Aiming to increase our impact by joining forces! The Blue Deal teams up with The Nature Conservancy, NWB Fund and WaterWorX to work on water security, water safety and water quality. We’ll explore the possibilities for climate-resilient watershed investments for our projects and for mainstreaming nature-based solutions.
A tree nursery in Ghana, where reforestation is used a nature-based solution against erosion and to restore the groundwater level
The water sector is challenged by too much, too little and too dirty water. Nearly half of global (drinking) water sources are significantly degraded, threatening the quality and quantity of water for communities, cities, farmers and business.
Nature as foundation for water security
Nature is the foundation for water security. Nature-based solutions are a promising avenue to address our twin crises of water and climate. Watershed investment programmes result in climate resilient infrastructure and operations of water catchment authorities and water utilities but are complex and require cooperation and substantial expertise to organize.
Joining forces
Therefore, we team up. The watershed experts of The Nature Conservancy and NWB Fund, and the operational experts of the water authorities of the Blue Deal and drinking water utilities of WaterWorX join forces and pool their resources to develop, implement and finance Nature-based Solutions for water security.
Mainstreaming nature-based solutions
The cooperation between The Nature Conservancy, NWB Fund, Blue Deal and WaterWorX aims to mainstream nature-based solutions and anchor these projects in water institutions to ensure sustainability of the impact. Together we have the expertise and resources to support water service providers to develop, finance and implement nature-based solution projects.
On April 15, Esther Janssen conducted the training Working with Other Cultures, as part of the Blue Deal learning programme. 11 participants from various Dutch water authorities took part in the training. Janssen remarked: "Culture is a critical success factor for collaboration."
A group of Dutch and Kenyan colleagues on a field trip, one of the many examples of intercultural collaboration in the Blue Deal partnerships
Janssen, owner of Culture-Inc., shares her experience from a work trip to Ethiopia last year. At the beginning of the trip, Ethiopian and Dutch colleagues made agreements regarding their collaboration. “Openness in communication is key,” they concluded. “But what does that mean exactly?” Janssen asked. “Does it mean I can say whatever I want?” The Ethiopians looked surprised, replying: “No, of course not!” This is just one example of how communication styles or meanings can differ among people.
Understanding cultural differences
This is why it’s crucial for colleagues in the Blue Deal partnerships to have insight into cultural differences for effective collaboration. Hence, it’s mandatory for all Dutch experts traveling abroad for work to undergo the Working with Other Cultures training. Many partnerships also organise similar activities with their entire team in the country where they operate.
Impact of one’s behaviour on others
What do the experts themselves want to learn during this training? One participant asks: “What should I absolutely avoid doing? Where do I cross the line? And why do I sometimes get no response at all when I ask a question during a presentation?” She recounts a workshop she conducted in Ethiopia where she received no response to questions posed to the group as a whole, whereas in the Netherlands she would have. “It’s like there’s an invisible barrier that I don’t see, but they do.” Other participants in the group also want to be more aware of the impact of their own (Dutch) behaviour.
What is culture?
Janssen first explains what culture actually entails. “Think of it as a computer’s default settings. It’s the habits, manners, and norms instilled since childhood. Within that group, everyone understands what you mean.” She continues: “Culture is essentially solidified history. To understand a group’s culture, you have to look at everything that came before it: the history, geography, defining moments.”
Different types of cultures
She also explains the different types of cultures into which countries can be categorised. For instance, the Netherlands belongs to the group of linear-active cultures. These cultures are characterised by direct communication style, trust in institutions, and little importance placed on hierarchy. In multi-active cultures, people often have a very active and emotional communication style, and status is based on charisma and connections. In reactive cultures, people often express themselves less, avoiding loss of face is crucial, and connections are incredibly important. Most Blue Deal countries fall under multi-active or reactive cultures.
Avoiding offenses
And this, in turn, affects how you communicate, collaborate, what’s respectful, or what isn’t. While a Dutch person might feel offended if the other party doesn’t make eye contact during a conversation, in another culture, it might be considered respectful. And who do you greet first? In many countries, it might be considered respectful to greet the eldest or the leader first. How do you greet that person anyway? And what questions do you ask or avoid? Numerous examples of (minor) cultural differences that are still significant in collaboration.
