Skip to main content

UNECE at World Water Week 2015

Every summer, Stockholm becomes the world’s water capital during World Water Week, which is being celebrated from 23 to 28 August this year.


Organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), this is the largest annual gathering of approximately 3,000 water professionals, who come together to share good practices and innovative ideas on how to address water-related challenges. In view of the forthcoming adoption of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, this year World Water Week is focusing on Water for Development. 


Water holds a prominent place in the proposed Sustainable Development Agenda, as the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all is one of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 6 is dedicated to water, but there are many water-related targets in the other goals, reflecting the complexity of water challenges. The SDGs contain goals and targets related to access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation; water quality; water efficiency and sustainability of water use; water governance; protection of water-related ecosystems; water-related disasters; health impacts from water-borne disease and water pollution; and capacity-building and stakeholder involvement. 


UNECE is contributing to this important forum by organizing and providing input to several sessions showcasing the work carried out under the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) and its Protocol on Water and Health. These in particular look to demonstrate how the two instruments facilitate transboundary water cooperation and adaption to climate change in transboundary basins and examine the future role of the Convention in implementing the water goal, as well as the relevant targets.


A seminar on “Cooperation on climate change adaptation and mitigation in transboundary basins”, organized by UNECE in cooperation with the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Governments of the Netherlands and Switzerland, SIWI and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), will be held on 26 August to address an emerging topic relevant also for the upcoming talks in Paris in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — namely, the interaction between adaptation and mitigation. In transboundary basins facing water scarcity, unilateral adaptation measures can lead to tensions, whereas appropriate measures, such as ecosystem restoration, can have positive effects for both adaptation and mitigation. The session will therefore focus on identifying possible trade-offs and synergies between climate change adaptation and mitigation in the transboundary context and how to ensure that adaptation and mitigation initiatives reinforce each other. Participants at the event will share good practice examples and lessons learned from adapting transboundary basins to climate change, for example in the Nile, Niger and Rio Grande Basins as well as in the Himalayas.


A seminar held on 25 August, “Reframing silos to accelerate development pathways”, organized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the International Water Association in cooperation with the European Commission and UNECE, highlighted the strong interlinkages between water, energy, food and ecosystems. Operation of sectors in isolation, and seeking resource security can compromise others or degrade the environment. To address intersectoral frictions in transboundary basins, the Water Convention has been carrying out participatory assessments of the water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus. This event focused on how, building also on such integrated assessments, solutions and investments can be developed which have cross-sectoral benefits while being socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. Initiatives and partnerships with donors — promoted by the event — can assist countries in improving management of natural resources.


On 23 August, the importance of cooperative water governance as a catalyst for sustainable development and comprehensive security was discussed, at an event organized by the Governments of Serbia and Switzerland in collaboration with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This seminar brought together water and foreign policy experts to consider how disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation can ensure sustainable development and comprehensive security. UNECE representatives commented on the two case studies presented and gave an overview of progress in transboundary basins where the organization is active. An important conclusion of the seminar is that water cooperation is fundamental not only for human health, economic growth and food production, but also for peace and stability. Transboundary water cooperation frequently has a transformational value as a catalyst for building peaceful communities across borders.


In addition, UNECE is contributing to sessions on disaster risk reduction, transboundary groundwater management, the European Union Water Framework Directive and many more.


For more information see http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=40171#/

If you wish to subscribe to the UNECE Weekly newsletter, please send an email to:  [email protected]

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Information Unit

Tel.: +41 (0) 22 917 12 34

Email: [email protected]

Reproduction is permitted provided that the source is acknowledged.