Development Aspects Impressum Editors

Foreword

Leading up to the occasion of the UN Conference on Sus- tainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012 and based on the assertion that capacity development is key to the transition to a green economy, in particular when it comes to effectively addressing challenges in knowledge and technology transfer, UNW-DPC has placed a major em- phasis on a series of “green economy” related activities throughout 2011 and 2012.
Clean water and sanitation are essential to human well- being and social equity, and given the current political
momentum, inter-agency mechanisms working towards improving these condi- tions, such as UN-Water, have a unique opportunity to step up to the plate with coordinated, timely, cross-sectoral messages and actions that address the wide spectrum of issues that achieving a green economy will require.
To bring the areas of “capacity development” and “water” together under the green economy umbrella, UNW-DPC put out a call for contributions and best prac- tices to all UN-Water members and partners in order to produce this state-of-the- art publication on capacity development for water and the green economy.
We are pleased that so many answered our call, and that this book can showcase excellent global examples from nearly a dozen UN-Water member and partner organizations worldwide.
Specifically, the book fills a gap in current knowledge when it comes to connecting capacity development, water, and green economy practices. Of particular impor- tance are capacity development practices for knowledge transfer and adaption/ adoption; capacity development practices for technology development/adoption/ transfer; individual capacity development practices; and institutional capacity de- velopment practices.
We are very pleased to present this publication to you, and wish you an interest- ing read.

Reza Ardakanian

Director, UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC)

Overview of the Book

More and more societies are looking to transfer their economies into green econo- mies. This begs questions such as what are the characteristics of a green economy, and what will it take to accomplish it with respect to capacity development needs within the water supply and sanitation sector?
While the “green economy” concept still needs to be defined and agreed in detail, UNEP’s working definition considers a green economy to be one which re- sults in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities: ”In its simplest expression, a green economy can be thought of as one which is low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive” (UNEP)¹.
Furthermore, the green economy approach “seeks, in principle, to unite under a single banner the entire suite of economic policies ... of relevance to sustainable development” (Ibid.). As such, this approach includes already approved holistic management approaches such as integrated water resources management and combines principles of social inclusiveness, resource and energy efficiency, while assuring biodiversity and sustainable ecosystem services.
In its Green Economy Report, UNEP² (2011) provides six key messages with respect to water:

1. 
   Water, a basic necessity for sustaining life, goes undelivered to many of the world’s poor.
   
2. 
   The existing inadequacies in provision of water and sanitation services generate considerable social costs and economic inefficiencies.
   
3. 
   Continuing current practices will lead to a massive and unsustainable gap be- tween global supply and demand for water withdrawal. This is exacerbated by failure to collect and treat used water to enable subsequent uses.
   
4. 
   The availability of an adequate quantity of water, of sufficient quality, is a service provided by ecosystems.
   
5. 
   Accelerated investment in water-dependent ecosystems, in water infrastructure and in water management can be expected to expedite the transition to a green economy.
   
6. 
   When investment is coupled with improvements in institutional arrangements, entitlement and allocation system, the expansion of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), and the improvement of water charging and finance arrange-
   

1. 
   http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/AboutGEI/WhatisGEI/tabid/29784/Default.aspx
   
2. 
   http://www.unep.org/greeneconomy/Portals/88/documents/ger/ger_final_dec_2011/4.0-WAT- Water.pdf
   

ments, the amount that needs to be invested in water can be reduced signifi- cantly.