Don’t be too direct
What does this mean concretely? How do you deal with this? Janssen explains how important it is to give feedback in the right way. Dutch people can often be very direct, sometimes too direct. “Always start by mentioning the positive. And frame the aspects that are not going well differently. For example, as: what points do we still want to achieve or where do we see possibilities for further improvements.” Often, it helps if the partnership involves someone who can act as an intermediary. Someone who has grown up in the local culture but is also accustomed to working with Dutch people, so that this person can prevent any miscommunication.
Cultural buttons
“How far should you go in adapting to the other culture?” one of the participants asks. Because completely pretending to be someone else is obviously not the goal. Janssen responds: “And that wouldn’t be possible anyway. You can’t suddenly become entirely Chinese as a Dutch person, nor should you. But you can see what works. Which cultural buttons can you press to collaborate as effectively as possible?”
Join a training
Are you an expert from Dutch Water Authorities and would you like to participate in this or another training from the Blue Deal learning programme? Please contact the partnership manager of your partnership or send an email to info@bluedeal.nl. These are the upcoming trainings:
May 16: Introduction into the Blue Deal, in Amersfoort
June 24: Working with Other Cultures, in Amersfoort
In Phase 2 of the Blue Deal, we've initiated a new method to gauge progress in water governance: the Water Governance Ladder. It involves self-assessment by the partnerships, allowing us to identify areas of advancement and where improvements are needed.
This new method is grounded in the OECD Principles of Water Governance. It provides insights into areas requiring improvement in water governance and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). Simultaneously, it serves as a tool for partnerships to engage in discussions about existing challenges and to highlight areas of success. “An overview-generating tool,” as described by one of our partnership managers. It has also sparked meaningful discussions and insights at the partnership level.
Strengths
Upon reviewing the outcomes of this initial self-assessment at the complete Blue Deal programme level, we observe the following strengths:
Engaging stakeholders;
Task allocation, and clear roles and responsibilities.
Areas for Improvement
On average, Blue Deal partnerships perform least effectively in the following 3 areas:
Managing trade-offs (determining priorities for funding and decision-making processes);
Financing water;
Maintenance and management.
This knowledge provides valuable input for our learning program and program-level strategy.
On March 22 it is World Water Day. This is always an extra special day for the Blue Deal. Today, we celebrate our anniversary! Because it all began on March 22, 2018.
And how far we have come, and at the same time: how much more we aim for! In our Phase 1 Report, we have summarised what we have achieved, what didn’t go so well, and where we can achieve even more success.
What was Phase 1?
In 2018 the official documents for the Blue Deal were signed and we started working on forming the partnerships. In 2019, the partnerships really started their work. Phase 1 is the period of 2019-2022.
What can we conclude from Phase 1?
The first success was evident from the size of our programme. We were supposed to start with 6 partnerships. Now we have 17!
The pandemic led to setbacks and delays. But it also brought some benefits. We became better at hybrid working, and the focus shifted away from mainly work visits. We also realised the importance of individuals being ‘on the ground’. Therefore, we have further invested in local capacity.
Our learning programme has been professionalised with, among other things, 6 Communities of Practice and regional meetings between partner countries. And, a Blue Deal YEP batch started in 2022, which allowed our partnerships to both accelerate their work as well as accelerate learning from each other.
Progress
Overall, we conclude that we have made significant progress, particularly in the area of knowledge exchange on specific water topics. Examples include trainings on wastewater treatment, working together on Water Allocation Plans, and setting up participative monitoring of water quality.
We have also worked on strengthening water institutions, for example in the area of water pricing, or in specifying roles and responsibilities within water authorities. In this area, we see progress, but naturally, these are slow processes. This is why it is so important that the Blue Deal is there for the long run. In terms of relational management, such as actively involving stakeholders, this is something that happens more and more in the areas where the Blue Deal works.
Onwards to clean, safe, and sufficient water for 20 million people around the world by 2030!
The kick-off of the Blue Deal Community of Practice (CoP) Social Inclusion & Stakeholder Management took place on February 8. Online of course, so that colleagues from all partnerships worldwide could participate.
