News

Forum Mondial de l’Eau 2024 : Réunion de lancement à Jakarta le 15 et 16 février 2023

Myriam Sonni — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 09:33:25 +0000

World Water Forum 2024: Kick-off meeting in Jakarta Myriam Sonni Mon, 02/27/2023 - 10:33

The kick-off meeting of the Bali World Water Forum was held in Jakarta on 15-16 February, bringing together over 1400 participants, including experts, policy makers and civil society representatives. The event was organised to discuss water management issues worldwide in preparation for the 10th World Water Forum to be held in May 2024 in Bali, Indonesia.

The World Water Forum 2024, with the theme "Water for Shared Prosperity", will aim to provide a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, generate political commitment and present solutions to global water challenges. With water at the centre of achieving shared prosperity, it is crucial to address the impacts of climate change and work together for a sustainable future.

Participants discussed the need to find innovative solutions to water management challenges, including water scarcity, water pollution and climate change, through political, thematic and regional processes. They also exchanged best practices in water management in order to develop effective strategies to improve access to water for the most vulnerable populations. INBO brought its ideas and initiatives during these exchanges, in particular Integrated Water Resources Management at the level of basins, as a solution for better water management and supported by the Dakar Action Plan and by the Water & Nature Declaration.

In his closing speech, Eric Tardieu, INBO Secretary General and Vice-President of the World Water Council, underlined the importance of basin organizations in contributing to peace and sustainable development: "Their role is to take an interest in the economic value of water sharing to contribute to their own development. This is linked to shared prosperity, the theme of the 10th World Water Forum. The mobilisation for the Dakar Action Plan must be extended, especially in Asia where signatures are still few!"

The World Water Forum is one of the most important events in the field of water, bringing together stakeholders from all regions of the world to discuss water management challenges and develop solutions to improve access to and management of this vital resource. The discussions and recommendations from the World Water Forum in Bali in 2024 will be essential to guide public policies, investments and development initiatives to ensure effective and equitable water management for all.

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3ème Conférence Internationale Eau et Climat : « La gestion de bassin, clé pour l’adaptation et l’atteinte des Objectifs de Développement Durable »

m.lupi — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 12:15:47 +0000

3rd International Conference on Water and Climate: Basin management, key to adaptation and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals m.lupi Thu, 02/16/2023 - 13:15

This year, at the invitation of the Moroccan authorities and in partnership with the Ministry of Equipment and Water of the Kingdom of Morocco, the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) and the World Water Council (WWC), the 3rd International Conference on Water and Climate (ICWC 3) will be held on 6 and 7 July 2023 in Fez, Morocco.

With the main theme "Basin management, key to adaptation and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals", this 3rd edition of the ICWC will ensure the link between the United Nations Conference on Water (22-24 March 2023) and the COP28 on climate (30 Nov. - 12 December).

State representatives, UN agencies, international organizations, bilateral and multilateral donors, basin organizations (national and transboundary), regional and local authorities and other stakeholders interested in basin management are invited to participate in the event and to share their experiences in the folowing sessions:

Session 1 Innovation and Technologies for Water Saving
Session 2 Groundwater Management: Challenges and Prospects
Session 3 Water Governance: For a Better Intersectoral Coherence
Session 4 Water Resources Mobilization : How to take into account the real cost of water?
Session 5 Integrated Water Resources Management at the basin level: benefits of this Nexus approach to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

UN 2023 Water Conference

m.lupi — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 11:30:40 +0000

UN 2023 Water Conference m.lupi Fri, 02/10/2023 - 12:30

Promoting INBO's priorities at the 2nd ever UN Conference on water since 1977!

"INBO is strongly committed, together with all its members and partners, to make the March 2023 United Nations Water Conference a historic opportunity to accelerate initiatives for a more efficient and fair management of water resources worldwide. In particular, we believe that basin organizations have an active role to play in better sharing and planning the sustainable use of water resources. Faced with increasing pressures - climate change, demography, urbanization - basin organizations can bring collective strategies, shared information systems, operational solidarity between water users and the consideration of aquatic ecosystems."

Eric Tardieu, INBO Secretary General.

Following the Mar del Plata Conference in 1977, this event is likely to be a rare, unique moment in the history of the international water community! We are therefore fully committed to getting people talking about basins, and above all demonstrating that “through basins and for basins” we can achieve the sustainable development goals more quickly, in particular Goal 6 on water. The conclusions of COP 27 in November 2022 have already confirmed that supporting basin organisations with a clear mandate, adequate human and financial resources and effective governance means securing access to water resources for all.

The UN 2023 Water Conference will consist of an opening and closing ceremony, six plenary meetings and five multi-stakeholder interactive dialogues. The five interactive dialogues will focus on the following themes:

1 : Water for Health: Access to safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation (SDG 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and SDGs 1, 3, 4, 5, 17);
2 : Water for Development: Valuing Water, Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Sustainable Economic and Urban Development (SDG 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 and SDGs 2, 8, 9, 11, 12);
3 : Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment: Source to Sea, Biodiversity, Climate, Resilience and DRR (SDGs 6.5, 6.6, 7, 11.5, 13, 14, 15);
4 : Water for Cooperation: Transboundary and International Water Cooperation, Cross Sectoral Cooperation and Water Across the 2030 Agenda (SDG 6.5, 6.b and SDG 16, 17);
5 : Water Action Decade: Accelerating the implementation of the objectives of the Decade including through the UN SG’s Action Plan.

