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WWF6: Dutch expertise presented at the forum

6th World Water Forum, Marseille, France - March 12 - 17, 2012

This is an overview of sessions at the 6th World Water Forum where Dutch expertise is involved.

Updates will be made regularly.

Times and locations may change. Please also check the bulletin board at the Netherlands Water Pavilion for the latest details.
(Expo area booth 03.106, hall 3)

Saturday March 10

Sunday March 11

Monday March 12

Tuesday March 13

Wednesday March 14

Thursday March 15

Friday March 16

Conferences & sessions

Promoting water efficiency: pressures and footprints

The session focusses on the need and potential for water footprint reduction. The priority involves a great variety of stakeholders worldwide. UNEP is in the lead. From the Netherlands are involved: The Water Footprint Network and Twente University.

Who: A.Y.Hoekstra, Water Footprint Network/University of Twente
Target/session at WWF 6: Priority 3.2
When: Monday March 12th, 17:00 – 19:00 hrs
Where: PEu 5 - Europa 5 > Palais de l’Europe

High level event - green growth : the governmental Sustainability Agenda

The Netherlands integrated the concept of green economy into their national policies by presenting a governmental Sustainability Agenda. This agenda describes key areas for making the economy more sustainable and it points out opportunities to create a green economy. The government creates an enabling environment where private sector, civil society and local and national authorities can achieve their sustainability goals (for instance through so-called Green Deals).

The Netherlands would like to share their experiences and best practices, specifically to assist developing countries with their transition to a green economy. The role of the private sector in sustainable development and achieving a green economy cannot be over-emphasized. The Netherlands actively promotes public-private partnership, innovative financing, transparency and resource efficiency.

Since water is one of the priorities of Dutch government policy, especially in development cooperation, The Netherlands is setting up public-private partnerships with - and supports ‘partner countries’, particularly in the water sector.

Also, The Netherlands supports a Joint Programme by UNDP and UNEP to support developing countries who are making their economy green and implementing sustainable development strategies.

Who: Kitty van der Heiden, Dutch Ministry of foreign affairs
Target/session at WWF 6: Introduction to Point for action 2.4: Green Growth
When: Monday March 12th, 17:00 – 19:00 hrs
Where: PEu 6 - Europa 6 > Palais de l’Europe

Plenary Session: green growth

How to achieve a green economy, a contribution based on recent Dutch Experience and policy. (see full description see above)

Who: Kitty van der Heiden, Dutch Ministry of foreign affairs
Target/session at WWF 6: Point for action 2.4: Green Growth
When: Tuesday March 13th 08:30 – 12:30 hrs
Where: PC 6 - Jardin 2 > Palais des Congrès

Pro-poor finance solutions for water and sanitation that last

Financing water and sanitation improvements for the poorest of the poor remains a key challenge in many countries worldwide, in both rural and urban contexts; in low and higher income countries. High non-functionality rates after initial construction investments are difficult to ignore. But effective solutions do exist, some well-known and widely used, others more recent and innovative.

An essential feature of all these solutions is that pro-poor financing approaches must necessarily be approaches that guarantee post-construction desired functionality and service levels.

The aim of the session is to inspire and encourage key organisations and governments to adopt (some of) the 6 Key Solutions for pro-poor financing that are proposed, with the aim of achieving services that last in water and sanitation for the poor.

Who: Catarina Fonseca IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, WASHCost Project Director
Target/session at WWF 6: Condition for success ‘Finance Water for All’ CS2.7
When: 13 March 2012, 14:30 – 16:30 hrs
Where: PC 10 - Goude 2 > Palais des Congrès

Towards a roadmap for a sustainable and resilient future: The 5 D Approach

Water management is a key challenge for every country in the world. This challenge becomes bigger by the day due to continued urbanization, growth of the population, the need for food, accelerating development and climate change.

The Netherlands developed their 5D approach: Delta program, Delta decisions, Delta fund, Delta commissioner and Delta act and want to share their experiences with other countries in a Global water programme. This programme is linked with the international Delta Alliance, a platform that brings people together who live and work in deltas to benefit from each other’s experience and expertise.

The UNECE Water Convention developed a roadmap/guidance on water and climate change adaptation and a platform to exchange knowledge and experiences. Partner countries of the Netherlands and the UNECE share their experience with their approach and roadmap to these challenges.

Four presenters and seven round tables on the following subjects: Roadmaps, Finance, Public, private partnerships, Governance, Transboundary cooperation, Assessments and Practical solutions.