Social inclusion and climate adaptation are the 2 crosscutting themes for the Blue Deal. This means every partnership should include these topics in their annual plans. Social inclusion is also an important part of the Sustainable Development Goals, to which the Blue Deal contributes. With funding from the NWB Fund, a Focal Point for Social Inclusion for the Blue Deal is installed, together with a Leading Group, to help partnerships take social inclusion to a new level. The Focal Point and Leading Group are meant to take the topic social inclusion even further within the framework of the Blue Deal. One of their tasks will be to help the members of the CoP to learn more about social inclusion.
Catalyst for positive change
The session was presented by the chairs of the CoP: Tanah Meijers and Harmke Berghuis. During the session, there was an emphasis on social inclusion as a catalyst for positive change in addressing water related challenges. Action is needed to make use of the impact and power of diverse perspectives in problem solving.
What is social inclusion?
Social inclusion is a broad and contextual topic, for which many definitions are used. For the Blue Deal we look at it like this: Each individual has the ability, resources and opportunity to participate and influence. However, we should not dwell too much on semantics and definitions: this can paralyse efforts for positive impact in our partnerships. However, it makes to still have questions about what social inclusion is really about. The Focal Point (Tanah Meijers) and Leading Group are happy to think along and share thoughts with you.
Why is social inclusion important for water authorities?
Traditionally, within the water authorities, challenges in our field are often approached from a technical and practical standpoint. Water experts seek solutions, preferably as concrete as possible. However, we operate within a context that is highly complex. Focusing only on the technical solutions, can actually cause unanticipated impacts that can even disrupt the livelihoods of marginalised communities. When we look at the social ecosystem of which our projects are part, everyone has a piece of the puzzle that can solve the issues we are dealing with.
Chances and challenges
One of the participants mentioned the challenge that the communities they work with are often mainly concerned with their daily survival, instead of discussions about whether everyone is involved. While this can be a challenge, it can also be an opportunity. Because social inclusion is not so much about the discussion, but rather about the solution that works best for these communities. Other participants also mentioned challenges they faced. And that is exactly the reason for the CoP, the Focal Point and the Leading Group. Together we can identify these challenges and see how we can deal with them to increase the impact of our programme.
Of course there were also some inspiring examples of attempts to take steps in the field of social inclusion and socially inclusive stakeholder management. See some examples in this article.
Want to join?
This year, there will be 3 more CoP’s on social inclusion. The next will be on April 2, 14:00 – 15:30 CET via Teams. Want to join? Send an email to info@bluedeal.nl.
On December 11, 2023, the Blue Deal organised a workshop about scaling up nature-based solutions during the congress of the International Water Association (IWA) in Kigali, Rwanda.
The aim of the session was to further explore upscaling of nature-based solutions (NbS), and to discuss with the participants how to secure inclusive sustainability of NbS. In the partnerships, the Blue Deal pays a lot of attention to this topic, since it is one of the important ways to work on climate adaptation, which is one of the crosscutting themes of the Blue Deal.
What are nature-based solutions?
NbS for water management are approaches that work with, rather than against, natural systems to manage water resources and ensure social inclusion. The solutions are designed to enhance the ability of natural ecosystems to store and purify water, while also providing a range of co-benefits, such as biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and improved livelihoods.
Main takeaways
The session emphasised on important criteria for long-lasting scaling of these solutions. The Blue Deal, together with the NWB Fund, aims to promote NbS to improve sustainable water management and improve the quality of water resources worldwide. In the workshop several international experts, mainly working in Africa on water management projects, participated. A main takeaway participants mentioned was better knowledge on how to scale up NbS and to improve the communication on the quantitative benefits and results to the political class and community.
Through the Blue Deal, Dutch Water Authorities works in 15 countries worldwide. Even in countries where intense conflicts sometimes arise. Like now in the Palestinian Territories, Mali, Ethiopia, and Burkina Faso. How and why does the Blue Deal continue to operate there? Water expert Frank Tibben says: "We continue to collaborate to improve access to sufficient, clean, and safe water. In good times and in bad."
“Can I travel safely to and from my home? Will I still see my family again after this training?” These are questions Duaa Matar asks herself before deciding to travel to the Netherlands for training at the end of November 2023. Matar is a Palestinian woman working as a Young Expert Professional (Yepper) for the Blue Deal. She lives and works in the West Bank, in the Palestinian Territories.