The UN 2023 Water Conference will consist of an opening and closing ceremony, six plenary meetings and five multi-stakeholder interactive dialogues. INBO will promote its initiatives on the occasion of this Conference and in relation with these interactive dialogues:

The Dakar Action Plan for Lakes, Rivers and Aquifers Basins (click here for more details) launched at the World Water Forum, Dakar, 2022 in relation to ID 2 and 4. It is also a registered commitment on the official UN website.

The Dakar Action Plan is also a registered commitment on the UN platform: find it here.

The Transboundary Coalition (click here for more details) in relation to ID 2 and 4.

The United Nations Conference on the midterm comprehensive review of the implementation of the goals of the International Decade of Action on "Water for Sustainable Development", 2018-2028, or "United Nations Water Conference 2023", will be held in New York, 22-24 March 2023, in accordance with UN General Assembly resolutions 73/226 and 75/212. Key outcomes of the UN Water Conference 2023 will include the Water Agenda - a set of voluntary commitments by governments and stakeholders to accelerate implementation to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 and other water-related goals and targets.

The Water & Nature Declaration: no water security without ecological security, no ecological security without water security, linked to ID3. It is also a registered commitment on the official UN website.

INBO was present in New York to carry the voice of basin organizations!

Find the sessions' programs, pictures and videos by clicking on "Program" on the left.

Liens

https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/water2023

Special issue of Water International

m.lupi — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 15:37:41 +0000

Special issue of Water International m.lupi Fri, 01/13/2023 - 16:37

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

SPECIAL ISSUE OF WATER INTERNATIONAL: Water management in Basins of rivers, lakes and aquifers: the challenges ahead after 30 years of innovation

Abstract submission deadline: 15 March 2023

Rationale

A sound and balanced management of water resources can no longer be tackled by sector or localization, nor separately. On the contrary, the solutions must link national and local authorities with the users, in an integrated approach, respecting the natural environment, organized on the scale of a river, lake or aquifer basin and aiming at the sustainable use of water resources. Agreements and strategies, programs, financing and monitoring should thus be designed at the basin level. For large transboundary waters, cooperation agreements should be formalized between riparian countries. Basin organizations are key players for sustainable development at national level, and for peace at transboundary level, with a strong role to play for SDGs 6.5.1 and 6.5.2 (among many others).

The scope of the Special Issue :

Main objectives:

the progress and challenges of water resources management at basin level over the past 30 years (examples and solutions in river, lakes or aquifer basins), and
to develop new ideas for basin water management, related to the different topics below.

The emphasis will be on innovative approaches and solutions which show demonstrated improved outcomes.

Main topics:

Governance including but not limited to institutional organization (human resources, capacities), functions and operation, legal and institutional frameworks, and conventions or agreements.
Financing of water basin management, including but not limited to “user-polluter / pays tax”, public-private partnership, and payment for environmental services.
Water information systems and monitoring at basin level (surface water and aquifers), such as hydrometeorology, remote sensing and spatial data, new technologies for advanced basin management (e.g., digital basins for and data acquisition and monitoring based on remote sensing and sensors, crowdsources / citizen sciences, advanced models for decision support - integrated hydro-economic basin models, etc.), climate change monitoring, flood warning, wetlands and biodiversity, water-forests links, water quality.
Strategy and actions planning and implementation in basins, such as basin analysis, planning tools for equity in water allocation, master plan definition, investments program, nature based solutions and “green infrastructures”, transboundary cooperation, implementation and follow-up, climate change adaptation, water-related risks, and stakeholders’ participation (civil society / citizen involvement).

Intended audience of the issue:

Both scientists (“Review and Research articles”) and practitioners (“Case studies”)
Organizations managing national, federal and transboundary river basins and the cooperation structures they have developed among them
Governmental administration in charge of water management in the countries applying or being interested in applying integrated water resources management (organized through large hydrographic units, associating administrations and local authorities, users from the various sectors, etc.), especially for the case studies
Scientists and researchers involved in water resources management at basin level (e.g., professors, scientists of Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research CGIAR), for “Review and Research articles”
Cooperation partners supporting institution-building activities related to large river basins and aquifers
Students who are interested in sustainable basin management issues

The contributions concern 2 types of articles:

Review and Research articles (theory, analysis, review of big evolutions of basin management over the last 30 years…)
Case studies (practice at geography specific - basin management in one country, transboundary basins...), with comparative analysis of practices, with special focus to innovative ones.

