The EU-Central Asia ‘Strategy for a New Partnership’

1. The EU-Central Asia ‘Strategy for a New Partnership’ identifies seven thematic areas of cooperation between the EU and Central Asia with three of these identified as ‘pillars’ of intensified policy dialogue and enhanced cooperation EU-CA Platform for enhanced cooperation: environmental governance, climate change, sustainable water management. Areas which constitute the EU-CA Platform for enhanced cooperation: • Environmental integration and environmental governance • Joining forces to combat climate change and minimise its impact • Water issues • Land degradation, deforestation & sustainable land use, forestry management and pollution

2. The EU-Central Asia ‘Strategy for a New Partnership’ identifies seven thematic areas of cooperation between the EU and Central Asia with three of these identified as ‘pillars’ of intensified policy dialogue and enhanced cooperation Pillar 3 Rule of Law Pillar 1 Education Pillar 2 Environment

3. The Regional Environmental Programme for Central Asia (EURECA) is aimed at promoting the stability and security of the countries of Central Asia, assisting in the pursuit of sustainable economic development and poverty reduction and facilitating closer regional cooperation both within Central Asia and between Central Asia and the EU

4. Component 1 – WECOOP: Regional Coordination and Support for enhanced EU-CA regional cooperation on Environment and Water. Budget: €1,500.000 Duration: February 2012 – July 2014 Implementing Agency: Landell Mills Ltd, GITEC Consult and BARS Consulting Contact Point: Anatoly Krutov, Team Leader (krutov.wecoop@landell-mills.com) Website: www.wecoop-project.org

5. Component 2 – FLERMONECA: Forestry and Biodiversity Governance, including Environmental Monitoring Budget: €4,400,000 Duration: 2013 – July 2015 Implementing Agency: EU/EU Member State Agency to be contracted Contact Point: n/a Website: n/a

6. Component 3 – WMBOCA: Water Management and Basin Organisation in Central Asia, with a particular focus on: • Support water management and strengthening transboundary river basin administrations in Central Asia. • Capacity-building in river basin planning for water management organisations and joint river basin structures. • Budget: €2,300,000 • Duration: December 2011 – July 2014 • Implementing Agency: GIZ and CAREC • Contact Point: Volker Frobart, Programme Director (Volker.frobart@giz.de) • Website: www.waterca.org

7. Component 4 – AWARE: Targeted Awareness Raising for Enhanced EU-CA Partnership Budget: €950,000 Duration: December 2011 – December 2013 Implementing Agency: CAREC Contact Point: VeronikaYudina, Project Manager, vyudina@carec.kz Website: www.carecnet.org

8. Implementation of the Platform regular dialogue on how to address the threats posed by climate change in Central Asia has been established Two Working Groups have been established: 1 EU Water Initiative Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia (EUCCA), сhaired by Romania. 2 EU-Central Asia Working Group on Environmental Governance and Climate Change (WG-EGCC), сhaired by Italy.

9. The WG-EGCC aims to strengthen policy cooperation at a regional level and to provide guidance on cooperation activities between the EU and CA in synergy with other donors, international financial institutions, international organisations, regional bodies and representatives of civil society.

10. Regional coordination and support for the EU – CA enhanced regional cooperation on Environment and Water (WECOOP) Development Objective:To promote and support enhanced regional co-operation on environment and water both between EU and Central Asia and within Central Asia as called by the EU CA Strategy. Project Duration: 1/02/2012 - 30/07/2014Budget:€ 1,340,000 Implemented: by the consortium led by the UK Company Landell Mills in partnership with GITEC Consult GmbH (Germany) and BARS Consulting Ltd (Tajikistan)

11. Development Objective: To promote and support enhanced regional co-operation on environment and water both between EU and Central Asia and within Central Asia as called for by the EU CA Strategy

12. The purpose of the project is to support the development, effectiveness and visibility of the Environment and Water Cooperation Platform aiming at facilitating enhanced regional cooperation both between the EU and Central Asia and within Central Asia. One of the main priorities of the project is to ensure continuity and coordination of actions, and to provide further advancement in the areas that have already been initiated in beneficiary countries, earlier projects and other initiatives

13. EXPECTED OUTCOME Regional co-operation on environment and water both between EU and Central Asia and within Central Asia is enhanced

14. OUTPUTS • A program of work for the Platform has been established and activities are underway and related activities have been taking place • Frameworks for cooperation between Central Asian countries have been enhanced: the institutional and development capacities of existing regional institutions have been strengthened • Communication/mapping/networking processes are strengthened are ensured and effective where appropriate

15. Program of Work for the Platform has been established and related activities have been taking place • regular High-Level meetings between EU and Central Asia; • regular joint expert working group meetings on environmental governance and climate change; • multilateral events, conferences, workshops, seminars, policy briefings and other discussion platforms, as agreed with EU Member states and/or Central Asia partners.

16. Frameworks for cooperation between Central Asian countries have been enhanced: the institutional and development capacities of existing regional institutions have been strengthened

17. Communication/mapping/networking are ensured and effective where appropriate • Enhanced visibility of the EU–CA cooperation on environment and water • Coordination and synergies between EURECA components; • Coordination and synergies between EURECA and other EU platforms established under the "EU and Central Asia: Strategy for a New Partnership” • Coordination and synergies between EURECA and other EU-funded projects in CA (in particular projects funded under the Energy Natural Resources Thematic Program (ENRTP) or Framework Program (FP)) • Coordination and synergies between projects in CA and in ENP countries

18. Results achieved: • Working relationship with partners established • Communication Strategy and Visibility Plan, Terms of Reference for Project Website, Project Flyer and Project Brochure, Visualisation materials, including banner, stands, flyer, brochure published and widely disseminated • 2-nd Working Group Meeting conducted • Design Mapping dBase integrated with website • Design Project Fiche and Mapping Procedures • Initial Scan/Contact with relevant EURECA and other relevant projects and programmes • The project team participated in meetings, workshops, and conferences; • dBase of contacts and circulation list were developed; • Calendar of events was being maintained and updated; • Respond to requests for information • Project update emails were sent to the Reference Points identified under the Communication Strategy, including Team Leaders of the Rule of Law and Education Platforms, beneficiaries, potential partners and major stakeholders

19. Activities planned: Seminars: • Information networks and SEIS; • Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Impact Assessment; • Green economy; • Development of national Adaptation Strategies; • Climate Change mitigation policies and programmes.

20. Activities planned: Workshops: • Project cycle and project monitoring and evaluation; • Implementation of Dam Safety Component of ASBP-3; • Water Quality Monitoring of Transboundary Water Courses and Information Sharing; • IT Skills and Application Development. Study Tour