The interview takes place in a coffee shop in The Hague, the day before she heads back home. A surreal experience as she talks about the war situation in her country. “It’s like I stood outside of reality for 2 weeks. I felt guilty for not being in my homeland. Physically I was here, but mentally I was at home.”
Political situation has changed
The Blue Deal is the international programme of the 21 Dutch water authorities, the Dutch ministries of Foreign Affairs and Infrastructure and Water Management, and water managers worldwide. The goal: to improve access to clean, sufficient, and safe water for 20 million people worldwide. That’s why the Blue Deal has formed 17 partnerships with water managers in 15 countries.
“In some of these countries, the political situation looked different when we started with the Blue Deal,” explains Frank Tibben. He is responsible for collective intelligence and strategic relationships at World Waternet, which works for the Blue Deal on behalf of the Dutch water authority Amstel, Gooi en Vecht. Some of the areas they work for in the Blue Deal, include conflict regions. Tibben also serves as the partnership manager for the Blue Deal in the Palestinian Territories.
Good and bad times
He continues: “We don’t construct infrastructure ourselves; we’re not an engineering firm or contractor. We support local water managers in carrying out their tasks. We do this through knowledge exchange in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Dutch and local colleagues work in a hybrid manner, with short visits to the country or to the Netherlands as needed. This makes us flexible and allows us to continue, even when conflict arises. The work then often becomes more digital.”
“Within the Blue Deal, we form partnerships until 2030. A lot can happen in such a long period, positively or negatively. We continue to collaborate to improve access to sufficient, clean, and safe water. In good times and in bad,” says Tibben.
Long-term commitment
“Of course, sometimes I wonder: couldn’t we achieve much more in other, safer areas?” says Luzette Kroon. She is board member of the Association of Dutch Water Authorities and is responsible for the international portfolio and chair of the Blue Deal. “But that also means throwing away what we’ve built and abandoning our principles. We operate on the principle of long-term commitment. It’s precisely because of that long-term commitment that we can achieve things. That’s what makes us powerful.”
Pilots
How does the work of the Blue Deal continue in conflict regions? Matar talks about a pilot in Salfit, a city in the West Bank. “A smart system has been created here for monitoring water levels. We can remotely read and adjust the water level. This means the engineer in this area no longer needs to visit the location. It is a relief, because it is currently an unsafe region near Israeli settlements.” The pilot started 3 months before the outbreak of renewed violence.
Another example is the pilot with 3 BluElephants in the cities of Salfit and Halhul in the West Bank. These are mobile, decentralised purification plants that purify wastewater for reuse. Now that Palestinian colleagues in the West Bank can no longer safely travel to and from work, these installations ensure that wastewater continues to be purified.
A pilot with 3 BluElephants ensures that wastewater continues to be purified.
Working in neighbouring countries
In other conflict-affected countries, the Blue Deal also seeks creative solutions. Much of this involves thinking along and providing advice. From a distance. Tibben says: “It helps if the Dutch colleagues have already visited the locations and partners. Last year, for example, we were involved in Ethiopia in the construction of a wetland, a natural water buffer for wastewater treatment. This makes it easier for us in the Netherlands to provide digital support for the monitoring of the wetland and the construction of new wetlands.”
Other options are that Dutch and local colleagues meet in a safe neighbouring country. Or that local colleagues come to the Netherlands.
Continuous support
The Blue Deal team in the Netherlands and the team in the West Bank speak weekly. Digitally, which works well thanks to the experiences from the COVID-19 period. Matar says: “Our colleagues from the Netherlands provide us with continuous support. Every week, we assess what is realistic. We even made plans for 2024, although we don’t know exactly how the situation will develop.” Tibben adds: “Especially in difficult times, the long-term Blue Deal partnership focuses on sustainable water management.”
Kroon says: “In conflict areas, water management is so necessary. We work on solutions that fit the local context, focusing on local people. With the Blue Deal, we contribute to a bit of stability. The fact that our partner water authorities are still functioning indicates that our work is meaningful. As long as we achieve sustainable impact, we continue our work.”
On November 27, Dutch Water Authorities (DWA) organised the DWA Network Day in Driebergen, with the central theme 'Water Knows No Boundaries.'
