Integrated River Basin Management: Lessons from the People’s Republic of China and the Asia-Pacific region
via Zoom, 2-4 pm GMT+8 ; 8-10 am CEST ; 2-4 am EDT
On 29 March 2022, ADB hosted a Knowledge Symposium on “Integrated River Basin Management: Lessons from the People’s Republic of China and the Asia-Pacific region.” The event focused on presenting existing ADB projects and wider initiatives in the PRC’s Yangtze and Yellow River basins to highlight key lessons learned and best practices for integrated river basin management. Such knowledge is important not only for the PRC but can also offer essential solutions to other developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific that are pursuing greener development pathways. The PRC’s experience in designing innovative projects, introducing new policies, and strengthening institutional capacities can help offer models to address environmental challenges in the region. During the panel discussion, other ADB regional departments also showcased river basin initiatives to share the lessons and challenges they have been facing.
M. Teresa Kho, Director General of the East Asia Regional Department, opened the knowledge symposium, highlighting key lessons for integrated river basin management from initiatives in the PRC and the region. The symposium discussed policies and regulatory frameworks, innovative financing, and best practice cases for improved management. Panelists from the PRC’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and Ministry of Water Resources, ClientEarth, CCICD, SWISS RE, GWP, The Nature Conservancy, and ADB shared their expertise with over 200 participants. The event was supported by the PRC Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund.
| Date | Session / Activity | Presentation Material | Speaker(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 2022 | Presentation |
Integrated River Basin Management Approaches: Lessons from the People’s Republic of China and the Asia Pacific region. This is the master deck slide of the knowledge symposium. |
|
| 29 Mar 2022 | Opening | Opening Remarks |
Theresa Kho Sun Xuefeng |
| 29 Mar 2022 | SESSION I - ONE ECOLOGICAL UNIT –MANAGING THE YELLOW RIVER FROM SOURCE TO SEA | ADB’s Yellow River Ecological Corridor (YREC) Program: An integrated approach | Tom Panella |
| 29 Mar 2022 | SESSION I - ONE ECOLOGICAL UNIT –MANAGING THE YELLOW RIVER FROM SOURCE TO SEA | Yellow River Basin Ecological Protection and High-Quality Development Water Security Action Plan | Sun Feng |
| 29 Mar 2022 | SESSION II - POLICIES AND ENABLING ENVIRONMENT | How Chinas Wetland Protection Law will boost Climate Litigation and River basin management | Boya Jiang |
| 29 Mar 2022 | SESSION II - POLICIES AND ENABLING ENVIRONMENT | Using innovative policy approach in addressing pollution from source to sea | Yonghui Zhu |
| 29 Mar 2022 | SESSION II - POLICIES AND ENABLING ENVIRONMENT | Integrated Management of River Basins in Times of Climate Change |
Jan Bakkes Yang Bo |
| 29 Mar 2022 | SESSION III - FINANCING GREEN DEVELOPMENT WITH A RIVER BASIN APPROACH | Natural Capital Valuation and its application | Yu Fang |
| 29 Mar 2022 | SESSION III - FINANCING GREEN DEVELOPMENT WITH A RIVER BASIN APPROACH | Use insurance to cope with climate change | Cindy Zhang |
| 29 Mar 2022 | ADB CASES & PANEL DISCUSSION | River Basin Management in CWRD DMCs: Experiences from Pakistan and Tajikistan |
Nathan A. Rive Ganjina I. Fazilova |
| 29 Mar 2022 | ADB CASES & PANEL DISCUSSION | IWRM in Cambodia (Case Study for Project Design) | Ryutaro Takaku |
| 29 Mar 2022 | ADB CASES & PANEL DISCUSSION | IWRM Experiences from South Asia | Lance Gore |
| 29 Mar 2022 | ADB CASES & PANEL DISCUSSION | Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and environmental flow in the Alaoa Multipurpose Dam project, Samoa | Francesco Ricciardi |
| 29 Mar 2022 | Closing | Closing Remarks | Tom Panella |