Submission process

Abstracts (300 words IN ENGLISH) can be submitted to Christophe BRACHET (c.brachet@oieau.fr) and Marjorie LUPI (m.lupi@inbo-news.org) by 15 March 2023. Submission should include the type of paper (Review and Research articles or Case study), the title of the paper, as well as the name, surname, and email address of the author(s). File name should be "YOURNAME_Water International". Author(s) whose abstract will be accepted will be required to submit a full manuscript following Water international’s guidelines.

Important dates

Submission starts: 16 January 2023
Abstract submission (around 300 words) deadline for both "Review and Research" articles and “Case studies”: 15 March 2023
Final decision notification: 30 April 2023
Submission of the full paper (no more than 4000 words for Review and Research articles, with an emphasis on innovation, and no more than 2500 words for Case studies - both including references and figure legends): 30 June 2023
Peer reviews due: 31 July 2023
Authors informed of decision: 30 September 2023
Revised manuscripts due: 31 October 2023
Launch of Special Issue: 31 January 2024

The Guest editors of this special issue include Christophe BRACHET (Deputy Secretary of International Network of Basin Organizations - INBO), James Nickum (Editor-in-Chief, IWRA), Raya Marina Stephan (Deputy Editor-in-Chief, IWRA), Ximing Cai (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Bruce Hooper (International Water Policy Advisor), and Alain Bernard (IWRM and governance expert, INBO).

The Special Issue will be presented at the 10th World Water Forum in May 2024 in Indonesia, and the articles will appear on the website of Water International as soon as they are accepted, prior to publication in the Special Issue of the journal.

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Keywords

Publications

Coalition pour la coopération dans le domaine des eaux transfrontalières

m.lupi — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 16:16:37 +0000

Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition m.lupi Thu, 12/08/2022 - 17:16

Coalition launches to strengthen commitment to transboundary water cooperation

With water stress on the rise in shared river basins and aquifers, over 30 governments and organizations decide it is time to do more!

This year's terrible floods and droughts in almost all corners of the planet and the impact they have caused illustrate the critical importance of water to all aspects of society and our planet. With the second ever United Nations conference on water to take place on 22–24 March 2023, governments and institutions from around the world have come together to form the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition. The Coalition, a multistakeholder partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, regional integration organizations, international financial institutions, academic institutions and civil society organizations will work to highlight the critical importance of cooperating over shared water resources in a time when doing so is an imperative to ensure water security and sustainable development.

Mr. Eric Tardieu, Secretary General, International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) : “In an uncertain world and in a changing climate, strengthening cooperation for the management of the transboundary basins of our lakes, rivers and aquifers is essential to meet our common objectives of water, energy, food and ecological securities our societies depend on. Transboundary water cooperation is an accelerator for the achievement of our global Sustainable Development Goals!”

Through its incredibly diverse set of members that support transboundary water cooperation on policy, governance, capacity development, technical support and finance, the Coalition aims to:

Lift the voice of the transboundary water community in a unified manner
Demonstrate and communicate the benefits of transboundary water cooperation, both for upstream and downstream countries and in the adaptation to new climate challenges
Provide impetus for concrete commitments related to transboundary water cooperation
Catalyze support to initiate, sustain and further transboundary water cooperation

The coalition will encourage concrete commitments to support the advancement of transboundary water cooperation by countries and organizations from around the world to be submitted as contributions to the Water Action Agenda, one of the main outcomes of the United Nations 2023 Water Conference.

Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director for the World Bank Group’s Water Global Practice: Improved cooperation over shared water resources is a prerequisite for development and the advancement of climate change agenda and the demands of growing population, balancing the needs of people and the environment. The World Bank Group is committed to an increased focus on cooperation around transboundary water management that will help advance peace, stability and build climate resilience. We stand ready to work jointly with our partners and support effective transboundary cooperation.

Olga Algayerova, United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe: “More than 3 billion people depend on water that crosses national borders. This makes transboundary water cooperation a crucial foundation for peace, sustainable development and climate action. Accelerating transboundary water cooperation requires a broad partnership of actors to bring this key issue to the forefront of the global agenda. We have a lot to do: from the strengthening of the legal and institutional frameworks, including on the basis of the UN Water Convention, to enhancing capacity, making data available, increasing financing, and sharing knowledge. UNECE is proud to be a member of the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition launched today and encourages all governments to announce their commitment to joining the Water Convention at the 2023 UN Water Conference”

The Coalition was launched on 8 December 2022 during the UN-Water Groundwater Summit in Paris, France, hosted by UNESCO.

The Coalition includes: Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Namibia, The Netherlands, Senegal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uganda, Inter-American Development Bank, Organization of American States, World Bank, Global Environment Facility, UNECE, UNESCO, UNEP, UNDP, ESCWA, UNCDF, International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC), Centro Regional para la Gestión de Aguas Subteranneas de América Latina y el Caribe (CeReGAS), Global Water Partnership (GWP), IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Geneva Water Hub, EcoPeace Middle East and the University of Kinshasa.

