Strategic Foresight Group participated in a workshop held by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), �€œCounting our gains: Identifying, assessing and communicating the benefits of transboundary water cooperation�€ in Geneva at the United Nations on 22-23 May 2014.

Anumita Raj presented a case study on the a benefits assessment on the Teesta River Basin between India and Bangladesh conducted by Strategic Foresight Group using the Blue Peace approach and published in the 2013 report, �€˜Rivers of Peace: Restructuring India Bangladesh Relations�€™. The case study was presented in a panel on the geopolitical benefits of transboundary water cooperation.  

Marco Keiner, Director of the Environment Division of UNECE and Mr. Harry Liiv, Ministry of the Environment from Estonia presented opening remarks. Case studies were presented from other river basins, including the Danube River Basin, Upper Lempa River Basin, Mesta/Nestos River Basin, Prespa Park Basin, Nile River Basin, Lower Jordan River Basin, Murray-Darling Basin, North American Great Lakes Basin, Cubango-Okavango River Basin and Mekong River Basin. The economic, environmental and social benefits of transboundary water co-operation as well as the need for a benefits assessment to support transboundary water co-operation processes were discussed in the course of the workshop.

More details regarding the workshop can be found here:

http://www.unece.org/env/water/workshop_benefits_cooperation_2014.html