Who: Ministry for Infrastructure and the Environment and the Government Commissioner for the Dutch Delta- programme / Zuid Holland Province / Delta Alliance / Deltares
Target/session at WWF 6: 3.3.6: Towards a roadmap for a sustainable and resilient future : organization & 3.3 Respond to climate and global changes in an urbanizing world
When: Tuesday March 13th, 08:30 – 10:30 hrs
Where: PEu 8 - Europa 8 > Palais de l’Europe

Round Table discussion: Building with Nature as a means for Integrated Coastal Zone Management

Modern strategies for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) foresee in sustainable interventions based on Building with Nature principles. Such interventions fit with the natural system and promote nature development. Key examples are the use of meganourishments for shoreline development, or natural (oyster) reefs to mitigate erosion.

Building with Nature solutions provide benefits for multiple functions (coastal safety, recreation, nature, economic development), hence aim for a win-win for all stakeholders involved. The Sand Motor in The Netherlands, (also known as Sand Engine) is a real life example of Building with Nature. The Sand Motor is a huge amount of sand, deposited on the shore in the form of a peninsula. Wind, waves and currents will spread this sand gradually along the coast. This will make the coastline broader and safer, thereby creating extra space for nature and recreational purposes.

The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, the Province of Zuid-Holland and the Province of Noord-Holland, organize a Round Table Discussion on the subject ‘Building with Nature as a means for Integrated Coastal Zone Management’. Goal is to exchange knowledge about Building with Nature as a means for ICZM and to explore the potential of this approach along shorelines across Europe.

Who: Koen Oome Zuid-Holland Province in co-operation with North Holland Province and Rijkwaterstaat (the implementing body of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management)
Target/session at WWF 6: 3.3.6: Towards a Roadmap for a Sustainable and Resilient Future for Delta Countries
When: Tuesday March 13th, 8.30 – 10.30 hrs
Where: PEu 8 - Europa 8 > Palais de l’Europe

Make water resource planning a reality by adopting an IWRM (Master) Plan

Making IWRM Plans a reality is one of the objectives of WWF6. As such WWF6 calls to commit for Water, including to commit on continued efforts to prepare IWRM plans by 2015 and beyond. The Target 2.1.2 Session IWRM for All will be on Tuesday March 13 , 11-13 hrs. It is expected to have 18 group/roundtables discussion of each ten participants. One out of 15 Priorities for Action of the Forum is 2.1 on Balancing Multiple Water Uses through IWRM.

Under this point of action there will be seven Targets and Solutions sessions during the Forum addressing specific issues of IWRM in more detail. Specifically these include: adoption of IWRM and empowerment of stakeholders and authorities, establishing recognized water quality and quantity reference frameworks for various water uses, water resource and ecosystem valuation, development and validation of models and tools for helping decision makers implement IWRM, guidelines and indicators for managing multiple resources and uses in line with those approved by international organizations, and recommendations on appropriate accounting/measurement of water resources to support management efforts.

Making IWRM a reality will be dealt by this session.

Who: M. Pinckers, Ministery of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation in co-operation with: Delta Alliance, Tygron Serious Gaming, Alterra, Schelde Basin/Hogeschool Vlissingen, Regional Water Authority de Dommel Netherlands Water Governance Centre
Target/session at WWF 6: 2.1.2 IWRM for All
When: Tuesday March 13th, 11AM – 1PM
Where: PEu 7 - Europa 7 > Palais de l’Europe

Water footprint tools and databases

At least 2.67 billion people in 201 river basins live with severe water scarcity and the impacts on human health, economic development and environmental sustainability call for innovative tools and robust data that can build understanding of humanity’s pressure on water resources.

The Water Footprint Assessment tool has been designed for this purpose and uses the water footprint, an indicator of direct and indirect water consumption and pollution, to explore the linkages between human consumption and production, their sustainability from a local, river.basin or global perspective and strategic response formulation.

The state-of-the-science in data and tools for use in Water Footprint Assessment will be presented and practitioners, researchers, corporations, NGOs and policymakers are encouraged to contribute to the further development and application of the Water Footprint Assessment Tool, the WATERSTAT database and related tools and databases to achieve locally and globally sustainable, efficient and equitable human water footprints.

Who: A.Y.Hoekstra, Water Footprint Network/ University of Twente
Target/session at WWF 6: 3.2.1
When: Tuesday March 13th, 8:30 – 10:30 hrs
Where: PEu 3 - Europa 3 > Palais de l’Europe

Multistakeholder Session: Scenario’s and Modeling: Contributions to
solutions in water management?