Additional information

The United Nations Conference on the Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018–2028, or the “United Nations 2023 Water Conference” will convene in New York, from 22 to 24 March 2023, as mandated by the UN General Assembly resolutions 73/226 and 75/212. One of the interactive dialogues at the UN 2023 Water Conference will be devoted to “Water for Cooperation”, including the topics of Transboundary and International Water Cooperation, Cross Sectoral Cooperation, including Scientific Cooperation, and Water Across the 2030 Agenda. Key outcomes of the UN 2023 Water Conference will include the Water Action Agenda – a set of voluntary commitments taken by governments and stakeholders to accelerate implementation towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 6 and other water-related goals and targets.

Webinar

Webinar update: ESCWA presented an overview of the webinar on commitments organized by the Coalition that took place on 27 February, noting that it was a great success with up to 370 people in attendance and many inspiring presentations of commitments by Coalition members. The recording and slides are available here.

UN-Water Summit on Groundwater

m.lupi — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 08:35:11 +0000

UN-Water Summit on Groundwater m.lupi Thu, 12/08/2022 - 09:35

Groundwater is invisible, and yet its impact is visible everywhere. It is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives. Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of mind.

The UN-Water Summit on Groundwater 2022 aims to bring attention to groundwater at the highest international level. The Summit will use the UN World Water Development Report 2022 as a baseline and the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework as a guideline to define actions towards more responsible and sustainable use and protection of this vital natural resource.

Venue

The UN-Water Summit on Groundwater took place on 7 and 8 December 2022 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, and is planned as a hybrid meeting with the most possible on-side presence.

Groundwater: a Hidden Resource

Groundwater is a vital resource that provides almost half of all drinking water worldwide, about 40 per cent of water for irrigated agriculture and about 1/3 of water required for industry. It sustains ecosystems, maintains the baseflow of rivers and prevents land subsidence and seawater intrusion. Groundwater is an important part of the climate change adaptation process and is often a solution for people without access to safely managed water.

Despite these facts, groundwater, as an ‘invisible’ resource, is out of mind for most people. However, as surface water availability decreases (due to human activities and climate change), reliance and pressure on groundwater will continue to grow. In many places, human activities over-use and pollute groundwater. In other places, we simply do not know how much water is down there. Meanwhile, water scarcity is increasing, already affecting about 2.7 billion people around the world for at least one month per year.

Background

In January 2019, UN-Water set the theme of World Water Day 2022 as groundwater. The UN World Water Development Report 2022 focused on the same topic. In March 2021, UN-Water endorsed the proposal to organize a Groundwater Summit in December 2022 at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, as a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework. Subsequently, a Task Force for the organization of the World Water Day celebrations and the Groundwater Summit was set up, coordinated by UNESCO and IGRAC.

Website

Official Website of the Summit

Keywords

la France

International

EURO-RIOB 2023

m.lupi — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 16:23:50 +0000

EURO-RIOB 2023 m.lupi Mon, 12/05/2022 - 17:23

Europe-INBO International Conference: save the dates of the 20th anniversary edition!

2023 will mark the 20th anniversary edition of the Europe-INBO International Conferences for the Implementation of the European Union water directives.

On this special occasion, we will have the pleasure to welcome you from Monday 16th to Thursday 19th of October in a symbolic site, where the Europe-INBO network was born in 2003: the marvelous city of Valencia, in Spain.

This 2023 Europe-INBO International Conference will be held at the invitation of our host, the Hydrographic Confederation of the Júcar river basin (CHJ), and in partnership with :

the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain (MITECO),
the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB)
Europe-INBO’s twin network: the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO).

It will gather representatives of EU Member States, national and regional water directorates and administrations, hydrographic district authorities and basin organizations and more broadly stakeholders involved in basin management and in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), its "Daughter Directives" and other related policies, directives and regulations.

Simultaneous interpretation will be available in English-Spanish-French for all of the plenary sessions of the Europe-INBO Conference.

As usual, the Conference will be open to delegates from EU candidate countries and countries of Eastern European, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central Asia interested in the EU policies, tools and methodologies for the planning of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at basin level.

A specificity of this very particular edition: since the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO) will also be celebrating its 20th anniversary and the statutary sessions of its General Assembly, basin management actors from both shores of the Mediterranean Sea will also be invited to take part in the exchanges between practitioners of the management of the water resources of lakes, rivers and aquifers.

Save the dates now to have the opportunity to participate in the 2023 Europe-INBO International Conference and share your experiences on basin management!

