more than 14 transboundary river basins across Asia, Africa and Caribbean. The programme supports capacities of countries sharing river or lake basins to implement effective water management arrangements through development of shared vision and application of water diplomacy at multiple levels. In South East Asia, the programme is working in the Mekong with Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
3. The OES funded project, Measuring, Understanding and Adapting to Nexus Trade-offs in the 3S River Basins supports the development of a Nexus assessment on water energy and food for the 3S Basins and its integration within local, national and regional planning. It also supports the promotion of Nexus approaches as a technical pillar of cooperation and diplomatic relationships between countries in the Mekong Basin.
4. The Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative (IBRRI) in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam. The IBRRI was endorsed in June 2016 as one of 19 Ramsar Regional Initiatives globally. It has been designed to support the coordinated implementation of the Ramsar Strategic Plan in the five participating countries and to help improve the visibility and implementation of the Ramsar Convention through transboundary dialogues, capacity building, promotion of scientific and technical cooperation on wetland-related issues of common concern at the regional level, and the involvement of relevant national and regional stakeholders. To ensure oversight and transparency in the management of IBRRI, the initiative has established a governance structure with representatives from both government and non-governmental organisations and with IUCN acting as secretariat.
In order to ensure that this growing portfolio of projects is effectively managed and coordinated, it will be important for NRG to enhance its staff capacity to address wetland-related issues. Additional technical capacity would also enable NRG to develop new initiatives, to strengthen its partnership with the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, and to expand its work in this critical sector.
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