ISSN 0912-7402

No.55 March 2012

NEWSLETTER

International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC)=Promoting Sustainable Lake Management=This Newsletter is also available in Japanese.

The 14th World Lake Conference– A Great Step toward Global Promotion of ILBM
The 14th World Lake Conference in Austin, Texas,
USA, October 31 – November 4, 2011, co-hosted by
ILEC and River Systems Institute of Texas State
University closed successfully under the theme of“Lakes, Rivers, Groundwater and Coastal Areas:
Understanding Linkages”. The conference wasparticipated by about 500 participants from 39 different
countries, including researchers and experts,

University of Western Australia and Stockholm Water

government officials, international representatives,

Laureate, gave a presentation on the threat to life in the

Focusing on “lake basins” which include lakes andNGOs, students, private sector people.

4).

deep lakes of the world from Global Warming andtheir upstream/downstream water systems, as the

On October 31, Ms. Kathy Tovo, Member of Council

Increased Agricultural Activity. Dr. Charles Goldman,conference title shows, conference mainly discussedof Austin City, Ms. Denise M. Trauth, President ofDistinguished Professor of Limnology Emeritus ofways on how to promote “Integrated Lake Basin

Texas State University, Mr. Andrew Sansom, Director of

University of California, Davis, USA, talked about his

Management (ILBM)” to sustainably manage lake

River Systems Institute of Texas State University, Mr.

study on Lake Tahoe and the World Water Crisis.

basins. In order to facilitate this discussion, ILEC and

Hironori Hamanaka, Director General of ILEC and Ms.

The conference held 52 technical and thematic

Shiga University prepared a guidebook entitled

Yukiko Kada, Governor of Shiga Prefecture, Japan,

sessions, which covered a wide range of topics on“Development of ILBM Platform Process” which put

welcomed the participants and expressed theirstudies and management practices of lakes andtogether the results of the past ILBM initiatives being

expectations from the conference. In her speechreservoirs around the world. Active discussion followed

jointly carried out in various parts of the world. The

entitled “Experience of Lake Biwa”, Ms. Kada discussed

after each presentation. United Nations Environment

guidebook was presented at ILBM Primer Session on

the concept of “Near Water” and “Far Water” from

Programme (UNEP) and ILEC who concluded a new

October 31 and guided the discussion throughout thehistorical and international perspectives. She touched

MOU in April 2011 for further collaboration organized aconference, including ILBM Case Study Session andon the experience of Great East Japan Disaster which

joint session on global assessment and management ofInternational Policy Forum. At the end of the

took place in Japan in March 2011 to remind thelakes and their basins (November 3). Poster exhibitions

conference, participants recognized the usefulness ofparticipants of the importance of “Near Water”,

were organized during the daytime throughout thedeveloping ILBM Platform to gradually improve thementioning that Japanese people rediscovered theconference to facilitate the exchange of information andbasin governance. The participants supported a global

value of “Near Water” after losing life-support

opinions among the participants. Two side events were

promotion of ILBM or IL2BM* and proposed a session to

infrastructure like water and toilet. She also introduced

organized, which include a Geographic Information

be organized at the United Nations Conference on

a traditional water use culture called “Kabata” being

System (GIS) workshop before the conference (October

Sustainable Development (Rio+20) to be held frompracticed in Harie, Shiga Prefecture, Japan, where

29 & 30) and two field trips to Highland Lakes Cascade

June 4-6, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro. The conference

people use spring water in their daily life. Two keynote

Reservoir System and Edward Aquifer/San Antonio

closed with the adoption of “Austin Declaration” which

presentations followed. Dr. Jorg Imberger, Professor of

Aquifer Storage Facility after the conference (November

included the proposal. (For details, see www.ilec.or.jp).

＊“ILBM” sees the basin as a combination of “Lentic Water” (like lakes) and “Lotic Water” (like rivers) forming a nesting structured water system can also be seen
as “IL2BM” or Integrated Lentic-Lotic Basin Management.