DWA coordinator Piebe Hoeksma opened the day with a plenary conversation with Luzette Kroon, board member of the Association of DWA. After a presentation by former Chief of the Defence Staff Tom Middendorp and the presentation of the NWB Award, there were theme sessions on the 4 main DWA themes: knowledge exchange, Europe, international projects/Blue Deal, and attractive employment. Approximately 120 employees, administrators, and foreign coordinators from within and outside the water authorities were present.
Importance of International Cooperation
“The water authorities are the least known government entities, but they enjoy the greatest trust,” Kroon opens her conversation. “80 percent of the Dutch trust that the water authorities keep our country, which is partly below sea level, dry. With Bureau Brussels, our representation in Europe, we also have a significant influence on Brussels policy. The international community is eager to learn from us. But we also face significant challenges, such as long periods of drought, extreme rainfall, and water pollution. These challenges are global: climate change is here, and it pays no attention to national borders. That’s why international cooperation is crucial, especially in the field of climate adaptation.”
Water at the Core of Sustainable Development Goals
Kroon is pleased that this year saw the first United Nations water conference. “This demonstrates that both the subject of water and international cooperation are high on the administrative agendas. The question now is: how do we ensure that this remains the case? I believe by continuing to emphasize the urgency. The Sustainable Development Goals mean nothing without water. International work also has significant added value for the water authorities it makes us more attractive as an employer.”
Water, Both Friend and Foe
The second keynote speaker has an impressive curriculum vitae: Tom Middendorp led the army for 38 years, was the first to put the climate on the agenda at Defence, and wrote the book Climate General, translated into five languages. “In the Netherlands, water is both our greatest friend and enemy at the same time,” he states in his presentation. “The economy owes much to our favourable location near water. At the same time, water is our greatest threat. Adaptation is in our genes due to these extremes.”
Reducing Water Dependency
Middendorp emphasizes our increasing dependence on water. “Look at production: a sheet of A4 paper requires a whopping 10 liters of water, and a T-shirt requires 4000 liters. And the demand for water continues to grow, partly due to population growth and our living standards. At the same time, water supply is decreasing due to increasingly longer periods of drought. We must reduce our water footprint and dependence on water through circularity: better reuse.”
Tensions Due to (Water) Scarcity
During his work abroad, Middendorp saw how scarcity of essential resources causes tensions between population groups. “Water scarcity causes conflicts and forces people to move. Through this phenomenon, I saw the connection between climate and security. Because climate change is closely related to water: to food shortages and the livability of areas. At Defense, I therefore put climate on the agenda and linked it to security.”
Giving Room to Innovation
“To resist increasingly extreme weather, we must collaborate,” says Middendorp. “We must give room to innovation, create a knowledge ecosystem, and collaborate across borders. The solution to these new water challenges lies in our innovation and adaptability.”
NWB Award 2023
The morning programme concluded with the presentation of the NWB Award 2023, the prize for the most compelling video about international water authorities work. After showing the shortlist, Luzette Kroon, as chair of the NWB Fund, announced the winner: ‘A strategic alliance for water conservation in the Chira Valley’ from Blue Deal Peru. They win €5000 for further research and an interview in Het Waterschap, the magazine of the Association of DWA. Kroon: “The videos provide a good insight into our work and show how many people are involved in international water authorities projects.”
Watch the video submissions for the NWB Award
Theme Sessions: Knowledge Sharing and Europe After the lunch break and networking opportunities, there were two rounds of theme sessions on the agenda. In each round, participants could join one of the four topics. In the Knowledge Sharing theme session, Petra Goessen, foreign coordinator at Dutch water authority Hollands Noorderkwartier, sought ideas for acquiring more knowledge from abroad. In the Europe theme session, Luc Kronenberg and Noa Hartog, lobbyists in Brussels on behalf of Vewin and the Association of DWA, explained what the Union does in Brussels and how the European Union operates.
Attractive Employment and International Projects
In the Attractive Employment theme session, Frank Tibben (intelligence manager at World Waternet) and Anne Maaike Koeneman (policy advisor international cooperation at Dutch water authority Drents Overijsselse Delta) showed why internationally oriented water experts choose water authorities as employers. In the Blue Deal/international projects theme session, Marion Wierda, programme manager at the NWB Fund, highlighted various international projects of the water authorities.