Keywords

EUROPE INBO

Conférence des Nations Unies sur le changement climatique (COP27)

admin — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 09:58:12 +0000

United Nation Climate Change conference (COP27) admin Fri, 10/28/2022 - 11:58

A bit of history

Until the COP21 United Nations Climate Change Conference in December 2015 in Paris, It seemed that water was invisible. Agriculture, energy and forestry were (rightfully) recognized as the sole (wrongfully) key sectors to consider when addressing climate changes. Water was simply not an issue. Weirdly enough, since it is hard to imagine irrigating fields, cooling power plants or halting desertification with water out of the equation…

Of course, COP21 was a milestone in the history of global climate negotiations, as the Paris Agreement marked the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate change agreement. But it also was a milestone for the place granted to water at the Climate COPs.
At this occasion, and along with a wide range of partners, the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) pushed hard to make the voice of water heard in the international climate community. INBO launched the “Paris Pact on water and adaptation to climate change in the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers”, which provides a set of principles and recommended measures and includes a call to actions, relayed by its 360 signatory organizations. INBO also joined forces with 20 organizations for the #ClimateIsWaterCampaign, led by the World Water Council (WWC) and the French Water Partnership (FWP).
In this context, and under the framework of the Lima-Paris Action Agenda (a global climate action agenda by non-State actors, launched under the patronage of the Peruvian and French presidencies of the COP), the first official high level event on water in the history of the COPs was co-organized by INBO and its partners of the dedicated “Water Content Group”.

INBO was since then involved in each of the COPs, and in the definition and implementation of the water component of the Global Climate Action Agenda (which, since the COP22 that was held in Morocco, has taken the name of “Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action”, or MPGCA). Along with a myriad of thematic events, INBO co-organized with the “Water Content Group” each of the yearly editions of the “Water Action Event”, as is now called the official high level event on water initiated in Paris in 2021.

Water at COP27

Joining forces works. This diverse initiatives with a wide range of partners have contributed to give a greater attention to water. States are urged to prioritize action on water and climate, by INBO, along with other major international organizations: French Water Partnership, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion with the Water Agencies, SIWI, IWMI, UNECE, Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EcoPeace Middle East, GHD, The Nature Conservancy, Green Climate Fund, World Bank Group, International Water Resources Association, World Water Council, Global Water Partnership, UN Development Program, Union for Mediterranean.

INBO also brings its contribution to make sure that water holds a prominent place at this COP27. INBO is organizing seven events on water and adaptation to climate change. The main topics of our events are :

The Water Energy Food Ecosystems nexus : a regional approach
Nature-based Solutions for adaptation
Groundwater as both a solution for adaptation, and a resource at risk in a changing climate
Finance for Climate Resilience

The list of the events (co-)organized by INBO is hereunder. The list of the speakers is in the programme section (tab on the left), as well as their PowerPoint presentations. INBO’s sessions are official UNFCCC events, or events happening in the Water Action Event, on the French Pavilion, and on the Water & Climate Pavilion.

Our message

Water is the first victim of climate change. Climate change primarily affects our societies through the water cycle, with unpredictable rainfall patterns, aquatic ecosystems degradation, altered river flows, sea level rise-induced salinization of coastal groundwater, more frequent and intense floods and droughts. These impacts cascade down to every aspects of our lives, threatening our health, our energy security, our food security, and pushing hundreds of millions of people to migrate in the coming decades.

In other words, climate is water.

And water also is part of the solution to climate challenges. In particular, planning an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at basin level loosen the threatening stranglehold of climate change impacts on all water uses. It helps to design and implement at the right scale measures intended to reduce water demand, to develop non-conventional water resources, to prevent floods & droughts or to choose the right balance and combination of green and grey infrastructures for adaptation to climate changes.

Find hereunder the flyer providing an overview of this series of events (date, theme & location) and, in the “Program” section (see left side of this web page), their detailed programs. You can also download the flyer here.

Keywords

Transboundary Basins

Climate change

Atelier mondial sur l’eau, l’agriculture et les changements climatiques

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:22:45 +0000

Global Workshop on Water, Agriculture and Climate Change admin Mon, 10/24/2022 - 10:22

This “Global Workshop on Water, Agriculture and Climate Change” was organized under the auspices of the Water Convention serviced by UNECE, under the leadership of the Netherlands and Switzerland, in cooperation with the Adaptation Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

It intended to discuss the challenges and solutions to achieve IWRM and in particular the water and agriculture nexus in a context of climate change.
By 2050 some 60 percent more food - up to 100 percent in developing countries - is expected to be needed in order to feed the world while agriculture will continue to be the largest user of water globally, accounting in many countries for around two-thirds or more of supplies drawn from rivers, lakes and aquifers. This has important implications for the adaptation of water systems at the watershed and basin levels, both in terms of water allocation between agriculture and other water uses and of environmental externalities. Next to that, adaptation of agricultural practices are needed to account for the reduced water availability.

Understanding intersectoral impacts opens crucial opportunities for cooperation benefits that transboundary water cooperation can leverage.

The workshop brought together 170 participants representing the water and agriculture communities as well as climate change experts to jointly discuss best practices and lessons learned in addressing water scarcity and water quality through improving climate adaptation and equitable and sustainable water allocation on the national and transboundary levels.

Take away messages from the workshop will constitute discussion material at dedicated sessions/side events organised during the upcoming COP 27 in Egypt.

The workshop was followed by the thirteenth meeting of the Task Force on Water and Climate under the Water Convention on 19 October 2022, which reviewed all climate change activities as well as plans for the future under the Convention.