IN THIS ISSUE■ The 14th World Lake Conference– A Great Step toward Global Promotion of ILBM
■ ILBM SESSION■ – International Policy Forum for Sustainable Basin Management■ UNEP-ILEC JOINT SESSION■ NGO Session■ The 3rd World Lake Student Meeting■ ILBM for African Lake Basin Management with Sanitation Challenges (ILBM-AFSAN)■ JICA Training Course■ Integrated Basin Management for Lake Environment■ Trainees in front of Shiga Prefectural Government Office■ Lakes of the World Lake Turkana (Ethiopia, Kenya)■ Dr. Tatsuo Kira - Founder of ILEC - Deceased■ Dr. A.K. Pattanik Joins the ILEC Scientific Committee■ A New MOU Concluded with UNEP
■ Activities of ILEC (April 2011 - March 2012)

1

ILBM SESSION
Primer Session (October 31): A new guidebook

continuously strengthening and“Development of ILBM Platform Process” wasmanaging the basin governance.

introduced by Professor Masahisa Nakamura,

After that, ILBM-guided case studies

Chairman of the ILEC Scientific Committee. The

were reported from Mexico, India,

book puts together research findings of “Lake

Nepal, Russia, Philippines, andGovernance Project” jointly implemented by

Malaysia.

Shiga University, the University of Shiga

discussed how ILBM approach should be applied

Sandeep Joshi (India) and Dr. Obiero Ong’ang’

Prefecture and ILEC between 2008-2010, which

and refined. At the end of the session, Professor(Kenya) emphasized the importance of appropriate

covered more than 20 lake basins around the

Nakamura introduced a new knowledge basetechnologies, while Mr. Hironori Hamasaki andworld. It introduces an ILBM framework and how“LAKES” (Learning Acceleration and Knowledge

Mr. Katsuki Matsuno’s presentation on Lake Biwa

to develop an ILBM platform as a way toEnhancement System) and ILBM Training(Japan) focused more on policy and planning assustainably manage lake basins while

Module as key instruments to support andessential areas of governance. Mr. John Merino

encourage ILBM activities.

(USA) introduced his management experiences

Case Studies Session (November 2): Six casewith boundary lothic waters, responding tostudies were presented in this session with ahistoric transboundary agreements between

focus on different ILBM pillars. These

Mexico and the United States. Mr. Alejandro

presentations reflect the flexibility inherent inJuarez (Mexico) presented a practical approach

ILBM to analyze and plan strategically lake basin

to assess ILBM six governance pillars by amanagement schemes and concrete actions. Dr.

selected group of stakeholders.

Then,

participants

International Policy Forumfor Sustainable Basin Management
An international forum with the above-

session. Prior to the session, Ms. Adelina

Organizations (Dr. Salif Diop, Division of Early

mentioned title was held on November 1, 2011,

Santos-Borja, a member of the ILEC Scientific

Warning and Assessment, UNEP)

attended by a wide range of participants from

Committee from Lake Laguna Development

After the presentations, participants discussed

Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America,

Authority, Philippines gave an overview of theissues and challenges which international

including government representatives, high-level

ILBM Primer Session which took place the day

societies are facing, along with comments andofficials, experts, and UNEP representatives frombefore. After that, participants from Mexico,

requests to international organizations.

international agency. The forum consisted ofPhilippines, Kenya, Italy, Guatemala, Nepal,

PartⅢ: Global Framework of Action on lake

three parts and discussed the ways for “Meeting

Zimbabwe, and India presented management(Lentic-Water) Basin Management –Integrated Lentic and Lotic Basin Management

practices, current conditions and problems facing

Toward Rio+20 and Beyond

Challenges. Prior to the discussion, Dr. W. Rast,

the lake basins in their countries.

professor of Texas State University gave an

Professor Masahisa Nakamura, Chairman of

PartⅡ: Global Framework of Action on LakeILEC Scientific Committee facilitated a discussion

outline of ILBM approach.

(Lentic-Water) Basin Management

on international framework of action, inviting

PartⅠ: National Policy for Lake (Lentic-Water)–Global Perspectives and the Roles of

opinions and comments from all the participants.

the International Organizations

The session discussed basin issues, such as

Basin Management
Ms. Yukiko Kada, Governor of Shiga

Mr. Peter Guilruth, Director of UNEP-DEWA

Prefecture, Japan and Ms. Helena Colter,

chaired the session. Three presentations weretransboundary water and basin management, as

Director of Integrated Basin Management,

given:

the themes for ILBM to address in the future.

