International Aid and Development
GWP take part in international water and resource projects in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams and in partnership with local, national and international organisations.
GWP has worked across the Pacific, Caribbean, Atlantic and Indian Oceans in more than 20 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on integrated and non-integrated water resources assessment, development, management and protection, ranging from the atoll islands of the Maldives, Kiribati and Tuvalu, to the karstic terrains of Niue, Tonga and Antigua, from the volcanic slopes of Samoa, Comoros, Cape Verde and St Lucia, to the diverse settings of Vanuatu, Fiji, Seychelles and New Caledonia.
Wherever possible we use integrated approaches to water management, focussing on conjunctive use of rainwater and/or surface water with groundwater depending on source availability and quality.
Mindful of the limited national human and financial capacities in many SIDS, GWP works closely with national departments, NGOs and regional inter-governmental organisations to strengthen local knowledge and management skillbases, tailoring approaches to maximise sustainability, whilst recognising the specific threat of climate change to these countries.
Please contact Clive Carpenter, Head of Water Resources for further information on our experience and expertise in this area.
Small Island Developing States
GWP have particular and extensive experience advising SIDS which face unique challenges when compared to other countries. Limited land area leads to high pressure on land and competition for land between stakeholders. Limited opportunity for natural water storage makes them vulnerable to climate variability and climatic extremes and hence susceptible to both drought and flood events. This places a real and tangible development constraint on the economy and public health, as well as on environmental quality.
Roles have included:
- water sector advisor to Tonga Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR);
- water sector expert member for Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change (PACC) Programme Mid-Term Review;
- technical Advisor to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)Western Indian Ocean Integrated River Basin Management Project;
- technical advisor to UNEP Nairobi and UNDP Atlantic and Indian Ocean SIDS Support to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Integrated Water Resources Management Project Development Process.
Training
Training and transfer of knowledge to local partners is often a central to our work.
GWP offer expertise in:
- strategic Planning for drought resilience;
- water sector disaster preparedness and risk reduction;
- disaster impact assessment and sustainable recovery strategies;
- groundwater resources assessment and training;
- integrated water resource management (IWRM);
- strategic water and sanitation planning; and
- rainwater capture, storage and groundwater aquifer recharge.
Recent projects include:
- groundwater lens vulnerability assessments, Niue Island;
- national water resources assessment and Management, Samoa;
- tsunami impact and recovery assessment, Maldives;
- urban and rural rainwater harvesting improvements, Kiribati;
- groundwater assessment & exploitation, Kiribati; and
- water conservation and supply improvements, Lewa Conservancy, Kenya.
To download our Capability Statements please refer to the Downloads page.
If you would like Project Description Sheets which give examples of our work or further information regarding GWP’s experience, please do not hesitate to contact us.
