SDG Indicator 6.5.2 Common difficulties in completing the national reports:

Aquifer Component

Aurélien Dumont

UNESCO-IHP

Webinar on SDG indicator 6.5.2supporting countries in preparing national

reports for the 2nd reporting exercise

4 June 2020

Content

• Transboundary aquifers: 1st reporting

• Transboundary aquifers in SDG indicator 6.5.2 calculation

• When an ‘operational arrangement’ covers an aquifer?

• Surface area of aquifer: main data challenge

• Data availability on Transboundary aquifers

• A progressive and adaptable process

592 Transboundary Aquifers identified globally

Transboundary aquifers: 1st reporting

17

3

1

1

3

3

2

2 1 1

1

3

8

8

5

1

1

5

8

2

5

1

1

12

14

11

9

10

10

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Europe and North America

Sub-Saharan Africa

Latin America and the Caribbean

Northern Africa and Western Asia

Central and Southern Asia

Eastern and South-eastern Asia

Oceania Aquifers

Transboundary aquifers in SDG indicator 6.5.2 calculation

• Integration of Aquifer Surface areas in calculating indicator value:

• No “overall” value for the indicator, if aquifer component is lacking.

6.5.2 indicator value =

refers to Aquifers

refers to Aquifersrefers to river& lake basins

refers to river& lake basins

When an ‘operational arrangement’ covers an aquifer?

Option 1 "Direct coverage": 4 operationality criteria applicable for the aquifer.

Option 2 "Through the river basin":

groundwater mentinoed in arrangement or groundwater activities

+ 4 criteria applicable to the basin

=possibility to tackle issues regarding transboudary aquifers

Different columns to fill in Section 1 “Table for aquifers” (essential for validation)

Common mistakes (relative to Option 2)

!!! Aquifers identified as been integrated in a river basin, but not the case after verification;

!!! Only part of the aquifer overlaps the river basin but aquifer area fully accounted.

• Surface area (in km2): projection of aquifer ‘3D shape’ on land surface

• Case of superimposed aquifer systems: multiple counting

• Not always easy to determine if aquifer systems are inter-related or not: country decision

when lack of knowledge

• Only for the part of the aquifer that is within the territory of the country

• Main challenge: data on delineation of the limit of the aquifer system

Surface area of aquifer to be included

• Priority: National coordination (Geological surveys, etc.)

• Global database:

• In general: Experts officially appointed by the Member States

• Last initiative: GEF Transboundary Waters Assessment Programme Information System(Executed by UNESCO)

• UNESCO IHP: Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management

• Collaboration with other regional centers and institutions, such as:

• SDG process: an opportunity to refresh the information

Data availability on Transboundary aquifers

https://www.un-igrac.org/ https://www.ceregas.org/

Data availability on Transboundary aquifers

UNESCO IGRAC Information System on transboundary aquifershttps://apps.geodan.nl/igrac/ggis-viewer/viewer/twap/public/default

Data availability on Transboundary aquifers

UNESCO IGRAC Information System on transboundary aquifershttps://apps.geodan.nl/igrac/ggis-viewer/viewer/tbamap/public/default

A progressive and adaptable process

• Baseline: many countries lack data on transboundary aquifer or no consolidated data

• A first estimation can be based on rough delineation and improved later

• Adaptable process regarding some uncertainties:

delineation, connected systems, area of transboundary influence, etc.

- Opportunity to strengthen national coordination, cooperation and data sharing;

- Impact in terms of visibility and increased awareness of national and cross-border issues;

- Wealth of data that had never been transmitted before.

Also important for:

• A/RES/74/193 UNGA 2019 Resolution – “the Law of transboundary aquifers”

• management of surface water and groundwater

Aquifer component

value

Thanks for your attention!

6.5.2 Help Desk

transboundary_water_cooperation_reporting@un.org

transboundary_water_cooperation_reporting@unesco.org

Further information

UNECE:www.unece.org/water/transboundary_water_cooperation_reporting.html

UNESCO: https://en.unesco.org/themes/water-security/hydrology

UN-WATER SDG6 monitoring: www.sdg6monitoring.org/indicator-652

UN-WATER SDG6 data portal: www.sdg6data.org/indicator/6.5.2

Transboundary aquifers in SDG indicator 6.5.2 calculation

Proportion of transboundary

basin area with an

operational arrangement

for water cooperation

What is an ‘operational arrangement’?

• A joint body or mechanism (e.g. a river basin organization) for transboundary cooperation exists;

• Regular (at least once per year) formal communications between riparian States

• Joint or coordinated water management vision/plan(s), or similar instrument in place

• Regular exchange (at least once per year) of data and information