INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Water and Green Growth for Sustainable Development Ganesh Pangare Head, Water and Wetlands Programme Head,

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE

Water and Green Growth for Sustainable Development

Ganesh Pangare Head, Water and Wetlands Programme

Head, Ecosystems and Livelihoods Group,IUCN, Asia Regional Office

Bangkok


About nature.


3


• nature not the problem – but a source of solutions

• complement nature with built infrastructure, don’t replace it

• build the values of nature into economic development


Livelihood for all :

These pictures are of fishermen

from Bangladesh and Japan

Their livelihood is dependent on fishing, for which healthy rivers with abundant fish is necessary.

The issues of livelihood, clean water to maintain ecosystems and life are the same, be it Japan or Bangladesh.


CENTURYASIANECONOMYBOOMING

CITIESBUZZINGPEOPLEUPBEATWATERWEALTH?

Can this current boom be sustained?

Yes it can, if we can manage one of the basic pillars supporting this growth i.e. water

Asia Regional Office, Bangkok


• China PRC today is the world’s second largest economy.

Taihu Basin contributes more than 20 per cent of the GDP of the country.

Shanghai is located in the TaihuBasin. Lake Taihu in 2007 had a major

algae problem due to heavy pollution which threatened the

water supply to Wushi and other towns.

This was awake up call, highlightingthe need that if the economy has to be sustained then the health of the

people and the basin also has to be maintained.


flood regulationwater purification

water provisionwater storage

C sequestrationcoastal defence

water conveyancecultural services

fisheries provision

coastal defence

Ecosystems are infrastructure –

part of the “stock of facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a society and economy.”

Facility Built Natural

Storage • reservoir • upland soils• lakes• aquifers

Conveyance • canals • rivers

Flood regulation • levees• dams

• wetlands• floodplains

Water filtration • filtration plant • wetland

Coastal protection • sea walls• breakwaters

• mangroves & reefs• barrier islands

Nature as Water Infrastructure


Values of Natural Infrastructure


Miyun watershed, People’s Republic of China

Protected watershed on the periphery of Beijing that meets 75% of the city’s water demand. Miyun watershed services: $1.87 billion annually



Nakivubo wetlands, Uganda

Sewage treatment and nutrient retention for 33,000 residents: $1.75 million per year(Emerton 2003)



Green Economy/ Growth

• future growth should reduce poverty, increase social equity, in a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy, while sustaining ecosystems and preventing biodiversity loss


Green Economy/Water – Emerging Success Factors

natural

built

WaterInfrastructure

Economic

Cross-cuttingSocial

Environmental

• efficiency• subsidies• enterprise• optimisation• multipliers

• ecosystems• pollution• wastewater• allocation

• access & equity• livelihoods• jobs• learning• empowerment

• good governance• coherence• adaptive mgt.• incentives• metrics

Value natural infrastructure by investing...

... to secure, im

prove and restore the considerable multi-functional

value of biodiversity and ecosystems to provide food and energy,

conserve water, sustain livelihoods and contribute to a green

economy while strengthening th

e basic role that nature plays in

supporting life, well-being and cultures.


15


Investing in natural infrastructure means investing in people, their capacities and in good governance, including participation



The Green Growth policy aims to effectively implement climate change adaptation strategies nationally and internationally,and thereby contributing to green growth and climate change adaptation in developing countries.

Many international organizations have shown their keen interests in green growth which is a highly effectivestrategy for pursuing environmental protection and economic growth at the same time.

Kwon, Do-YoupMinister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs09 March 2012


Thank you

for your attention

Documents

INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF NATURE Water and Green Growth for Sustainable Development Ganesh Pangare Head, Water and Wetlands Programme Head,