National Institute of Ecology, Mexico chaired the1) Emerging Challenges in Lake Environment

Also addressed are international and domestic

Conservation in Japan: An ILBM

challenges, including climate change, partnership

Perspective (Mr. Nobuo Yoshida,with neighboring countries, history and culture,

Ministry of the Environment,

finance, participation, ecosystem conservation,

Government of Japan)

non-point pollution control, capacity building, topreparedness,foodsecurity,

2) Climate Change and Lake Basingrapple with long-term improvement of basin

Management: Possible Role ofgovernance. Forum participants confirmed that

ILBM (Mr. Hironori Hamanaka,

promoting ILBM approach more broadly into

Director General of ILEC)

international communities is an important agenda

3) Challenges

facingILBM–

Perspectives from International

2

disasterin the coming UN Rio+20 Conference to be heldin Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012.

UNEP-ILEC JOINT SESSION- Global Programs and Strategies on Assessment of Lakes and Their Basins UNEP and ILEC concluded a new MOU on

developing countries and the need to upgrade

Dr. Sean Avery, UNEP Nairobi, discussed

April 13, 2012 to work together for effectively

the database to support an effective decision-hydrological impacts of Ethiopia’s Omo Basin on

responding to lake basin problems around themaking.

Lake Turkana, a semi-arid lake in Northern Kenya

world. This joint session was the first collaboration

Dr. Salif Diop, UNEP Nairobi, reported criticalwhich depends mostly on the Omo River for its

based on the new MOU. The session included

managing issues of surface and groundwater

surface water inputs. Discussion pointed to thefour presentations followed by active discussion.

resources in African river basins, with a focus onneed for transboundary water assessment tools

Dr. Richard Robarts, UNEP-GEMS (Global

the case of the Mau Forest Complex in Kenya.

that address factors on both sides of theEnvironment Monitoring System) /Water, Canada

The Mau has suffered from forest degradationinternational boundaries, with a potential role for

introduced its water quality monitoring program

which has impacted downstream communities,

UNEP to provide a platform for both countries toand service to the global water quality

particularly during drought periods. There is a

discuss the impact of the dam development andcommunity. Discussion pointed to the need toneed to link Mau Forest rehabilitation program toways to mitigate downstream impacts.

encourage more participation, particularly fromILBM efforts in the surrounding lakes.

Dr. Gabriel Eckstein, Texas Wesleyan, Schoolof Law, presented his research on transboundary
aquifers and provided information on trends andthreats to the management of these aquifers.
Discussion argued for the need for better scienceand understanding of aquifers as access andrights will become increasingly important in the
coming future and should be addressed as part of
ILBM initiatives.
The overall finding of the session was tocontinue the plan of combining lake level
initiatives to promote ILBM in planning activities
with opportunities to share such experiences in aninternational symposium such as the World Lake
Conference.

NGO Session
An NGO session was organized in theafternoon of November 1, 2012 jointly chaired bycommittee was able to advertise their “Kabata”

Philippines, and State of Texas (USA), each

culture throughout the world.

showing local characteristics. The session

Dr. Shinji Ide, professor of the University of Shiga

The other six presentations included various

Prefecture and Mr. Juan Skinner, a member ofactivities from Guatemala, Mexico, India,

contributed to exchange information andexperiences among NGOs of the world.

the ILEC Scientific Committee. The session wasparticipated by a wide range of audiences not
only from NGOs and governments, but also frommass-media and academia, including Ms. Kada,
Governor of Shiga Prefecture and its Prefectural
Assembly Members.
Seven NGO activities were presented from six
countries around the world. From Japan, Harie
Shozu-no Sato Committee of Takashima City,
Shiga Prefecture presented on local water culture
called “Kabata”, a traditional system utilizing
spring water within local households. Theirunique practice attracted strong attention of theparticipants and mass-media, with manyquestions from the floor. Although it was their firstparticipation in the World Lake Conference, theHarie Shozu-no Sato Committee presenting traditional “Kabata” culture