Présentation officielle du guide méthodologique IWA-RIOB sur la gouvernance entre les zones urbaines et les bassins versants

e.gauthier — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 09:48:16 +0000

Official presentation of the IWA-INBO methodological handbook on governance between urban areas and river basins e.gauthier Tue, 09/20/2022 - 11:48

INBO and IWA, with the support of the OFB (the French Biodiversity Agency) and SIAAP (the greater Paris Sanitation Authority), have produced a methodological guide on the strengthening of multi-scale governance between urban areas and river basins, which was previewed at the World Water Forum of Dakar in March 2022, and officially launched during the IWA World Congress in Copenhagen on 13 & 14 last September.

This guide was conceived as a means of supporting the reflection on the sustainable city already underway, but still too sectorial and focused on urban specificities, without achieving the required optimisation in terms of costs, resilience of water resources, preservation of biodiversity, risk management, etc.

For IWA and INBO, the establishment of a "city-basin dialogue" is a mechanism to move towards sustainable water management: different stakeholders can be engaged in identifying and implementing appropriate and sustainable solutions for effective multi-level governance of cities and basins.

This connection finally aims to improve awareness and protection of water sources within and beyond urban boundaries, to maintain the quantity and quality of water resources and to prepare for extreme events and climate change impacts.

This "city-basin" guide is not an end in itself and will continue to be developed by collecting more "basin stories" and presenting it at the various international events in which the two structures take part.

On the other hand, IWA is interested in carrying out concrete activities involving its members on topics such as information systems, adaptation to climate change, governance, NBS, IWRM and deepening the "city-basin" dialogue.

Read the full document
Read the abstract

Call for Contribution! First Global Survey on Localising the Blue Economy

m.furtado — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 08:26:25 +0000

Call for Contribution! First Global Survey on Localising the Blue Economy m.furtado Tue, 07/19/2022 - 10:26

Are you an official representative of a city/ region/ basin in which a significant share of economic activity depends on oceans, seas, deltas, rivers and lakes?

Are you wondering how to implement a Resilient, Inclusive, Sustainable and Circular (RISC-proof) blue economy?

Do you wish to share examples and good practices to be featured in OECD work?

If so, please fill the OECD Survey: Localising the Blue Economy. Towards a Resilient, Inclusive, Sustainable and Circular approach to the blue economy in cities and regions by 16 September 2022.

The Survey is part of the OECD project Cities and Regions for a Blue Economy, which advocates for a localised approach to the blue economy in which local and national governments and stakeholders share the task of implementing a Resilient, Inclusive, Sustainable and Circular (RISC-proof) blue economy, through good governance at the right scale. It involves both coastal and inland cities in which a significant share of economic activity depends on oceans, seas, deltas, rivers and lakes.

The Survey is the result of a collaboration with: Association of Cities and Ports (AIVP), Atlantic Cities, C40 Cities, International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO), Ocean & Climate Platform, Resilient Cities Network, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), United Cities and Local Governments Africa (UCLG-Africa).

Responses will provide the basis for a cutting edge report on the Blue Economy at local, regional and basin level to be published in 2024 and launched at the 10^th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia (March 2024). Survey responses will contribute to a series of discussion papers to be presented at COP27 (November 2022) and the UN 2023 Water Conference (March 2023). All respondents will be acknowledged in the papers and final report.

Dynamiser l'économie bleue : comment nos villes peuvent faire parler d'elles ?

d.delage — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 08:18:18 +0000

Boosting the blue economy: how our cities can make a splash? d.delage Thu, 06/09/2022 - 10:18

On the occasion of the World Oceans Day, Mr Eric Tardieu, Permanent Technical Secretary of the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), and Director General of the International Office for Water (OiEau) participated in the writing of a post on the blue economy, on the OECD Cogito blog*.

The blue economy is a major driver of urban and regional development. In coastal cities, the blue economy provides jobs for millions of people, including in the nautical sector, bio-marine research or blue technologies.

Cities and regions have an important role to play both in realising the potential of the blue economy and in preserving marine and freshwater ecosystems, conserving the ocean, boosting the use of renewable energy preventing waste and fighting against pollution. In 2019, more than 6 mega tonnes of plastic waste leaked into rivers, lakes and the ocean. That’s roughly the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Plastic pollution would stunt fish growth, cutting off millions of people from a vital source of food.

At the same time, cities must also adapt to growing risks. By 2050, more than 500 coastal cities will face a sea level rise of at least 0.5 metre, putting over 800 million people at risk. Rising seas would reclaim beaches and ports; droughts would make rivers too shallow for fluvial transport or clean energy generation.
So, what do we need to do?

* The OECD Cogito blog aims to share leading analysis related to Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Tourism, Regions and Cities policies.

The OECD project Cities for a Blue Economy, in collaboration with the International Network of River Basin Organisations (INBO) aims to unleash the potential of the blue economy in cities and regions, connecting them to their basin(s) and setting the right enabling conditions.

Join the discussion on Localising Action for the Ocean: Local and Regional Governments (25 June, 10 AM – 5:30 PM CEST) at the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference.

