World Water Week closes : water has a central role in implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Guest Editorial
World Water Week closes : water has a central role in implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
World Water Week closed on Friday 2 September 2016 , concluding that water must be recognized as the enabler of successful implementation of the entire 2030 Agenda as well as the Paris Climate Agreement . Within 15 years , the world water supply will fall short by at least 40 percent , a United Nations report cautioned recently .
Water – the lifeline of our planet – will be needed to achieve nearly every Sustainable Development Goal , and to face the challenges that climate change presents ,” said Karin Lexén , Director of World Water Week at Stockholm International Water Institute ( SIWI ).
World Water Week 2016 , themed Water for Sustainable Growth , welcomed 3,100 participants from over 120 countries . Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ) including the goal on water ( Goal 6 ) was one of the key issues discussed by high-level policy makers , development and water professionals , researchers , civil society and private sector representatives .
Throughout the Week , there was a focus on implementation and action , particularly on local and city level , marking a transition from the global discussions and negotiations that led to the adoption of the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 . “ In order to achieve the SDGs ; city and local leaderships are crucial ; that is where we will find the drive . It is also important that civil society , businesses and social entrepreneurs are engaged , to learn from each other to create smart , viable and sustainable partnerships . Water is too important to keep inside the water community – water is a central part of the entire society ,” said SIWI ’ s Executive Director Torgny Holmgren .
This was underlined by Sweden ’ s Environment Minister Karolina Skog : “ Water is a shared resource and a shared responsibility . The private sector has an important part to play . It has the competence , the technology and the ability to invest . Responsible water usage is an economical advantage and will pay off both for sustainable business models and for new innovations .” This year , World Water Week offered an opportunity for key actors to meet and take stock of progress towards the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement , from a water perspective . The Week will provide an annual update , tracking water in the global development agreements until 2030 .
The Week also welcomed representatives of the High Level Panel on Water , which was established earlier this year by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and World Bank President Jim Kim , with the aim of furthering the water-related SDGs . The Panel representatives used the Week to get input from the wider water and development community . “ We must continue to focus on water as a carrier to achieve the 2030 Agenda , and to push for better integration of water into the global climate agenda ,” said Karin Lexén .
Abdeladim Lhafi , High Commissioner for the upcoming COP22 ( the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the Climate Convention ) and High Commissioner for Water , Forestry and Fight Against Desertification in Morocco , told the Closing session that COP21 in Paris was “ a historical turning point , a diplomatic success , it was a COP of decisions . COP22 will be the conference of implementation .”
“ Climate change is the challenge of our generation . There is a great need to identify risks and vulnerabilities . Preventive measures are much more cost-efficient than re-active ones . Smart water proofed climate investments will give payback in several ways ,” said Swedish Environment Minister Karolina Skog .
During the Week , climate was also discussed in relation to alleviating hunger in sub-Saharan Africa . Professor Malin Falkenmark , SIWI , called Africa ’ s climate its “ Achille ’ s Heel ”, and said that rainwater harvesting and other green water management methods are necessary to alleviate hunger in sub-Saharan Africa and meeting the SDGs . Together with other water and climate experts , she called for a Green Water Initiative in Africa .
Two prizes were awarded during World Water Week . On Tuesday 30 August , the Stockholm Junior Water Prize was awarded to a student trio from Thailand by H . R . H . Prince Carl Philip of Sweden . On Wednesday 31 August , the Stockholm Water Prize was awarded to Professor Joan B . Rose , USA , for her tireless contributions to global public health . The prize was presented to Professor Rose by H . M . Carl XVI Gustaf , King of Sweden .
World Water Week 2016 was the 26th edition . The 2017 World Water Week , to be held from 27 August to 1 September in Stockholm , will focus on water and waste under the theme “ Water and waste – reduce and reuse .”
Source : Stockholm International Water Institute ( SIWI )
2 Africa Water , Sanitation & Hygiene • September - October 2016