Location: Onsite – Henan Province (Zhengzhou city), hybrid (online participation for Day 1 and Day 3)

Objectives of the Henan onsite hybrid seminar (3 days)

The onsite seminar is hosted by ADB and co-hosted by YRCC and MEE, with external participation of sector relevant PRC agencies and international experts. The objectives of this seminar are to:

1. Share different institutions technical and policy expertise on effective water management and adaptation practices in the Yellow River Basin and beyond.
2. Conduct site visits to assess the basin's water security issues to discuss tailored solutions.
3. Promote South-South cooperation on institutional strengthening to address water security policy reform.
4. Explore opportunities to strengthen and expand cooperation between ADB and PRC in the context of the current country partnership program.

Format and logistics

The three-day seminar (24-26 May 2023) will feature a mix of formats, including workshops, panel discussions, slots for bilateral meetings and learnings, as well as site visits in the basin. Where and when possible, the three-day seminar will be held in hybrid format, with simultaneous translations provided during the workshops and the field visits.

Venue logistics, costs of simultaneous translations, and refreshments will be borne by available TA resources and organized with the support from YRCC and MEE.

• Day 1 (24 May) will be hosted by ADB and the Ministry of Ecology and the Environment (MEE), and Yellow River and Conservancy Commission (YRCC).
• Day 2 (25 May) will be dedicated to site visits, including the hydraulic laboratory downstream of the Yellow River, the Yellow River basin museum, the embankment to protect the river from floods, and Xinshan city along the Yellow River. This is cohosted by the Ministry of Ecology and the Environment (MEE) and Yellow River and Conservancy Commission (YRCC). 
• Day 3 (26 May) will be hosted by ADB and co-hosted by the Ministry of Ecology and the Environment (MEE), and Yellow River and Conservancy Commission (YRCC)..

[Day 1] Planning for Integrated River Basin Management: The Yellow River Protection Law and the Yellow River Basin’s Master Plan.

International examples have demonstrated that a holistic approach to water resources management within an appropriate political, institutional, and regulatory environment can ensure safe, resilient, and sustainable water resources management for all stakeholders in a basin.

With the right approach and continued efforts, it is possible to ensure a future where the Yellow River Basin continues to provide water security to the millions of people who depend on it. This requires strengthening institutional cooperation among various stakeholders, including government agencies, businesses, and communities, to ensure safe, resilient, and sustainable water resources management for the basin’s people and its natural resources. This can be achieved through effective policies and strategies that generate institutional momentum, streamline processes, and encourage data sharing, with the support of multilateral financial institutions such as ADB.

To ensure safe, resilient, and sustainable water resources management in the basin, adaptive policies and regulations must be developed within this cooperative environment, including the adoption of innovative water-saving technologies, best practices, and nature-positive investments.

The Yellow River Protection Law, drafted by different line ministries and several departments is a crucial cornerstone to achieve water security across the basin. It covers all county-administrative regions within the seven provinces and two autonomous regions within the catchment area and aims to protect the environment and water resources, prevent water disasters, and promote sustainable development. While the Yellow River Protection Law puts forward important components to achieve safe, resilient, sustainable, and integrated water resources management in the Yellow River Basin, stakeholders continue facing leadership, technical capacity, investment, and coordination gaps. To help overcome these limitations, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Ecology and the Environment have put forward planning instruments for the = development and management of the Yellow River’s water resources. Such plans aim to improve the basin's management, including water conservation and disaster risk management, significantly through an integrated approach and proper coordination among provincial governments and local agencies by 2030.

[Day 3] South-South Learning and Building Climate Resilience through Adaptation Planning in the Yellow River Basin

Adaptation and resilience play a key role in reducing exposure and vulnerability to climate change. Climate responses and adaptation options, along with their enabling conditions and synergies with mitigation, can contribute to achieving climate resilient development. 7 Use of integrated and multisector solutions help differentiate responses based on climate risks, increases the feasibility and effectiveness of adaptation options in multiple sectors, while addressing social inequalities. The PRC’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) drafted the National Strategy for Climate Adaptation (NSCA) 2035. The strategy will strengthen policy coordination, improve governance mechanisms for decision-making processes, advance knowledge, and tools for climate impact analysis risk assessment, and promote adoption of nature-based solutions. Implementing national adaptation targets in the Yellow River basin is listed as a government priority under PRC’s NSCA 2035. Yet, three main fundamental challenges remain unaddressed to achieve this goal: (i) a science-based and comprehensive climate impact analysis to assess climate risks across sectors for the entire basin was not conducted; (ii) a strategic adaptation plan to help achieve national adaptation targets at basin level has not yet been developed; and (iii) lack of adequate knowledge and capacity among agencies and regional stakeholders for assessing climate risks, and identifying and selecting adaptation measures.