Capacity development has a core role in the improvement of water supply and sanitation. Furthermore, the meaning of “capacity” has evolved with respect to target groups and scope, from a formerly narrow definition of capacity in the sense of strengthening administrative personnel “to plan implement, manage or evalu- ate policies, strategies, or programs designed to impact on social conditions in the community” (Shafritz,³ 1985).
More inclusive definitions (Zinke 2006⁴) define capacity as “the emergent combination of attributes that enables a human system to create development value” and “the overall ability of a system to perform and to sustain itself: the coherent combination of competencies and capabilities.” In addition, UNDP de- fines capacity as the ability of individuals, institutions, and societies to perform functions, solve problems, and set and achieve objectives in a sustainable manner. Accordingly, capacity development (CD) can be understood as the process through which the abilities to do so are obtained, strengthened, adapted and maintained over time (UNDP)⁵.
The aim of this book is to give special attention to the needs related to capacity development for water resources management, including water supply and sanita- tion, in the context of the green economy. This is done by showcasing theoretical and practical approaches which have proved to be successful. Most of the con- tributions come from members and partners within the interagency mechanism known as UN-Water. As such, the book is in line with the mandates of UN-Water and the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development, which are to strengthen coordination and coherence among UN entities within UN-Water as they deal with issues related to all aspects of freshwater and sanitation. Along these lines, UNW-DPC aims to support not only capacity development related to water, but also education, training and institutional development. The 11 case studies in this book cover the entire range from innovative design and delivery of CD programmes related to water in the green economy, market mechanisms, and quality control procedures supporting CD success towards the practical implemen- tation of programmes to enhance individual and institutional capacity.
How is CD in water and sanitation contributing to the transitioning process towards green economy? Considering the core features of green economies, en- hanced resource and energy efficiency, it becomes obvious that water use efficien- cy is a central aspect of green economy. Therefore, regional and locally adapted water management strategies are crucial to underpin the transition towards the green economy in the water sector. Institutional capacity is seen as a pre-requisite for the implementation and enforcement of such measures to shift from “business- as-usual” practices to green water economies. The extent to which institutional capacity will be developed will determine the actual implementation of reforms in

3. 
   Shafritz, J.M. 1985. The Facts on File dictionary of public administration. Facts on File, New York, N.Y.
   
4. 
   Zinke, j. 2006. Monitoring and Evaluation of capacity and capacity development. Series. 38.
   
5. 
   http://www.undppc.org.fj/_resources/article/files/19.pdf
   

all sectors (Chapter 1). As a platform to foster this process, capacity-building net- works such as Cap-Net are designed to contribute to sustainable water manage- ment and thus recognize multiple water users and a variety of institutions which constitute water governance. These networks at the national, regional, and global level are driven by agreed principles on how water resources should be managed, which include:

1. 
   The right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right, and the critical importance of water resources for sustainable development, includ- ing poverty and hunger eradication, public health, food security, hydropower, agriculture and rural development;
   
2. 
   The necessity of setting goals for wastewater management, including reducing water pollution from households, industrial and agricultural sources and pro- moting water efficiency, wastewater treatment and the use of wastewater as a resource, particularly in expanding urban areas;
   
3. 
   The commitment made in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) re- garding the development and implementation of integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans; and
   
4. 
   The need to address the interrelationship between water, energy, food and climate change in order to achieve synergies as well as to minimize conflicts among policy objectives, being particularly sensitive to impacts on vulnerable populations.
   

These principles are included in all contents and capacity development delivery, and the impact of this delivery is monitored at the recipient level to measure spe- cific impact in terms of concrete changes in water resources management, as well as access to water and sanitation. These changes are found in new practices, poli- cies, laws, and institutional arrangements, which are in turn in line with sustainable water resources management, green economy development, and contributions to improved access to water and sanitation (Chapter 3).
Methodologies such as the Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technology (TEST) (Chapter 4) help to improve water use efficiency and waste water treatment at the company level by analyzing the production process for water inefficiencies and suggesting improvements with related costs and savings.
Enhanced water use efficiency and water quality are also core topics of other case studies dealing with the safe use of wastewater in agriculture (Chapter 5), rainwater harvesting (Chapter 6), the eco-tank model for sanitation and improved water quality (Chapter 9), the management of natural infrastructures (Chapter 11), and the importance of public policies with emphasis on commitment, efficiency, equity and sustainability (Chapter 7).
Other characteristics of a green economy are reduced carbon emissions, so- cially inclusive approaches and reduced environmental impacts. In order to ac- complish this, it is suggested to implement policy reforms towards better water management on the demand side (as opposed to water supply policies) and to

