Saturday 14 January 2017

Application of a Framework for Integrated Systems Thinking Approach for Implementation of Water-related SDGs and Targets in Sri Lanka


The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the important role of water in sustainable development: Sustainable Development Goal 6 and its 8 targets focus on ensuring “availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. At the same time, implementation of this new global development agenda, and water and sanitation related goal and targets in particular will require action that embraces interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral approaches to development, an integrated analysis and effective implementation strategies.

To address this need, ESCAP has developed a tool for analysis of the interdependencies and interlinkages between SDG 6 and other SDGs, applying the systems thinking approach and framework. The study identifies a set of high impact leverage points to support water-related SDG goal and targets to achieve sustainable development. Given the macro level perspective of the assessment conducted, ESCAP also initiated implementation of pilot applications of the systems thinking framework for water related SDG in selected Asia-Pacific countries based on national circumstances.

In this regards, ESCAP in partnership with Centre for Environment and Development (CED) will collaborate with the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife of Sri Lanka (MoSDW), Ministry of City Planning and Water Supply (MoCPWS) and other organizations to implement the pilot application of the analytical framework of systems thinking and its supporting quantitative model to national circumstances of Sri Lanka. The pilot application in Sri Lanka will be a groundbreaking pilot, which will set the agenda for further pilot applications in the Asia-Pacific region, and in particular in Central Asia and the Pacific. It is expected that the results from the Sri Lanka pilot application of the framework and modelling will be shared a regional consultation to be held second half of 2016 and will guide the lessons learned will serve as guidance to the other pilot projects. 


The National Workshop in Sri Lanka has the objective to review the application of the analytical framework for integration of SDG 6 targets and indicators, as well as the related modelling and analysis, and of the ESCAP team is to support the national partners in developing a good understanding of opportunities systems thinking mapping and analysis provide for addressing the priorities in water and sanitation sectors in Sri Lanka. The national team will get familiarized with the analytical framework tools for integration of SDG 6 and its targets with the other SDGs using systems thinking approach, and will further work on quantitative modeling to define the most effective interventions in the critical leverage points with most impact. The systems thinking tools will be complimented and synergized with the IWRM principles and tools.