In the scientific community and in the media the usefulness for water management of climate scenario’s and models is hotly debated. Some seem to prefer ‘flipping a coin’ rather than making use of climate scenario’s. Others consider planning without making use of scenarios and models as blinkered or even blindfolded driving.

The High Level Multistakeholder Session will debate the contribution of scenario’s and models for water management. The debaters will be between scenario and model scientists with water managers working on planning, design and operations as well as representatives from different interests including business, gender, youth, etc.

After the introductions and a Panel Debate the Target Leads and some more will lead a Round Table to further discuss the usefulness of scenario’s and models per specific water sector and per region.

Who: Henk van Schaik, in co-operation with Climate Information Covenant, Deltares, Delta Alliance, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Water Governance Centre
Target/session at WWF 6:< Priority for Action 3.3
When: Tuesday March 13th, 17:00 – 19:00 hrs
Where: PC 10 > Goude 2

Green Water Credits

Green Water Credits is an innovative mechanism that connects stakeholders in a river basin by revealing the benefits of collective actions to increase overall water and land use efficiency and to generate a payment mechanism among the directly involved actors to sustain required interventions.

This mechanism allows actions of various actors like farmers in upstream areas to sustainably implement soil and water conservation (SWC) to improve their livelihoods, while providing environmental services to downstream water users who improve their business. Innovative agro-ecohydrological models quantify the impact of interventions like soil and water conservations on water use, erosion and sedimentation, agricultural productivity and overall basin hydrology and the financial benefits for the actors are quantified.

Raised awareness among actors in the watershed about their interconnectedness and improvement of livelihood and business through synergies resulting from collective actions has triggered the implementation of the concept in Kenya and Morocco.

The approach integrates much insights and quantitative methodologies from different disciplines of the Water Knowledge sector of the Netherlands.

Who: Prem Bindraban, Wageningen University and research centre
Target/session at WWF 6: 2.4.2 Stimulating Investments in Innovative Water Technologies and Ecosystems: a Path to Green Growth?
When: Tuesday March 13th, 14:30 – 16:30 hrs
Where: PC 8 - Callelongue > Palais des Congrès

Panelist session “Identification, Assessment, Monitoring and Early-warning of Water-related Risk

Researcher Joanne Vinke de Kruijf will be contributing to this session with insights based upon her research (especially in Roemenia and the Netherlands) into the effectiveness of projects focused on the international transfer of water expertise. This is a difficult process, due to misunderstandings and a different local context. Joanne will highlight the most common stumbling blocks and factors that contribute to a more effective transfer of knowledge and expertise.

Who: Joanne Vinke-de Kruijf, Twente University
Target/session at WWF 6: Identification, Assessment, Monitoring and Early-warning of Water-related Risk 1.4.2
When: Wednesday March 14th, from 14:30 – 16:30 hrs
Where: PEu 6 - Europa 6 > Palais de l’Europe

Multistakeholder panel: “Good Governance for Sustainable Financing: A Strong Nexus to Address

“The water crisis is widely recognised as a complex interaction of multiple causes and effects. At its core, governance deficit, mismanagement and under-financing play a major role, inducing and reinforcing each other.

In many developing and developed countries, the financial needs induced by water-related strategies require major reforms in water governance to improve the enabling environment for investment and better understand and address commercial, political and institutional risks.

Who: Peter Glas
Target/session at WWF 6: CS 1
When: Tuesday March 13th, 17:00 – 19:00 hrs
Where: PEu7 – Europa > Palais de l’Europe

On the Catwalk – Women Leadership in Water: Presenting new thinking – new challenges

A famous actress presents nine women from the different parts of the World that show their concrete challenges and solutions on the ‘Catwalk to effective water governance and sustainable livelihood’.

The nine challenges will be juried by a high level panel including amongst others Water Ministers Maria Mutagamba (Uganda), Dinesh Gunawardena (Sri Lanka) and Rejoyce Mabudafhasi (South Africa), and the Deputy Head USAID - Donald Steinberg. UN Water. Secretary Kenza Kaouakib Robinson will moderate the discussion and link the outcome to the Rio+ 20 Summit.

Who: Alice Bouman – Dentener, Women for Water Partnership
Target/session at WWF 6: Integrated approach: T1, T2 and T3
When: Wednesday March 14th, 8.30 – 10.30 hrs
Where: PRADO

Establish the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation

Panel contribution from knowledge institutes focusing on green adaptation, water & climate services, (flood early warning, flood control), assessments.

