Synopsis report: River Basins: A global synopsis of River Basins science and transboundary management

Abstract

Enhancing the Use of Science in International Waters Projects to Improve Project Results is a GEF IW:Science project conducted to recognize, capture, analyze and integrate the scientific findings from GEF International Waters (IW) projects, an investment of more than US $6 billion, and to disseminate them across the IW portfolio and beyond.

Executed by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) and implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the project was launched in 2009 and covers the five main areas in the GEF International Waters portfolio: river basins; lakes; groundwater; large marine ecosystems; and open oceans. A working group was formed to address each of these areas. The project’s objective is to enhance - through knowledge integration and information sharing tools - the use of science in the GEF IW focal area to strengthen priority setting, knowledge sharing, and results-based, adaptive management in current and future projects.

This Synopsis Report is the outcome of the second activity of the first component, as carried out by the River Basin Working Group (RBWG). Its purpose is to provide a clear review of relevant transboundary river projects in the GEF IW portfolio as a basis for further analysis, thus contributing to the objective of the IW:Science project.