increase water productivity by unlocking soil water potential through integrated land and water management (Chapter 1). Other solutions favour CD interventions explicitly addressing sustainability as a crosscutting issue from institutional, regula- tory, social, financial, commercial or operational perspectives (Chapter 2). Using capacity-building networks such as Cap-Net also supports these green economy features by fostering open partnerships based on principles such as equity, gender balance and environmental sustainability, which are low carbon because of mini- mized travel (Chapter 3). In Chapter 10 the complete cycle of resource use helped to reduce environmental impacts: biogas production from dairy farming in Indone- sia reduced deforestation, as wood was replaced by biogas for cooking purposes. Environmental education is seen as essential for generating capacity with respect to environmental awareness with the goal of creating environmentally-sensitized citizens. For social inclusiveness, special focus needs to be given to the expansion of water services to low income groups while using subsidy systems that guarantee low income groups access to basic water services (Chapter 7).

Interdisciplinary thinking and problem-solving for integrated solutions are also core elements of a green economy. The process of transition to the green econo- my can be associated with a process of structural change that will entail difficult choices and tradeoffs to be made, therefore requiring interdisciplinary thinking. These strategies will also have to be integrated into broader environmental and development policies, and treated as strategic priorities, especially in water-def- icit economies (Chapter 1). Interdisciplinary thinking is accomplished by capacity development programmes which offer interdisciplinary content, bring people to- gether from different organizations, disciplines and hierarchical levels, and foster joint learning experience, i.e. by developing joint action plans. It is also fostered by capacity development networks that are open and inclusive and assemble skills and knowledge from different disciplines (multi-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches) (Chapter 3). Other case studies demonstrate the benefits of train- ing all levels of employees within a company, ensuring ownership of the changes introduced and their successful adoption (Chapter 4); of joint training of experts from different professions (i.e., water, agriculture, health, socio-economic experts for the safe use of wastewater, Chapter 5); or of training different stakeholders from diverse backgrounds such as government officers, private sector, NGOs and the public (Chapter 6). Interdisciplinary thinking is a pre-requisite for holistic and integrated solutions (Chapters 7 and 10) and, as such, for establishing interlinked management approaches.
Interlinked management approaches are important to successfully address the challenges of balancing the requirements of service coverage expansion and qual- ity improvement, and advancing towards financial sustainability, while at the same time ensuring social equity, promoting economic efficiency, protecting the envi- ronment and coping with increasingly limited water availability and growing ener- gy costs. It is furthermore recognized that drinking water supply and sanitation ser- vices, macroeconomic and social policies, energy and food sectors, perspectives of export-led economic growth and tourism development, as well as integrated water resources management and watershed protection are all closely interlinked, and that solving the problems of the future requires an integrated and holistic approach

(Chapter 7). Interlinked management of land, rainfed and irrigated agriculture is of particular importance for economies transitioning towards green economies to accomplish necessary structural changes. These changes require coordination and integration into wider environmental and development policies (Chapter 1). In general, interlinked management benefits from vertical integration (individuals, institutions, system) and horizontal integration (health, water, agriculture depart- ments), as witnessed in Chapter 5. Interlinked approaches in water resource man- agement involving the government, private sector, NGOs and the public sector proved to be more efficient and effective than the traditional top-down approach whereby the government is the sole water supplier without considering the needs of consumers and the public (Chapter 6).

Some characteristics of innovative CD approaches for water and the green economy which contribute to the enablement of the transition towards a green economy include:

• 
  Interdisciplinary, on-the-ground identification of issues (problem definition);
  

• 
  Inclusion of multiple aspects and multiple stakeholders in the analysis of the is- sues and in the design of the CD programmes;
  
• 
  Delivery of a CD programme that comprehensively addresses issues, brings to- gether and empowers all local stakeholders;
  
• 
  Comprehensive CD programmes for all stakeholders, encouraging the prepara- tion and implementation of (joint) action plans to increase the impact and sus- tainability of water, sanitation and solid waste investments; and
  
• 
  Follow-up of the action plan implementation and addressing constraints in its
  

implementation (Chapter 2). Other criteria for success are:

• 
  Specific attention is paid to macroeconomic and social policies, including comple- mentarities between sector reform and benefits in terms of economic develop- ment, poverty reduction and environmental protection;
  
• 
  Solutions are based on time-proven empirical solutions adapted to local condi- tions;
  
• 
  Systematic consideration of best practices is combined with long-term historical
  

analysis;

• 
  Holistic approaches are used, based on sound principles of economics of ser- vice provision with specific attention to environmental restrictions (in particular, water and energy), social viability and integrated water resources management (Chapter 7);
  
• 
  Locally available materials and local man-power (village community) are utilized
  

where possible – reducing carbon footprints and creating jobs for locals; and

• 
  Local communities are trained – ensuring sustainable operations and mainte- nance (Chapter 10).
  

