Update: 100 Water and Climate Projects become an "Incubator for Water and Climate Projects"  [April 2023]

AN INITIATIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF BASIN ORGANIZATIONS (INBO)!

More frequent and intense floods and droughts, reduced river flows, degradation of aquatic ecosystems, rising sea levels resulting in salinization of coastal groundwater: water is one of the first victims of climate change. To meet the water and climate challenges, more ambitious and innovative projects are needed. 

INBO and its Permanent Technical Secretariat have been working since 2016 on the incubation of water and climate projects, enhancing in particular the interest of integrated water resources management at the level of basins. At the end of the 1st edition of the "One Planet Summit" (12 December 2017 in Paris), the President of the French Republic made a commitment to ensure the development of "100 Water and Climate projects for Africa" within 5 years.

In 2023, this initiative has evolved into a Water and Climate Project Incubator whose aim is: 

- the detection of new climate change adaptation projects, 
- the incubation of selected projects among the detected ones,
through the promotion of the incubator through physical and digital events and communication campaigns.

Co-financing and leverage effects are sought to finance the incubation of these projects.

International institutions mobilized

International institutions support the initiative. As co-organizers of the "One Planet Summits" alongside the Presidency of the French Republic, the World Bank and the United Nations General Secretariat contribute to its follow-up and provide support.  

In particular, the World Bank has integrated into the initiative its climate change resilience project in the transboundary Niger River basin. Like the commitments of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Global Environment Facility (FFEM), all development banks (bilateral and multilateral) and specialized climate finance funds (Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, etc.) have a role to play in supporting the initiative. They can contribute to the identification of projects, finance their incubation or finance their implementation.

INBO: support for drawing up applications and the search for financing

The management of the initiative was entrusted to INBO, Secretariat of the World Alliances for Water and Climate (GAfWaC), within the framework of the Incubation Platform that it has been leading since the United Nations Climate Conference of Marrakech (COP22, November 2016).   

In this respect, INBO seeks and selects the relevant project proposals, co-establishes and secures the budget required for the incubation. The latter must be modest compared to the implementation budget, with a leverage effect of at least 1 to 100; on average, 60,000 euros of incubation for an implementation of 1 to 10 million euros). INBO provides technical support to the project leaders to meet the requirements and procedures of the climate finance donors.

Incubation process

The three main themes of the expected projects :

Project Category

Capacity and knowledge building :

• Development of measurement networks (e.g. meteorology, climatology, hydrology, quality, usage, environment and biodiversity),
• Development of Water Information Systems (WIS),
• Development of exchange platforms on the effects of climate change and water between decision-makers and research organizations in the environmental and human sciences (including economics),
• Development or strengthening of capacities to interpret data and translate them into appropriate policy responses.

Adapting basin planning and management to climate change 

• Studies of climate change impacts at the basin scale,
• Studies of vulnerabilities to climate change at basin level,
• Development of strategies for adaptation to climate change in the basins,
• Adoption of Basin Management Plans and action programs,
• Adoption of action plans for flood and drought prevention,
• Production and use of performance indicators for basin management and adaptation to climate change in basins,
• Definition of strategies and action plans for water demand management (efficiency programs, closed loop water recycling, water saving in buildings, etc.)
• Production of strategy and action plan for supply development (reuse of treated wastewater, rainwater harvesting, artificial recharge of aquifers, water retention measures)
• Development of water-related ecosystem services for climate change adaptation through Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRM)

Strengthen governance:

• Strengthening the individual capacities of the staff of basin organizations through the development of training centers and programs (initial and continuous) for climate change adaptation tools in the basins,
• Strengthening the institutional capacities of basin organizations for climate change adaptation through the development of experience sharing and good practices, 
• Development of the integration of adaptation policies in the water sector and related sectors (agriculture, energy, transport, tourism, aquaculture, etc.) through coordination mechanisms (institutionalized or not)
• Creation and strengthening of Basin Councils and Committees for the development of stakeholder participation in basin management, vulnerability assessment, planning and implementation of adaptation measures.

Ensure adequate funding:

• Development of sustainable financing mechanisms for the implementation of action plans and programs,
• Implementation of the polluter pays/consumer pays principle,
• Development of investment programs,
• Cost-effectiveness studies to assist in the selection of adaptation actions,
• Financial support provided by a donor to the above actions.