3

The 3rd World Lake Student Meeting
The 3rd World Lake Student Meeting was jointly
organized by ILEC and WWCN (World Water andClimate Network) on the occasion of the 14th World
Lake Conference. This was the 3rd meeting of thiskind, the 1st one was in Otsu, Shiga, Japan (2008)
and the 2nd one was in Wuhan, China (2009). 10
students were selected out of 56 applicants fromaround the world.
From October 25th to 28th, 2011, as part of the
preparation for the 14th World Lake Conference inTexas, USA, the students gathered at the shore of
Lake Tahoe to participate in a workshop, hosted by
Tahoe Environmental Research Center of California
University, Davis Campus. The Lake Tahoe is
Workshop participants at Lake Tahoesituated at the border of California and Nevada,USA, with a surface area of 500 ‡ and theobtained from the pre-conference workshop.

maximum depth of 500m. It is famous for its highresearch findings on Lake Tahoe and other worldtransparency and a research field of Professor

lakes. After these presentations, students had the

All the students have a strong concern about

Charles Goldman, President of WWCN.

opportunity to discuss with these experts about

ongoing global environment issues, from lake

global lake environment issues.

environment to climate change, and a keen interest

At the workshop, students learned about
monitoring and data processing of lake environment.

At the 14th World Lake Conference, students

in working on their research related to these issues.

They gave presentations about their research. In

organized a Student Session on November 2, 2011.

ILEC hopes that these young researchers will keep

addition, world-famous researchers who kindly

They proudly made some recommendations based

actively working in the future, and contributing toparticipated in this workshop gave their latest

on their research results and knowledge they

improving global lake environment conditions.

ILBM for African Lake Basin Managementwith Sanitation Challenges (ILBM-AFSAN)
The above-mentioned three-year project

In July 2011, as part of preparatory activities in

The workshop, along with a visit to Ujjani

commissioned from the Ministry of theAfrica, a project team of ILEC invited some of ourReservoir, India, offered them an opportunity toEnvironment of Japan, which started in 2009 andAfrican partners from Kenya and Zimbabwe to a

discuss with Indian ILBM partners, including Dr.

came to an end this year. The project aims to

Consultative Workshop in Pune, India. The

Sandeep Joshi and other local experts. African

support self-help effort of the local people inobjectives were to give them a firsthandpartners seemed to be impressed by active

improving water and sanitation conditions in someexperience of how ILBM process evolves and to

involvement of local people in Pune in the ILBM

lake basins in East Africa through ILBM approach.

help them think about their own activities in Africa.

process.
In September 2011, the project team visited
Kenya and Zimbabwe to discuss future work
plans, including the upcoming workshop agenda.
In December, they organized three workshops inthree different places - Lake Chivero (Zimbabwe),
Winam Gulf of Lake Victoria (Kenya) and Lake
Nakuru (Kenya) - with respective Africancounterparts. At the end of each workshop, it wasagreed that ILBM Platform Steering Committee
would be set up in each basin to lay the foundation
for ILBM-guided activities to be developed andsustained. However, it seems that a number ofchallenges related to finance, technology,
information and institutions have yet to be met,
which may not to be resolved easily. There is a

Local people washing at Lake Victoria shore

4

need for ILEC to follow-up the future development.

ILBMセッション
ILBM
セッション
JICA Training
CourseILBM Training Course for Guatemala
The ILBM training course for Guatemala

plants and soil, roles offocused on lake basin management was organized

government, irrigation and land

from July 21 to August 5, 2011. Five young

improvement, management oftrainees from the Unit of Water Resources andtoxic substances and organic

Watersheds, Ministry of Environment and Natural

agriculture,

Resources, Guatemala participated in this training.

environmental education. They

Trainees received lectures at ILEC and Japan

also practiced water quality

International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-Osaka

monitoring in Lake Biwa andCenter and visited a number of places for on-site

visitedtraining. The goal of this training course is to gettreatment plant, a sewage

trainees to become knowledgeable enough to betreatment plant, a night soil

able to play an instrumental role in the promotion oftreatment center, an industrial

ILBM-guided lake basin management in

effluent purification facility and Lake Biwa Museum.

based on the ILBM concept. They learned very

a

GIS,

drinking

and

water

Trainees monitoring water quality at Lake Biwa

At the end of the course, trainees developed

hard not only about ILBM, but also about Japanese

their action plan for Lake Gueija and its watershedsociety and returned home with high evaluation of

In this course, trainees learned the ILBM

located at the border of Guatemala and El

Japan. Their strenuous effort back in Guatemala isGovernance, water purification methods using

Salvador. The plan included practical programs

expected.

