Scoping Advice for the Dutch IWRM Support Programme Rwanda
Scoping Advice for the Dutch IWRM Support Programme Rwanda
Scoping Advice for the Dutch IWRM Support Programme Rwanda
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Recommendation 2: Following <strong>the</strong> above conclusions, <strong>the</strong> NCEA recommends <strong>the</strong> WaterDepartment to apply Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to improve <strong>the</strong> decision makingprocess of <strong>the</strong> Master Plan. The SEA would allow <strong>the</strong> stakeholders to consider <strong>the</strong> differentalternative options. Focus of <strong>the</strong> SEA could be on:- Governance: appropriateness of <strong>the</strong> proposed institutional arrangements, in particular inrelation to <strong>the</strong> required flexibility <strong>for</strong> planning at catchment level, effective linkages between<strong>the</strong> MIS and planning at catchment level, representation of different sectors and levels ofgovernment and o<strong>the</strong>r stakeholders to ensure buy-in in <strong>IWRM</strong> processes.- Contents: quality of <strong>the</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation base, gaps in in<strong>for</strong>mation and consequences <strong>for</strong> decisionmaking; are social and environmental sustainability addressed in an appropriate manner?- The NCEA sees two options <strong>for</strong> such an SEA:* Ideally, <strong>the</strong> SEA would start as soon as possible in 2013, allowing <strong>for</strong> maximumalignment to <strong>the</strong> Master Plan development process;* Alternatively, <strong>the</strong> SEA could support <strong>the</strong> validation process of <strong>the</strong> Master Plan,starting with its draft report (due in June 2013) up to its final approval (due inOctober 2013).Fur<strong>the</strong>r recommendations on how to undertake such an SEA, and how it relates with <strong>the</strong> SEA <strong>for</strong><strong>the</strong> EKN’s <strong>IWRM</strong> support programme, are provided in Chapters 4 & 5.Recommendation 3: <strong>the</strong> NCEA advises <strong>the</strong> Water Department to invest in catchment assessmentsand planning as a means to elaborate and implement <strong>the</strong> Water Resources Master Plan and toavoid <strong>the</strong> risk of hasty implementation of <strong>the</strong> Master Plan.In support to catchment assessments, <strong>the</strong> NCEA recommends to introduce <strong>the</strong> methodology ofecosystem services assessment as a means to identify land and water related developmentconstraints and opportunities at catchment level. It also provides a mechanism to identify allrelevant stakeholders, thus providing <strong>the</strong> means to have an all-inclusive participatory process.Such a catchment assessment may include social, ecological and financial valuation of ecosystemservices. International examples are available and may provide input in <strong>the</strong> process (see chapter5.3).Recommendation 4: in connection to recommendation 3: SEA provides <strong>the</strong> legal mandate <strong>for</strong> suchcatchment assessments. So far, <strong>the</strong> Water Department has not planned <strong>for</strong> any SEA; yet, <strong>Rwanda</strong>nlaw stipulates that “any programme, plan and policy that may affect <strong>the</strong> environment must besubjected to environmental assessment”. When used in a pro-active manner SEA can in<strong>for</strong>m <strong>the</strong>catchment planning process on environmental, social and economic sustainability of alternativeoptions. The NCEA <strong>the</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e concludes that SEA would be required <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> catchment plans.Fur<strong>the</strong>r advice on <strong>the</strong> management and <strong>the</strong> Terms of Reference <strong>for</strong> such SEAs can be found inChapters 4 & 5.13