"And the winner is… Blue Deal Peru with their video on research into water for rice cultivation!" With these words, Luzette Kroon, board member International Affairs at the Association of Dutch Water Authorities, announced the winner of the NWB Award 2023 during the Dutch Water Authorities' Network Day on November 27.
The NWB Award, presented annually by the NWB Fund during the DWA Network Day, recognises the most inspiring video on international water management work. The NWB Fund, established by the NWB Bank (the bank for water authorities in the Netherlands), aims to invest in enhancing integrated water management elsewhere in the world. The victorious team stood proudly on the podium, and rightfully so. The winning team receives a cash prize of 5000 euros to invest in their project and eternal fame. Milagros Sosa, from the Blue Deal Peru, exclaimed, “This is so beautiful! Our partners in Peru will be thrilled.”
Nearly 1000 votes
This year, 9 videos were submitted by project teams from Asia, Africa, and South America. A professional jury comprising representatives from the NWB Fund, Blue Deal, and professional filmmakers selected a shortlist of 3 videos. The selection criteria included: Is it a compelling story that can be shared? What is the technical quality of the video? Does it align with this year’s theme of ‘smart collaboration with stakeholders’? Consequently, the videos from Peru, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia stood a chance to win. A digital vote was then conducted to choose the winner. Both water experts and international partners were eligible to vote this time, and the turnout was significant: nearly 1000 votes were cast.
What is the movie about?
Using local research, the video shows an example of smart cooperation with a concrete goal of saving water in rice production in Piura, and therefore having a reduction of the water footprint in food production. The research shown in the video is the first initiative of a scholarship programme launched by Blue Deal Peru to support young researchers from local universities working on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) themes to achieve their professional titles. This video has been made by our Young Expert and the Piura technical team.
Intensive lobby?
Bert van Boggelen, director of the NWB Fund, asked partnership manager Kees de Jong if they had lobbied intensively. Kees replied matter-of-factly, “Simply shared the video.” Nonetheless, the enthusiasm in South America evidently prevailed. The research on water supply for rice cultivation has significantly impacted farmers in the Piura region in northern Peru, where rice cultivation is prevalent. More effective and efficient water management practices are now in place, crucial in times when water is becoming scarcer due to climate change.
Water is crucial for liveable earth
All entrants will receive a jury report along with an offer of feedback from a professional filmmaker. This is the NWB Fund’s effort to support the creation of increasingly better videos, a great medium to raise awareness of international water management work. These projects contribute significantly to climate adaptation. During the network day, climate general Tom Middelkoop was a guest speaker. In his presentation, he emphasised the impact of climate change on geopolitical relations and the necessity to enhance livability in severely affected regions. This is precisely what the water management projects aim to achieve, as water is crucial for a liveable earth.
Since 2019 the Blue Deal has a partnership with the water authorities in the West Bank, part of the Palestinian Territories, until 2030. We follow the current news with a heavy heart, as does everyone in the Netherlands and the rest of the world. The situation takes a huge toll on our Palestinian colleagues and we wish them strength in these difficult times. We will continue the partnership as good as we can, because water is crucial, especially now.
In September 2022, 3 wastewater recycling units, or ‘BluElephants’, were officially launched in Salfeet and Halhul in the West Bank in the Palestinian Territories. Thanks to these purification units, wastewater can be treated without the immediate need for people on site. The devices can be read, monitored and operated remotely. If these units were not there, Palestinian colleagues would have to go to the locations of the wastewater treatment plants, which is very difficult in the current situation. In 2023, a regional laboratory for (waste)water analysis and for digitizing a broad range of (waste)water infrastructure was opened. This laboratory supports sound water services in a more remote way.
Although our Palestinian colleagues in the West Bank are very limited in leaving their homes for safety reasons, we continue to maintain daily digital contact with them. They have indicated that they are highly motivated to keep continuing the exchange of experiences with each other on a technical level. We can only admire their strength and perseverance. Our Dutch colleagues can serve as a sounding board, for example in safeguarding (waste)water services more remotely.
Do you want to read more about how the Blue Deal partnership with the Palestinian Territories can continue? Read the blog from World Waternet.