Guatemala. The course leader was Ms. Hiroko
Kamata, Senior Advisor of JICA.

Integrated Basin Management for Lake Environment
The 7th training course for Integrated Basin Management for Lake Environment(22nd including the previous course) was organized with a focus on government
officials in technical divisions and researchers from developing countries.
Trainees: 5
traineess from 4 countries (Myammer-1, Thailand-2, Uganda-1, Malaysia-1)
Duration:from January 13 to March 8, 2012
* A total number of trainees during 1st - 22nd sessions: 217

Trainees in front of Shiga Prefectural Government OfficeEnvironmental Education Focused on Fresh Water Environment
The 12th course for Environmental Education Focused on Fresh
Water Environment was organized with a focus on young government
staff teaching at higher education classes from developing countries.
Trainees:
3 trainees from 3 countries (China-1, Kosovo-1, Malaysia-1)
Duration:
August 29 to October 14, 2011
* A total number of trainees during 1st – 12th sessions: 85
A Group Discussion at ILEC

5

Lakes of the World
Lake Turkana (Ethiopia, Kenya)
Environmental Assessment and the Establishment of Management Mechanisms
for Sustainable Development in the Lake Turkana Basin, UNEP initiative January 2012
The Lake Turkana Basin is a transboundary basin

a delta, which has continued to expand encroachingstocks and other aquatic species in the lake, as wellwhich covers an estimated 206,216 ‡ from thefurther south into the lake over the recent years.

as livelihoods and food supply.

northwestern part of Kenya in the Great Rift Valley

The extension of the delta is considered to result

The basin has high potential for energy sources,

to southwestern portion of Ethiopia.

from the large-scale soil erosion in deforested areas

especially hydropower production. Hydropowerin the watershed of the Omo River.

dependence is yet particularly risky in the face of

Lake Turkana is Africa’s fourth largest lake, theworld’s largest permanent desert lake and the

The region is extremely poor and prone toclimate change impacts on river and developingworld’s largest alkaline lake. It is 250 ㎞ long with afrequent droughts with a history of violence andrenewable energy supplies that are less vulnerable

mean width of 30 ㎞ and a surface area of about

tension caused by insecurity and competition for

to climate change could diversify the national energy

6,750 ‡. The average depth is 35 m while thewater and grazing areas. The area has been asupply as the basin has immense solar, wind andmaximum depth is 115 m. The rocks of theregular recipient of humanitarian aid and relief food.

geothermal energy sources that have yet to be

surrounding area are predominantly volcanic.

The drought has also resulted in the escalation of

exploited. Oil exploration efforts offshore of Lake

The lake basin is hot and very dry. Temperatures

armed conflicts over resources amongst the people

Turkana are also a prospect which can significantly

are fairly uniform throughout the year, with aninhabiting the Turkana region, across borders.

raise the threat of pollution in the basin.

average daily range of about 24-38℃, and a relative

Pasture lands are almost extinct.

humidity between 40-60 per cent. The mean annual
rainfall in most of the lake surroundings is less than
250 mm. The occurrence of rainfall is erratic andunpredictable.

The Lake Turkana Basin could be a key attraction

Challenges to sustainable developmentin the Lake Turkana basin
The fundamental environmental challenges andincluding Lake Turkana National Parks, listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, and other wildlife
sanctuaries in the area.

The Omo River is the most dominant source of

associated issues that need to be addressed include

UNEP has prepared the project for sustainable

water to Lake Turkana (90%). The river has formed

first of all the considerable degradation of land,development in the Lake Turkana Basin and the aim

water

biodiversity

is to support long-term solutions to the current

resources in the lake basin.

environmental and social problems facing the

They have major impacts on

Turkana region.

andrural communities mostly

The objective of the UNEP project is to assist the

populated with nomadic orcountries, and stakeholders of the Lake Turkana tosemi-nomadic pastoralists, toenhance their capacity to sustainably manage theproduce economically and to

ecosystem services provided by the lake.

conserve natural ecosystems

Specifically, the project aims at minimizing theand are amongst factors

expected pressure of natural resources for conflictleading the region to beprevention and disaster reduction, throughextremely poor.

