ZCZC
BSS-50
EXPERTS-GBM-SOLUTION
Experts for nature-based solution to address water challenges in GBM basin
DHAKA, July 30, 2020 (BSS) – Experts at a webinar have stressed the
need for nature-based solution to address water challenges in the
Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) River Basin.
They said nature-based solution can help address water management
challenges in the GBM river basin.
IUCN hosted the webinar on ‘Nature-based Solutions and its
application in the river basin management’ yesterday, an IUCN press
release said today.
More than 90 participants from the Civil Society Organisations
(CSOs), academic institutions and young water professionals from
across the world participated in the webinar.
Nature-based Solutions (or NbS) is defined as actions that protect,
sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems to
address societal challenges, simultaneously providing human well-being
and biodiversity benefits.
Raphael Glemet, Senior Programme Officer, Water and Wetlands of
IUCN Asia, presented the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based
Solutions, launched on 23 July 2020.
He said the Nature-based Solution can help address water management
challenges in the GBM Basin and it is the foundation for archiving the
UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Gitika Goswami, Senior Programme Director, Policy Research from
Development Alternatives, Delhi, shared the case of participatory
watershed management in ensuring improved water availability for
agriculture in the arid regions in the Betwa River basin in India.
“Working closely with the local communities and forest departments,
micro-watersheds were mapped and restored resulting in the enhancement
of agro-biodiversity and year-round water availability for farming.
More than 1,200 farmers were mobilised and they reported 30 percent
enhancement in the average yearly income,” he said.
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