Special emphasis is given to locally relevant content of CD programmes, i.e., action plans to improve local conditions, in order to establish local ownership, demon- strate demand responsiveness and enable anchoring capacities at the local level (Chapter 3). Capacity development programmes requiring co-funding proved to increase the engagement of participants in the training (“it makes users and re- cipients understand they also need to invest in capacity development as a means to drive a better future” Chapter 3). With respect to water resources manage- ment and related policies, innovative CD approaches need to shift their focus areas from water supply management by mobilisation of blue water through large-scale engineering projects towards water demand management strategies (Chapter 6). Supply-based solutions have already shown their limits (economic, social and en- vironmental). Moreover, they make use of only a small part of the water available for agricultural production (so-called “blue water”). A focus on water demand policies and a re-thinking of the way (green) soil water is used, is argued to have much more potential for promoting better use of available resources and reducing externalities, while intensifying agricultural outputs (Chapter 1).
Other aspects of innovative CD programmes include vertical integration of tar- get groups and thorough needs assessment at local levels. Using CD to introduce changes at all levels of a company ensures that the whole staff, from managers to operators, is aware that economic and environmental performances are closely linked (Chapter 4). To ensure relevance of CD programmes, it is important to as- sess the capacity needs at the local level, and then carry out the knowledge sharing and training activities at an international and regional level to reach wider target groups (Chapter 5).
There are quite a few lessons learned from the case studies, a brief overview of which is provided below:

1. 
   During the transition process towards a green economy, changes in “hardware” (technology) need to go hand-in-hand with changes in “software” (people). Water and sanitation play a core role in this process.
   
2. 
   A green economy cannot be totally green unless it addresses water issues. In other words, a blue economy is a pre-requisite to a green economy.
   
3. 
   Governments need to take the lead in the transition process: necessary infra- structure for service provision will not materialize without public investment. As such, political priorities are better reflected in government budgets than in statements to the press. While taking the lead, governments need to involve multiple stakeholders for effective solutions (horizontal approach).
   
4. 
   Diverse political economies, varying water endowments and different socio- economic capacities to tackle water issues mean that there are no CD pro- grammes that fit all needs. Programme adaptation to specific local conditions is a pre-requisite for the success of CD. In this respect, capacity development and social learning through open and inclusive networks can help to deal with
   

diverse learning environments and the increasing complexity of cross-sectoral approaches. Learning platforms like the Cap-Net network for professional and social innovation and adaptive management can enable horizontal and vertical policy coherence.

5. 
   Web-based learning management systems are of increasing importance since they are very effective for disseminating and sharing knowledge.
   
6. 
   Any CD intervention needs to include a monitoring and evaluation component for assessing the impact and success of the activity.
   
7. 
   With respect to CD at an institutional level a two-tier approach targeting indi- viduals and the organization or system level proved to be successful.
   
8. 
   In an industry setting, innovative management approaches such as the Trans- fer of Environmentally Sound Technology (TEST) methodology can be imple- mented in many different industrial sectors and from micro to large enterprises. However, implementation in small and medium sized enterprises proved to be most successful because of the owners’ direct involvement.
   
9. 
   Specific attention is needed to develop and retain local capacity for sustainable maintenance of green technologies since the availability of local engineering or technical staff is often low to none. This in addition to local stakeholder involve- ment will also contribute to local ownership of the operation and maintenance of water and sanitation services.
   

The case studies presented in this book highlight approved methodologies and practices which contribute to green economies. Of course, much of the work in the transition to green economy principles still needs to be done. However, as the case studies in this book demonstrate, there is already a good base to build on.