Operational Planning Workshop for 2022 with Site Managers and State Wetland Authorities

20 Dec, 2021

A two-day Operational Planning Workshop was held in December 2021 to discuss the plan of activities to be implemented under the Indo-German ‘Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection’ project during 2022. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) officials, representatives of State Wetland Authorities of project states (Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu), Ramsar site managers of pilot sites, and GIZ attended the workshop.

The ongoing pandemic and subsequent restrictions had limited the opportunities to bring together the partners for cross-learning and sharing. In December 2021, taking into account all precautionary measures, representatives from State Wetland Authorities of project states, Ramsar site managers of pilot sites and MoEFCC officials were brought together.

The workshop was held from 7-8 December 2021 at New Delhi, with some participants also joining virtually.

Day 1 commenced with a session on project status updates till December 2021 followed by a session on the key findings of the various assessment studies undertaken at each project sites. Site-specific recommendations that emerged from these assessments and can be incorporated in the management planning were also discussed. Management challenges faced by the site managers were discussed. Operational plan for 2022 were elaborated with site managers of each site manager and members of respective State Wetland Authorities in working groups.

Day 2 of the workshop commenced with presentations of the operational plans of each state in the plenary followed by discussions on capacity development and trainings and publications in project states.

A technical session led by Dr Ritesh (WISA) focused on the concept and purpose of integrated management planning and the project’s role in contributing to the same. A session on process clarification of integrated management plans submitted under National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems was held with MoEF&CC officials.

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About the project

The Wetlands Management for Biodiversity and Climate Protection project aims to strengthen the institutional framework and capacities for an ecosystem-based integrated management of wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites) in India. Four Ramsar sites have been selected as pilot sites under the project: Pong Dam and Renuka Lake in Himachal Pradesh, Bhitarkanika Mangroves in Odisha, and the Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu. The project is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in close cooperation with the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA). This project is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. Read More

For more information contact: biodiv.india@giz.de