Strategic objectives. To fill gaps in knowledge and methods in order to enable implementation of a harm sided IWRM approach that addresses the European Water Initiative, in five river basins. To enable and perform assessment of vulnerability to climate change and anthropogenic development, and produce integrated river basin management plans, that includes optimal combinations of actions. To reach the strategic objectives of TWINBAS, a number of research tasks on hydrology, modelling of pollution flow, impact assessment, socio-economics, scenario analyses and action efficiency have to be carried through. For all these activity areas, the goal is to bring knowledge to a level where IWRM can be implemented for the five twinned river basins; Katanga (Botswana), Nora (Kazakhstan), Bio (Chile) Thames (UK) and Nordstrom (Sweden). TWINBAS will have an important strategic impact by creating the practical means for implementing the EU Water Initiative 'Water for Life'. The nature and width of the gaps in knowledge vary between the different case study rivers, and therefore the research required differs between the river basins. The research and the IWRM components of TWINBAS are organised according to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) so that the FWD guideline documents can be utilised. The proposal also addresses the EU Water Initiative, which promotes development that is demand led from the less developed countries. The strong component of public participation and stakeholder involvement will ensure that each component has local ownership and addresses priorities identified within the region. The river basins selected represent a wide variety of water use problems, and a variety of political and societal systems.