knowledge-based policy intervention, technology

The reduced availability oftransfer, investment on key infrastructure andfreshwater due to abstraction

monitoring the health of the ecosystem components.

of river water for irrigation and

The project will be implemented by UNEP in

damming and the degradationcooperation with the Governments of Kenya andof freshwater quality due to its

Ethiopia. The project will be supportive of the Global

high alkalinity and total

Environmental Facility (GEF) Transboundary Waters

dissolved solid concentration,

Assessment Programme (TWAP) with scientificcould have devastating effects

contribution of ILEC and with the participation ofon

UNEP’s Global Environment Monitoring System

biologicaldiversity,

ecological life support systemin the basin, reduction of fish

6

for tourists, major tourism destination areas(GEMS) - Water programme and global network.

Dr. Tatsuo Kira
-Founder of ILEC - Deceased
Dr. Tatsuo Kira, who established the ILEC Foundation, passed away on July 19, 2011 at the age of 91.
Dr. Kira played a major role in organizing the first World Lake Conference in 1984, and in establishing
ILEC in 1986. He also served as the first chairman of the ILEC Scientific Committee, as well as leading
the preparation of ILEC’s “World Lake Database” and “Guidelines for Lake Management.” These
pioneering works have influenced and guided lake management around the world. The passing of Dr.
Kira is a great loss, not only to ILEC, but also to lake people around the world. With his spirit in mind, weare determined to continue to work diligently and faithfully for the conservation of the global lake
environment with our partners.
Sewage Works.

In Memory of Dr. Tatsuo Kiraindustrial landscapes, I had pleasant opportunities to

The committee’s first job was to develop the overall

reply to his questions about urban amenities and industrial

Saburo Matsui
Professor Emeritus, Kyoto University,
Former ILEC Scientific Committee Member

concept of the conference. At that time, the construction

facilities. It is a pleasant memory of our intellectual exchangeof Konan Chubu Basin-wide Sewage Works was a caseto integrate our observations on nature and society.

on trial. It was necessary for the committee to provide a

In 1988, a workshop for environment conservation of

It was with the planning committee for the 1st World“place” for policymakers and government officials to

Lake Songkhla in Malay Peninsula of Thailand was held.

Lake Conference that I had the first opportunity to work

discuss relevant matters with citizens working on

Dr. Kira made a site visit to a rainforest, in which he hadwith Dr.Tatsuo Kira. The committee was established atconservation issues, and an “opportunity” for scientists tobegun field research soon after the end of the Second

the request of Mr. Masayoshi Takemura, then-Governor

present their findings to citizens in understandable terms.

World War. This was his first visit to the site in forty years,of Shiga Prefecture, and brought together major figures ofUnder these circumstances, the concept of “unified efforts

and I accompanied him. He saw a complete change inthe time, including Dr. Tatsuo Kira, Director of Lake Biwaof three parties,” including “government,” “citizens” andthe rainforest during this visit, and was very sad for its

Research Institute, Dr. Michio Hashimoto, Professor,“scientists” emerged, and later becoming the guiding

total degradation. His deep regret of this situation madeTsukuba University who played a key role as aprinciple for the series of World Lake Conferences. Thisme realize clearly that local degradation of nature isgovernment official in resolving the Kanemi oil poisoning

approach also was supported and encouraged by Dr.

contributing to global changes in the environment.

case and cadmium-induced itai-itai disease case, Dr.

Mostafa Tolba, then-Executive Director of UNEP in his

Hisao Onoue, Professor of Environmental Economics,

keynote speech at the 1st World Lake Conference.

Another memory of Dr. Kira is from the Earth Summit
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. The summit did not give

Shiga University, Dr. Taizo Miura, Professor, Kyoto

After the World Lake Conference series began, I

due consideration to the importance of the water

University who was conducting a biological study on thevisited a number of countries with Dr. Kira and his wife.

environment, a regret for both of us. Since then, and even

ecosystem of Lake Biwa, Dr. Akio Morishima, Professor

We enjoyed good conversations in the trains and cars

up to the present time, environmental awareness of theof Environmental Law, Sophia University, Dr. Keikichi

during our journey, while looking through our windows.

freshwater environment, including lakes, continues to

Kihara, Professor, Chiba University who was an

Along rivers, grass-fields and forests, he was always kind

have a low profile, allowing their environmental

environmental advocate in the mass media, and myself,

and patient in replying to my many questions about thedegradation to continue on a global scale. In Dr. Kira’s

then-Associate Professor of Kanazawa University. At that

local vegetation, in view of my limited knowledge of thememory, it is our task to stop this regrettable trend. We

time, I was engaged in the environmental assessment ofplants. It was good ‘on-the-job’ training to me on plantneed to keep this promise when we pray for his kind soulplanning for the Lake Biwa North-East Basin-wide

ecology. On the other hand, in a field of urban andto rest in peace.