Who: IHP – Michael vd Valk; Deltares – Cees van de Guchte
Target/session at WWF 6: 3.3.5 Respond to climate and global changes in an
urbanizing world
When: Wednesday, March 14th, 14:30 – 16:30 hrs
Where: Room PC4 > Patio

Synthesis Session: Responses and commitments to ACT

This session will have each of the Target Leads present (in 5 minutes) the outcomes and commitments made in their session. This presentation will be followed by a debate of 5 minutes among water experts from different domains on the relevance and effectiveness of the outcomes of the session (commitments, solutions etc.), for policies, planning, design and operations.

Following up on the presentation by the Target Lead (5 minutes) a panel of experts from different continents, disciplines and positions will comment on the outcomes (5 minutes). After the Panel of Experts the audience will have a chance to react (5 minutes).

The intention of the session is to generate support for the particular Target. Support that is real for example by signing up to a commitment or a platform or a joint activity or a follow up activity etc.

Who: Henk van Schaik in co-operation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the environment
Target/session at WWF 6: Priority Area 3.3.
When: Wednesday March 14th 17:00 – 19:00 hrs
Where: PC 9 > Goude 1

Wrap-up Session: Promoting water efficiency: challenges and opportunities

The session focuses on the need and potential for water footprint reduction. The priority involves a great variety of stakeholders worldwide. UNEP is in the lead. From the Netherlands are involved: Water Footprint Network and University Twente.

Who: A.Y.Hoekstra, Water Footprint Network/University of Twente
Target/session at WWF 6: Priority 3.2
When: Wednesday March 14th, 17:00 – 19:00 hrs
Where: PC 13 - Patio 3 > Palais des Congrès

Session 1.5.9 Keeping capacity building for water management smart and simple: the twinning approach. Contribution: Experience on “River and environmental Management Cooperation’ (Remco) Incomati/Vecht

The water crisis is first and foremost a governance crisis. Knowledge sharing and exchanges of good practices may foster further improvement of governance tools. But these exchanges need specific frameworks in order to avoid to fall short or expectations and turn into ephemeral meetings. Twinning meet these specifications.

In my contribution the REMCO of Vecht and Incomati are analyzed using the Crossing Borders theory of action which combines these experiences with scientific models on management and cooperation.

Thus we found a structure for creating new knowledge, discussing and analyzing our strategies and develop tools for trans boundary river basin management.

Who: Hannah Ietswaart, Regional Water Authority Velt en Vecht and Regional Water Authority Groot Salland
Target/session at WWF 6: Cooperation and peace
When: Thursday March 15th, 17.00 – 19.00 hrs
Where: PEu 3 - Europa 3 > Palais de l’Europe

The WATERCoRe Market Place of Good Practices

The ‘market’ place focuses on exchange of best practices on managing water scarcity and drought between European regions. It provides an open platform for short presentations and discussion - like a ‘speaker’s corner’ - with contributions of the WATERCoRe (an interreg IVC project, see www.watercore.eu) partners and WWF6 participants.

The WATERCoRe partnership consists of 14 organisations in 7 regions, covering all parts of Europe. The aim of the partners is to establish transboundary cooperation and exchange of knowledge and experiences, using practical examples and solutions from their own daily practice.

Who: Frank van Lamoen, Province of North-Brabant and Waterboard Aa en Maas
Target/session at WWF 6: PfA 3.3: Respond to climate and global changes in an urbanizing world
Target /session at WWF 6: SERPT: Reinforce competences of water professionals and public awareness Water Scarcity and Drought
When: Thursday March 15th, 13.15 – 14.15 hrs
Where: PC 12 - Sormiou > Palais des Congrès

Healthy rivers through adoption of best practice ecological restoration and strategic land use planning in integrated basin management

Inspiring solutions for delivering the targets for restoring healthy river and wetland ecosystem function and services by examining European best practices.

How the targets might be delivered or supported through:
• sharing best practices of river restoration.
• land use (planning) and land banking.
• developing sustainable tourism.
• Improving public education and stakeholder involvement.

