“We do not have a knowledge gap. We have an implementation gap.” This sentiment captured the core finding from recent intense debates hosted by ARSINOE, focusing on climate resilience strategies for the Main River Basin amidst rapid environmental change.
The meeting brought together a diverse group of stakeholders – representing public utilities, environmental protection, agriculture, viticulture, forestry, fisheries, energy production, and municipal and state politics. Participants revealed a wealth of specific ideas and existing knowledge for improving water management across all sectors of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus within the region.
Despite the abundance of potential solutions, discussions highlighted significant barriers hindering progress. A consensus emerged that a lack of decisive commitment to climate action, coupled with insufficient financial and human resources, severely limits the translation of knowledge into tangible action on the ground.
These stakeholder insights strongly corroborated scientific findings from ARSINOE’s research on WEFE nexus governance within the Main River Basin case study, which were presented during the meeting. ARSINOE experts identified several pathways to bridge this implementation gap, including:
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Adopting a more integrated catchment-area perspective for resource governance.
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Strengthening communication strategies around pilot projects to showcase successes and foster learning.
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Enhancing local networks to improve collaboration and information flow.
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Actively building upon and sharing the extensive knowledge already existing across different sectors.
ARSINOE extends sincere thanks to all participants for engaging in an open and highly productive dialogue, and to the expert panelists who guided the discussions. This exchange is invaluable for refining pathways towards a more climate-resilient future for the Main River Basin.