Start date: 01/01/2023

Duration: 48 months

Topic: HORIZON-CL6-2022-CLIMATE-01-01

Total budget: EUR 5 299 363,75

Website: https://weact-project.eu/

The overarching goal of the WE-ACT project is to assist decision-makers in transboundary rivers in achieving equitable allocation of transboundary water among various sectors and users. This will be accomplished through the use of inclusive, forward-looking, and climate risk-aware water allocation planning and management processes. The project aims to enhance water policies, assign proper value to water, and involve stakeholders to ultimately reap the benefits of effective water allocation strategies. At the heart of the project is a digital decision-support system (DSS) that will provide water resources managers with a reliable and intuitive tool to understand, manage, and communicate management options. The DSS will be backed by a robust hydro-meteorological monitoring network and data supply chain that captures a thorough understanding of climate change on flow-regimes, water availability, demand, footprint, and allocation in a glacier-fed river basin in Central Asia, the Naryn and Kara Darya catchments, which span Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The DSS and data supply chain will be aligned with an understanding of the water policies, financing instruments, incentives, and stakeholder priorities in the face of growing pressure from climate change, rising demand, and increasing economic dependency on water, particularly in the energy (hydropower) and agriculture (water-intensive crops) sectors, which puts additional strain on water availability for the environment.

WE-ACT is leading the way towards equitable and sustainable water allocation through its innovative collaborative design of the DSS. The approach starts with a shared vision planning process, paired with thorough stakeholder analysis for optimal transparency and efficiency. Together with national and local decision-makers in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the project is evaluating existing cross-border policies and agreements, and developing flexible, integrated solutions for benefit-sharing in a changing water environment. The project is also shaking up conventional financing mechanisms, by examining pricing strategies, economic approaches, and the value of water for various groups and industries. The approach prioritizes social and environmental factors, considering the costs and benefits of key water services in a cross-border context.