Who: Hil Kuypers, DLG, Wetlands International
Target/session at WWF 6: SERPT 9
When: Thursday March 15th, 8:30 – 10:30 hrs
Where: PP 1 - Athéna 1 > Palais Phocéen

Presentation about “Improved international transfer of flood risk concepts, methods and technologies” in a session on - Disaster preparedness at all levels

Target/session at WWF 6: target 1.4.4 en 1.4.2.
When: Thursday March 15th, from 8:30 – 10:30,
Where: PC 2 - Endoume 3 > Palais des Congrès

Support to assessment, monitoring and management internationally shared ground waters

Dr Kukuric is panellist in Panel 2: Supporting tools from the International Community. He will share and discuss the solution: Global Groundwater Monitoring Network (GGMN). How to ensure the sharing of essential groundwater information in a transboundary context?

The UNESCP-IHP/IGRAC lead joint monitoring GGMN program is a major contribution to the Target 7 in the field of groundwater. It provides a complete and sustainable solution, setting up an international, non-profit network and involving all major actors on various levels.

Who: Dr Neno Kukurić, IGRAC
Target/session at WWF 6: Point for action 1.5, Cooperation and Peace Target 7
When: Thursday March 15th, 14:30 – 16:30 hrs

Citizens’ Forum on Participatory Integrated Water Resources Management
2.1 Sharing water through integrated water resources management

The Citizens’ Forum focuses on successful examples of local communities negotiated agreements for democratic, sustainable and socially equitable distribution of water. Experiences with IWRM in recent years have shown that although the intention is often to integral thinking, the practice still continues stabbing at centralizing, technocratic solutions based on assumptions about the needs of local people and local environmental conditions and not on direct experience of those involved.

This classical IWRM is often way off. Using case studies from Costa Rica, DRC, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Niger and supported by case studies from Ghana, Kenya and the basin of the Nile, this session in the spirit of a “Forum for Solutions’ lead to a commitment of organizations from civil society to democratic, sustainable and socially equitable to implement IWRM in 20 river basins throughout the world.

We challenge the relevant national governments and donors to produce response in the cases and the commitment made.

Who: Tobias Schmitz, Both Ends, with Eau Vive ( France), Freshwater Action Network (Costa Rica), Freshwater Action Network (Mexico), LVIA (Italy), ISW (Canada)
When: Friday March 16th, from 10:30 – 13:00 hrs
Where: Maison du Citoyen / Citizens’ House

Side events

Women Leadership in Water and Sanitation: Women’s Preconference to World Water Forum 6

Over 100 women and men gather in Marseille on the eve of the Forum to concretize women’s role in achieving effective water governance and addressing the needs of the Bottom Billion that lacks access to basic needs of water and sanitation.

Civil society organizations will present 11 reality cases on 3 themes: water and food security, community water supply and water, peace and security. They interact with ministers, representatives from international institutions, government agencies, development organizations and grassroots women organizations to jointly determine the way forward and develop a road map to implement agreed principles and policies.

Three concrete solutions per theme will be agreed upon and taken forward to the Forum to be presented at the High Level Session on Women on 14th March 2012.

We can count on the participation of amongst others:
- the Ministers for Environment and Water of Uganda, - Maria Mutagamba
- the Minister for Water Supply and Drainage of Sri Lanka – Dinesh Gunawardena
- the US Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues – Melanne Verveer
- the Secretary of UN Water, Kenza Kaouakib Robinson.

Who: Mariet Verhoef – Cohen, Women for Water Partnership
Target/session at WWF 6: Integrated approach: T1, T2 and T3
When: Saturday March 10th, 8.30 – 17.30 hrs,
Sunday March 11th, 8.30 – 17.00 hrs
Where: Saturday: Cité des Associations – Salle Artémis, 93, La Canebière – Marseille
Sunday: Hotel Mercure Marseille Centre 1, Rue Nueve Saint Martin, Marseille

IGRAC’s Side Event at WWF6, Marseille

UNESCO and the Netherlands have signed the agreement on the establishment of the International Groundwater Resource Assessment Centre (IGRAC). The right moment to celebrate, reflect and look forward.

Programme:
• Welcome and introduction: Ms Alice Aureli, Chief of Groundwater Systems Section, UNESCO IHP
• IGRAC as a UNESCO water centre: Ms Gretchen Kalonji, Assistant DG for Natural Sciences,
• UNESCO IGRAC hosted and supported by the Netherlands: Ms Elaine Alwayn, Director of Department Water and Soil, Ministry of I&M, The Netherlands
• Groundwater in a Changing World: Neno Kukuric, director IGRAC , launch of Global Transboundary aquifer map update
• Questions & Answers &Cocktail

Who: Dr Neno Kukurić, Igrac
When: Tuesday March 13th, 13:15 – 14:15 hrs
Where: Europa 2 (PEU 2)

Groundwater: Can We Put the ‘Integrated’ in Integrated Water Resources Management?

