2019-09-26
The National Water Agency hosted on 24 and 25 September, in Brasilia, the European Union-Brazil Experience Sharing Workshop: Building Cooperation in Integrated Water Resources Management. The event is part of the foreseen projects supported by the EU-Brazil Sector Dialogues under the "Environmental Dimension of Sustainable Development" dialogue.
The meeting was aimed at promoting experience sharing between Brazilian and European experts on water management. Among the topics discussed were the challenges related to the governance of water resources in Brazil, drawing a parallel with European experiences whenever possible. The meeting also served to review the activities of the technical mission that will take place in Europe at the end of October.
Representatives from ANA and the EU presented their experiences regarding water resources legislation, policies for critical issues and water governance challenges, taking into account the specificities of Brazil and the European Union. They also discussed federative aspects and the challenges of this approach in relation to the role of states, in the case of Brazil, and of member states, in the EU.
Oscar Cordeiro Netto, ANA director, opened the event alongside Costanzo Fisogni, civil attaché of the Delegation of the European Union to Brazil; Elisa Natola, representing the National Directorate of the EU- Brazil Sector Dialogues, Cristiane Battiston, the representative of the Ministry of Regional Development (MDR) ; and the third secretary of the Europe Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), Carolina Mye Saito.
According to Fisogni, the Dialogues aim to support small projects which are able to give concrete results and, if possible, be implemented immediately. "We don't want any megaprojects nor do we want to reinvent the decision-making processes in Brazil or in the EU since they are already in place, and those that work well are selected to be part of the Dialogues' projects". He also highlighted the EU's concern with aligning similar projects to optimize resources and processes. "This experience sharing event is an example of this dialogue, as it encompasses three projects supported by the Dialogues on Water Management," he explained.
As he kicked off the first day of the meeting, Oscar Cordeiro Netto presented an overview of Brazil's federative experience in water resources management, with emphasis on participatory decentralization and the double dominion of Brazilian waters, which can be managed by the Federal government or the states and the Federal District.
Senior experts Antonio Eduardo Lanna and Francisco Nunes Correia addressed the experience of three European Union countries - Spain, France and Portugal - in water resources management and its interfaces with the Brazilian system. Finally, ANA superintendents made presentations on water governance in heterogeneous regions, management of water crises as a result of extreme events or rising water demand, as well as strategies for developing more effective water resources plans.
On the second day, the event was attended by Rui Ludovino, Counsellor of the Delegation of the European Union to Brazil representing the Directorate-General for Environment, who will accompany the Brazilian delegation on a technical mission to Europe. "I have a particular interest in environmental and climate issues, which are the greatest global challenges. Water is one of them. Water is always on the table. Water is life, it is necessary for economic activities, for the environment, for biodiversity. With increasingly scarce resources, we have to learn how to manage them in the best way possible. My job here is to help, to build bridges", he said.
The technical activities began with a session on dam safety and the encouragement to have social participation in the planning and management of water resources. After this session, the impacts of climate events on water planning and management were addressed, as well as the monitoring of the amount of water in river basins. They have also presented Brazilian experiences and how the European experience can potentially contribute to overcome the gaps identified.
The project aims to develop a strategic plan and roadmap for cooperation between Brazil and the European Union in integrated water resources management.
Besides ANA staff, representatives of several institutions participated in the meeting: European Union Delegation to Brazil; Ministry of Economy (ME) - National Directorate of the European Union-Brazil Sector Dialogues Support Facility; Ministry of Regional Development (MDR); Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE); Ministry of Environment (MMA); Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME); Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC); National Civil Engineering Laboratory (LNEC / Portugal); Portugal Water and Waste Services Regulation Authority (ERSAR / Portugal); Office International de l'Eau (OiEau / France); University of Brasilia (UnB); Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG); Federal University of Ceará (UFC); and Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia (UFRB).
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