Le Réseau Africain des Organismes de Bassins (RAOB), un acteur clef pour la coopération au sein de l'Union Africaine

m.furtado — Tue, 24 May 2022 15:26:27 +0000

The African Network of Basin Organizations (ANBO), a key actor for cooperation within the African Union m.furtado Tue, 05/24/2022 - 17:26

Meeting with Mrs Judith Enaw, former President of ANBO

World Africa Day celebrates the creation of the African Union, a continental organisation created after independence, whose current objective is to promote unity and solidarity between African states, in order to strengthen, among others, cooperation for development.

In order to understand the role of cooperation at the African basin organizations level, we gave the floor to Judith Efundem Agbor Enwaw, General Secretary of the International Commission of the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin (CICOS) and former President of the African Network of Basin Organizations, a central partner for INBO.

1)World Africa Day, scheduled for 25 May, commemorates the creation of the Organization of African Union, which marked the independence and development of cooperation between African states. How did the creation of ANBO allow and still allows today to strengthen a cooperation framework within the African Union?

First of all, I think that it is important to understand the vision behind the creation of ANBO: it is the desire to cooperate on water, an essential resource for human life. It is important to know that within the African Union, there are many technical commissions that exchange on several issues, including the African Minister Council of Water (AMCOW), the council of Ministers in charge of water composed of Member States, which carries the AU vision on water, towards its realisation.

Thanks to the strong recommendation of this body, ANBO was created , with the main objective of bringing together water stakeholders in a single platform where Ministers can have access to specialised interlocutors with expert knowledge on water resources management and, more specifically, shared waters management. ANBO is a real technical body of AMCOW, essential for the implementation and achievement of the objectives of the Agenda 2025 and the African Union's Vision 2063 on water.

ANBO is not a political tool, it has, above all, a consultative vocation in order to support its members to improve water governance. We prioritise our activities on exchange of experiences, knowledge sharing and institutional support, to enable all members to better adapt to the issues and challenges related to sustainable resource management. Through horizontal and vertical collaboration, ANBO offers its members an opportunity to strengthen inter-state cooperation within the African Union.

2)Why cooperation in water management at the basin level is essential to address current and future water challenges on the African continent?

Cooperation between water stakeholders at national, transboundary and inter-basin levels, is a guarantee for sustainable water resources management. Although there are common challenges across Africa, these may vary, according to the geographical location of the basins. While drought and resource scarcity are more likely to affect the Southern African basins, at the Congo Basin scale, for example, the challenges remain focused not on the resource scarcity, but rather on the transformation of the water resource into a real tool for economic development, integration and social cohesion.

As a network, we try, through the exchange of experience, to promote bilateral cooperation and build strong relationships between basin organisations so that they are able to respond effectively to the diversity of needs. For example, the International Commission of the Congo-Oubangui-Sangha Basin (CICOS) has developed tools and activities related to the promotion of navigation. A few years ago, CICOS launched a discussion with the Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du fleuve Sénégal as they can benefit this experience at its scale.

Water resource monitoring, knowledge and data collection, are other challenges facing basin organisations. Through cooperation, a majority of them has developed tools that improve the mobilisation and optimal allocation of transboundary resources and uses. The data collection and sharing have also been strengthened, which now allows better decision-making for optimal resource management.

3) How does the partnership between ANBO and INBO contribute to the strengthening of cooperation mechanisms betwee African basin organizations ? What prospects do you see for the future?

Our integration in the International Network of Basin Organizations is essential because it enables us to establish relations with the regional networks affiliated to INBO (REBOB, EURO-INBO, CEENBO etc.) You know, nobody can "go it alone" when it comes to water governance at the scale of transboundary water resources. By working together, we will be able to achieve optimal water resource management on a global scale.

Conférence internationale "Les eaux souterraines, clé des objectifs de développement durable"

admin — Mon, 23 May 2022 09:10:08 +0000

International conference "Groundwater, key to the Sustainable Development Goals" admin Mon, 05/23/2022 - 11:10

The « Agenda 2030 », the 17 « Sustainable Development Goals » (SDGs), their 169 targets and their 240 well attended indicators, multinational and multilateral roadmaps, constitute a great message of hope for the future of human societies and terrestrial ecosystems, currently facing the impacts of global change.

Within this framework, groundwater resources (GWR) have a key role to play, directly in terms of food, hygiene and health, protection and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity … and, indirectly, for the reduction of poverty and inequalities, contribution to education and gender equality, peace.

This conference is organized by the French Committee for Hydrogeology (CFH) and the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) to address the key role of groundwater in the achievement of the SDGs.

INBO and its permanent technical secretariat, the International Office for Water (OiEau), partnered with the event through two round tables:

• A round table on "Conjunctive management of groundwater and surface water: the interest of IWRM at basin level"
(Thursday 19th of May 2022, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.),

• A round table on "The links between aquifers, rivers, wetlands, biodiversity and Sustainable Development Goals"
(Friday 20th of May 2022, from 9:40 a.m. to 10:40 a.m.).