Since 2005, under the guidance of the African Ministerial Council on Water (AMCOW), with contributions from CEOS, UNESCO and the African Development Bank and in collaboration with UN-ECA and other African and international organizations, the TIGER Initiative aims at developing tailored Earth Observation technology for strengthening the water sector in Africa.

Under the TIGER Capacity Building Facility (TCBF) phase II (2009 – 2012), 20 research projects carried out by numerous African institutions, use earth-observation technology to learn more about the water cycle and to improve water management. TCBF provides specific technical assistance, training and scientific support to access and use EO datasets.

Their major topics are, among others, sustainable water use, flooding patterns, water quality monitoring, sedimentation modeling, groundwater resource assessment, hydrological and environmental aspects of wetlands and climate change impacts.

This side event will provide an insight into some of the most interesting success stories of TCBF.

Who: Dr Neno Kukurić, IGRAC
Target/session at WWF 6: PFA 2.1 Groundwater – Target 1
When: Tuesday March 13th, 17.00 – 19.00 hrs
Where: check the latest information at the Netherlands Water Pavilion

Water management in Africa with Earth Observation/TIGER Capacity
Building Facility

Since 2005, under the guidance of the African Ministerial Council on Water (AMCOW), with contributions from CEOS, UNESCO and the African Development Bank and in collaboration with UN-ECA and other African and international organizations, the TIGER Initiative aims at developing tailored Earth Observation technology for strengthening the water sector in Africa.

Under the TIGER Capacity Building Facility (TCBF) phase II (2009 – 2012), 20 research projects carried out by numerous African institutions, use earth-observation technology to learn more about the water cycle and to improve water management. TCBF provides specific technical assistance, training and scientific support to access and use EO datasets.

Their major topics are, among others, sustainable water use, flooding patterns, water quality monitoring, sedimentation modeling, groundwater resource assessment, hydrological and environmental aspects of wetlands and climate change impacts.

This Side Event will provide an insight into some of the most interesting success stories of TCBF.

Who: Zoltan Vekerdy – ITC – University of Twente, TUD – Faculty Aerospace Engineering & CiTG
Target/session at WWF 6: Side Event
When: Wednesday March 14th, 7:15 – 8:15 p.m.
Where: Patio 2 (PC4)” > Palais des Congrès

Steering Committee, World Urban Campaign, initiative of UN-Habitat

Meeting of the Steering Committee of the World Urban Campaign, promoted by UN-Habitat. Arcadis is sponsor of the Campaign as part of Shelter Program, the partnership with UN-Habitat and member of the Steering Committee.

In the Shelter Program Arcadis provides expertise on water management to UN-Habitat in the Cities and Climate Change program in The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Senegal, Mozambique.

Who: Arcadis NV, Amsterdam/Arcadis Netherlands Water Division, Rotterdam
When: March 12/13,
Where: Radisson Blue Hotel Marseille

Water for all – Governance

Understanding of political processes in support of effective water management and capacity building in conflict resolution and natural resource management, specifically groundwater management. The innovative character is the attention for the politics of groundwater and the framework whereby conflict and cooperation is looked at from a meta-political strategic perspective and not as an unavoidable situation resulting from pressure on the resource and divergent interests. Baseline surveys and preliminary action plans are available for the three countries.

A number of videos is available:
• Palestinian Water Authority, Water for all (or other material)
• Yemen: see Water Channel : Collective Action in Groundwater management,
An Eye of Water Scarcity in Yemen
• Ethiopia: Sand dam training in Southern Ethiopia

The inputs are closely related to initiatives on water governance (Neth. Water Governance Center) and Transboundary Groundwater management (IGRAC and others) and 3R (Recharge, Retain and Reuse) initiates (Meta Meta/Acacia).

Who: Ebel Smidt, Meta Meta / ZWO-Min BuZa

Groundwater in the political domain: lessons from Ethiopia, Palestinian Territories and Yemen for effective water diplomacy at different levels

Contribution to debate session (Q/A) in 1.5.5.
Poster in 1.5.8
1.5.5 By 20xx, in local and international conflict situation develop pragmatic solutions to water related issues through cooperation and dialogue involving the principal actors at the level of the conflict
1.5.8 By 20xx, contribute to increasing the training in transboundary water management and conflict resolution of a number of key groups.

Dutch participation 6th World Water Forum


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