Funded under ACEDP Water Ecology Compensation (Payment for Environmental Service) Policy and Mechanism project, the in-Australia Case Study was conducted from 12 to 23 March 2010 with a delegation from MEP, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, CAEP, and the Miyun County Environment Protection Board, led by Professor Hong Yaxiong, President of CAEP. The Case Study was chosen to examine key issues in water reform in Australia that may be of relevance to China. The Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project, NVIRP, Australia’s largest current irrigation infrastructure project, was selected to demonstrate the interaction of policy, policy mechanisms, instruments, implementation plans and the collaboration of a range of jurisdictions in a major project designed to increase irrigation efficiency, improve the allocation of water to the environment, provide for industry restructure and renewal, social adjustment and to supplement water supplies to a major city.
The Case Study was designed to be a team learning experience and the delegation was divided into four groups to address a selection of separate questions on aspects of the information gained during the tour. Background information on the water reform process in Australia and on NVIRP was provided to the delegation before leaving China. The Tour was arranged so that the Case Study program was clearly defined at the start when the delegation was welcomed in Sydney. The delegation then moved to Canberra where the nature of water ownership in Australia, the Australian Water Reform Process, its national policy and statutory basis and its implementation were explained by ACEDP core-partners and AusAID’s program for China was presented.
The Case Study then moved to the heart of the NVIRP in Shepparton Victoria where the delegation was given a Civic Reception by Greater Shepparton City Council. The delegation met with and heard presentations by Chief Executives of all the State and local agencies with some input into the $2.5 billion NVIRP project. Site visits were included in the NVIRP familiarisation. The delegation then travelled to Melbourne where presentations were given by the Victorian State Department of Sustainability and Environment and by the Australian Water Association.
At the end of the tour, delegates in the four groups presented their case studies in which each examined a separate set of questions posed in the Case Study and identified how this related to PES in China. The presentations, all in English, were of an exceptional standard demonstrating detailed understanding of the policy and institutional frameworks in Australia and provided an evaluation of how policy and mechanisms might apply to China.
The delegates’ formal evaluation of the in-Australia Case Study showed quantitatively that the Tour was highly successful against its objectives of providing a practical understanding of the link between policy and water reforms and of how PES and eco-payment systems work in Australia. The study also contributed successfully to AusAID’s and ACEDP’s overall objectives. Collaborative relations have been established between ACEDP Chinese and Australian core partner agencies. As well, good cooperation has been established between the Australian and Chinese teams. Both are looking forward to the development of the two China pilot projects in Miyun watershed, which were planned during the Tour.