9 – 13 May 2016, Sri Lanka
Follow the official IWC8 live-blog at https://openchannels.org/chat/
The GEF CReW Project will be represented by Project Coordinator, Alfredo Coello Vazquez, at the signature learning event for the Global Environment Facility’s International Waters portfolio, the Eighth GEF Biennial International Waters Conference (GEF IWC 8) which takes place 9 – 13 May 2016 in Sri Lanka.
Christopher Corbin, AMEP Programme Officer at UNEP’s Regional Coordinating Unit, Secretariat to the Cartagena Convention, responsible for implementation of GEF CReW’s Regional Components, will also actively be promoting CReW and its achievements.
IWC8 is meant to facilitate cross-sectoral and portfolio-wide learning and experience sharing. Ongoing projects share experiences and lessons learnt and provide inputs on a number of urgent issues. Participants benefit from capacity building in key management and technical areas.
About 300 participants, comprising GEF IW project managers, representatives of beneficiary countries, non-governmental organizations, transboundary management institutions, UN Agencies and the private sector will participate. According to GEF IW LEARN, about 90 active GEF IW projects, 80 countries and the various GEF Agencies will be represented.
More information about IWC 8 is available at:
http://iwlearn.net/abt_iwlearn/events/conferences/iwc8-2016
IWC8 is organized under the theme Scaling Up GEF IW Investments from Source to Sea and Beyond in the Context of Achieving the SDGs. The United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has set a new development agenda for the 2015 to 2030 period. While GEF IW investments directly or indirectly tie into each of the 17 SDGs and 168 targets, two SDGs—Ensure access to water and sanitation for all and Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources—are of particular relevance to the GEF’s IW investments. With the new global development commitments in mind, the focus of the conference will be on: learning tracks devoted to catalyzing transformation and scaling up investments; strengthening governance processes to sustain project interventions; and data to policy.
CReW will be represented in several aspects of the Conference, including:
- The IWC8 Film Festival: “The Value of Action”, a 12-minute long short video documentary which introduces the methodology of Resource Valuation developed for use in wastewater decision making. An independent panel will select five films from the submission pool for festival screening on the evening of 10 May 2016.
- The Innovation Marketplace: GEF CReW’s Poster, displaying results, unique approaches and catalytic outcomes, taking replication and sustainability into consideration. More details of Project challenges, achievements and lessons learnt are available in a summary document titled :"Charting a New Course for Wastewater Management in the WiderCaribbean Region: GEF CReW's Journey.'
- Portfolio Solutions Exchange: In the first Plenary on Monday 9 May, Alfredo Coello Vazquez, Project Coordinator, will make a short presentation on GEF CReW, and introduce the concept of the proposed follow-on project, CReW+. CReW is one of three projects selected for presentation and the Pecha Kucha format is being used.
- Panel Discussion participation, 10 May: Mobilizing Finance and Scaling up Investment: Good Practices towards meeting the SDGs: Alfredo Coello Vazquez.
- Panel Discussion participation, 12 May: Jungle of Indicators: Christopher Corbin.
Follow our participation as we post photographs all week long!