Strengthening global water science and capacity building with UNESCO and WMO
Water science and education are essential in addressing the world’s most pressing water challenges. From rising sea levels and coastal protection to drought prevention, sustainable river management and the design of effective water policies, these challenges cannot be solved sustainably without investing in capacity building for water professionals and institutions.
The Netherlands has a rich history of living with water. As a low-lying delta country, much of its land rests below sea level, necessitating innovative water management solutions and structural investments in the development of water knowledge. Dutch water expertise, developed over centuries, is shared and shaped with international partners. For this reason, the Netherlands holds strategic partnerships with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and WMO (World Meteorological Organization), the two United Nations organisations driving global water science and capacity. This collaboration is coordinated through the Netherlands UNESCO WMO Water Committee (NUWWC).
Netherlands UNESCO WMO Water Committee
The NUWWC is a science, policy and practice platform that brings together scientists, policymakers and practitioners from Dutch water knowledge institutions. Committee members and observers work in international hydrology, water resources management, and meteorology. It promotes scientific advancements, stimulates knowledge exchange, and helps further water-related education and capacity building.
The Committee’s primary role is to contribute to the UNESCO and WMO water research programmes. Committee members share their knowledge and expertise with the UNESCO and WMO water network. A second role of the Committee is to prepare the formal Dutch position regarding international water-related decisions for IHP Council (Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, a UNESCO programme) and WMO Congress meetings.
In terms of composition and roles, the scientific members focus on developing and sharing knowledge and technical expertise on international hydrology and related fields. Representatives from all Dutch policy institutions engaged in global water cooperation use this input to shape long-term policy agendas and multilateral collaboration. Operational and implementing members share practical expertise and needs, for example in the International Commission for the Hydrology of the Rhine basin.
Did you know …
… that Dutch water experts played an important role in establishing UNESCO IHP and WMO? The WMO was chaired by Professor Buys Ballot, the founder of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, between 1873 and 1879. The Netherlands also held two IHP presidencies, fulfilled by Professor Adriaan Volker (1971-1973) and Professor Reinder Feddes (2000-2002).
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme
UNESCO hosts the IHP Secretariat, the UN’s only intergovernmental initiative fully dedicated to water. Now in its ninth phase, IHP advances global knowledge and education on a wide range of water-related themes. IHP’s science and policy design strives to connect policymakers with the work of the scientific community and vice versa. This allows for discussions on politically sensitive topics, such as transboundary water management, to be held from a scientific perspective. Another IHP strength is its global reach: implementation of IHP takes place through the global UNESCO Water Family network, which includes national governments, UNESCO Category 2 Centres, Water Chairs and National Committees at IHP. IHP’s science and policy approach is also reflected in the way national committees are structured in that they consist of scientific and policy-making representatives. The NUWWC serves as the national committee to IHP.
In 2025, the Netherlands was elected as a new member of the IHP Council. This position provides a unique opportunity to showcase Dutch expertise in water management and to advance the Netherlands’ international agenda. Furthermore, it creates opportunities to initiate new collaborations within the IHP framework and the UNESCO Water Family network.
The IHE Delft Institute for Water Education and IGRAC (International Groundwater Resources Assessment Center), are key Dutch contributors to UNESCO and are recognised as Category 2 Centres. The roles of these institutes include education, research, and capacity building in water and groundwater management.
Did you know …
… that UNESCO IHP’s Global Network of Water Museums has over 10 Dutch members? This international network was launched to promote water knowledge and heritage worldwide. Members include museums and information centres, as well as UNESCO sites connected to water history and culture, and even historic water document collections. Learn more
The World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is the United Nations agency responsible for advancing meteorological, climatological, hydrological, and related environmental services worldwide. This includes both applied research and the development of practical tools and systems that support weather, climate, and water services.
The Netherlands is an important contributor to WMO’s work. Two national experts play a key role: the Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to WMO (Professor Maarten van Aalst, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) and the National Hydrological Advisor (Maaike Ritzen, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management). The Permanent Representative oversees the Netherlands’ broad collaboration with WMO, including meteorology, weather, and climate initiatives, while the National Hydrological Advisor and several NUWWC members are responsible for water-related collaboration, particularly in the field of operational hydrology, flood/drought early warning systems and water quality management.
In 2021, the WMO Congress adopted the Vision and Strategy for Hydrology and Associated Plan of Action along with the WMO Hydrological Research Strategy. This established a global framework for research on operational hydrology. WMO leads the implementation of initiatives such as the Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM) and the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP). Both programmes support the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, a global effort inspired by the UN Secretary-General’s challenge to ensure that everyone receives early warnings by 2027. WMO also integrates scientific research with policy guidance, for example in international data-sharing frameworks and policies.
Did you know …
… that the Netherlands established the Water at the Heart of Climate Action Initiative in collaboration with WMO? This five-year programme accelerates action to reduce water-related risks and increase the climate resilience of vulnerable communities in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Rwanda, and Uganda. Learn more
“Sustainable and future-proof water management strategies to provide sufficient good-quality water sources require close collaboration between scientists, government, practitioners, and society.”
Michelle van Vliet, Scientific Committee Co-chair and Professor of Water Quality (Utrecht University)
“Policy and science need to be closely connected. Scientific recommendations are the compass for policy development to accelerate impact and stimulate sustainable solutions regarding integrated water management and climate adaptation. The UNESCO and WMO cooperation is an excellent way to bring policy and science together.”
Martien Beek, Policy Committee Co-chair (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management)
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Through this engagement, the Netherlands shares expertise and leadership with global water initiatives, and works to establish long-term partnerships with like-minded partners.
Learn more about the NUWWC, its members and the collaboration with UNESCO and WMO: https://nuwwc.nl/
