ELI is a non-profit public interest research, policy, and capacity-building organization. ELI provides information services, advice, publications, training courses, seminars, research programs and policy recommendations to engage and empower environmental leaders the world over.

1. 1
Public Participation
in
International Waters Management
GEF International Waters Conference
June 20-25, 2005
Salvador, Brazil

2. 2
ELI
• ELI is a non-profit public interest research, policy, and
capacity-building organization.
• ELI provides information services, advice, publications,
training courses, seminars, research programs and policy
recommendations to engage and empower environmental
leaders the world over.
• Our international waters program works to FILL IN
Who We Are

3. 3
The ELI/IW:LEARN Initiative
ELI and IW:LEARN are partnering to address the needs
expressed at the last GEF IW Conference for capacity-
building related to public participation in IWM.
Research and Materials Development:
Identify lessons learned from both GEF and non-GEF contexts
Analyze underlying social, cultural, ecological, political and economic
factors that contribute to successes and failures – transferability
Identify gaps and work with GEF project partners to fill those gaps
Workshops
Peer-to-peer exchanges at regional level and cross-regional levels
Develop resource materials with project partners
Three regional workshops over next three years
www.iwlearn.net/p2

4. 4
Goals of Today’s Workshop
Introduction to our 3-year capacity-building
initiative on public participation in IWM
Provide you with an opportunity to share project-
level experiences with public participation and
stakeholder involvement
Identify greatest challenges faced and areas of
greatest need for capacity-building at project level
and how we can best address those needs

5. 5
International Definitions of P2:
evolution of the “three pillars”
Rio Declaration Principle 10:
Environmental issues are best handled with participation of all concerned citizens,
at the relevant level. At the national level, each individual shall have appropriate
access to information concerning the environment that is held by public
authorities…and the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes…
Effective access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including redress and
remedy, shall be provided
The Aarhus Convention
Inter-American Strategy (ISP)
Resource-specific instruments/international water
law

6. 6
What is the value of P2 in IWM?
More equitable outcomes: P2 as a right
Better substantive outcomes
Consensus
Managing Stakeholder Expectations
Conflict Aversion/Resolution
Improved governance

7. 7
Designing and Implementing P2
Stakeholder Identification
Stakeholder Analysis
Engaging stakeholders/building stakeholder capacity
Timing issues (when to do P2 and how to avoid “project
fatigue”)
Involving local authorities and grassroots stakeholders and
issues of representivity
Effective communication/translation of technical
information
Institutionalization

8. 8
Questions
What are your experiences (both positive
and negative) with implementing P2 in your
project(s)?
What lessons did you learn from these
experiences and how might those be used to
assist other projects?
What do you need to improve
implementation of P2 in your work?