Dr. A.K. Pattanik Joins
the ILEC Scientific Committee
ILEC welcomed Dr. Ajit Kumar Pattnaik from India as a new member of the ILEC Scientific Committee as ofNovember, 2011. His current position is Chief Executive of Chilika Development Authority, Orissa, India. He also
serves as Project Director of the World Bank-aided Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project and Presidentof Chilika Central Fishermen Co-operative Society. Specialized in phytodiversity, wetland research, integrated
lake/coastal zone management, forestry and botany, he has headed a successful restoration of Chilika Lake withecosystem approach and adaptive planning. Prior to his appointment to the committee, he has actively been
involved in many of the past ILEC activities in Chilika Lagoon related to the Integrated Lake Basin Management(ILBM). We all hope that he will play an important role in further promotion of ILBM in South Asia, including India.

7

A New MOU Concluded with UNEP
ILEC

concluded

a

new

MOU

(Memorandum of Understanding) with
UNEP on April 13, 2011. This MOU wasan action to follow-up a consolidation of
UNEP-IETC’s two offices in Japan, Shigaand Osaka Offices, into one Osaka Office(March 2012) because of the change ofits mandate to focus on solid waste
management for urban environment,
which created a need of developing anewframeworkforgloballake

environment conservation between UNEP
and ILEC. The two parties agreed tocooperate with promoting the Integrated
Lake Basin Management (ILBM) basedon this new MOU. The signing ceremony
took place at Shiga Prefecture Guestof the Environment, Japan, Mr. Suginaka,

House on the same day. The new MOU

Director of Global Environment Division ofa joint session entitled “Global Programs

was signed by Mr. Hamanaka, Director

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, andand Strategies on Assessment of Lakes

General of ILEC and Mr. Peter Guilruth,

Ms Kada, Governor of Shiga Prefecture,

and Their Basins“ at the 14th World Lake

Director of UNEP-DEWA under presence

and Dr. Nakamura, Chairman of the ILEC

Conference held in Austin, Texas, USA

of Mr. Kondo, Vice-Minister of the Ministry

Scientific Committee. As part of theon November 3, 2011.

collaboration, UNEP and ILEC organized

Activities of ILEC (April 2011 - March 2012)
bField Visit to Africa for AFSAN Project (Kenya, Zimbabwe,

2011

September 18 - 29, Commissioned by Ministry of theApril 〜 June

Environment, Japan)

bConclusion of MOU with UNEP (Shiga, Japan, April 13)
bTeel-Conference with UNEP about Joint Activities (May 16,

October 〜 December
bWLC14 (October 31 - November 4, Austin, Texas, USA in

June 9)b1st preparatory meeting for WLC14 with Texas State University(Austin, Texas, USA, May 17-21)

collaboration with River Systems Institute of Texas State
University)
bField Visit to Africa for AFSAN Project & ILBM Workshop

July 〜 September(Kenya, Zimbabwe, November 25 - December 16,

bILBM Consultative Workshop (Pune, India, August 1-5)

Commissioned by Ministry of the Environment, Japan)

bILBM Training Course for Guatemala (July 21 - August 5,
Sponsored by JICA)
b2nd preparatory meeting for WLC14 with Texas State

2012

University (Austin, Texas, USA, August 21 - 25)b3rd Japanese Organizing Committee for WLC14 (Ostu, Shiga,

January 〜 Marchb7th Training Course: Integrated Basin Management for Lake

September 9)b12th Environment Education Focused on Fresh Water

Environment (January 13 - March 8, Sponsored by JICA)

Environment (August 29 - October 14, Sponsored by JICA)

INTERNATIONAL LAKE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE FOUNDATION (ILEC)

8