Le RIOB au cœur de l’initiative « Plan d'action de Dakar pour les bassins des lacs, des fleuves et des aquifères »

admin — Mon, 16 May 2022 08:41:58 +0000

Support the "Dakar Action Plan for Lake, River and Aquifer Basins" admin Mon, 05/16/2022 - 10:41

For the first time, in the programme of the World Water Forum, the 9th edition organised around "Water Security for Peace and Development" included a day dedicated to the management of water resources at the level of basins ("basin segment"), on Thursday 24 March.

The stakes of this day are at the heart of the priorities of the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), which has been working for 30 years for social justice, environmental preservation and economic growth through the support of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) at the scale of transnational river basins, lakes and aquifers. Indeed, as peacemakers and accelerators of sustainable development, Basin Organisations are recognised structures to carry out ambitious actions for adaptation to climate change, and to ensure a common and sustainable management of surface and groundwater resources.

"We are convinced that the basin management model strengthens dialogue, the participation of various stakeholders and achieves a better collective understanding of future water challenges. For INBO and its partners, Dakar is a major opportunity to accelerate the level of ambition around IWRM in basins, and to make it a political priority of the United Nations Water Conference in March 2023."
Eric Tardieu, INBO Secretary General.

During this session, The International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO), the United Nations Economic for Europe (UNECE), the Swiss Conféderation, the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS) & the Organization for the Development of the Gambia River (OMVG) formally launched the :

Dakar Action Plan for River, Lake and Aquifer Basin

This initiative comes in implementation to the global commitments of the World Water Forum Dakar Declaration “A Blue Deal for Water Security for Peace and Development”.
It translates the Declaration at the hydrographic basin level, a scale that encompasses all of the territories over which precipitation falls and water flows into a common outlet (a river, a lake, a sea).

Beyond the sole challenge of meeting the Sustainable Development Goal n°6 on water and sanitation, the achievement of water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) greatly depends on our capacities to act at this basin scale, to implement Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and to improve cross-sectoral cooperation (and in particular the Water-Food-Energy Nexus) as well as cooperation across administrations at local, regional, national and transboundary levels.
This is of course true for the achievement of the universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, since (almost) all of our drinking water taps come from the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers.
We believe the Dakar Action Plan for basins can be an effective accelerator for the achievement of the SDGs.

In other words, basin management matters, basin management delivers!
The last water conference of this magnitude was organized nearly 50 years ago (Mar del Plata, 1977). This event can really be the political opportunity of a lifetime, and it needs to be seized.

Express your support by:

completing the dedicated form entitled “Join the Dakar action plan for basins”, here (if you did not do it already ; important: this is not a legally binding document), disseminating it in your own network and promoting it in major international events (including the Climate COP27 in Egypt in November).

mobilizing your organization, your country and its embassies to promote the integration of basin management within the program and outputs of the UN Water Conference (22-24 March 2023, New-York). We need stronger support in favor of basin organizations and committees, either national or transboundary, to have basin management as one of the political priorities!

having your country to participate in the steering committee of the initiative.

We would be pleased to have the honour to receive your support for this initiative that promotes the role of basin actors!

More informations:

On the Basin segment at the 9th World Water Forum: Detailed program and Outcome document

On the Dakar Action Plan for Lake, River and Aquifer basins : The main document and the detailed presentation

Contact : NBO permament technical secretariat secretariat@inbo-news.org

Le RIOB au cœur de l’initiative « Plan d'action de Dakar pour les bassins des lacs, des fleuves et des aquifères »

c.buisson — Mon, 16 May 2022 07:23:09 +0000

Support the "Dakar Action Plan for Lake, River and Aquifer Basins" c.buisson Mon, 05/16/2022 - 09:23

"Basin segment" - 9th WWF

"We are convinced that the basin management model strengthens dialogue, the participation of various stakeholders and achieves a better collective understanding of future water challenges. For INBO and its partners, Dakar is a major opportunity to accelerate the level of ambition around IWRM in basins, and to make it a political priority of the United Nations Water Conference in March 2023."
Eric Tardieu, INBO Secretary General.

Basin Organisations are recognised structures to carry out ambitious actions for adaptation to climate change, and to ensure a common and sustainable management of surface and groundwater resources.

Its objective? To mobilise the main stakeholders in basin management (basin organisations and committees, ministries, donors, water users' associations, etc.) and significantly influence the progress and conclusions of the United Nations Water Conference, scheduled for March 2023, around the global need to accelerate the implementation of targets 6. 5.1 and 6.5.2 (Integrated Resource Management) of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on clean water and sanitation, "by the basins and for the basins"

" Dakar Action Plan for River, Lake and Aquifer Basin"

This initiative comes in implementation to the global commitments of the World Water Forum Dakar Declaration “A Blue Deal for Water Security for Peace and Development”.

It translates the Declaration at the hydrographic basin level, a scale that encompasses all of the territories over which precipitation falls and water flows into a common outlet (a river, a lake, a sea).

This is of course true for the achievement of the universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, since (almost) all of our drinking water taps come from the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers.
We believe the Dakar Action Plan for basins can be an effective accelerator for the achievement of the SDGs.

In other words, basin management matters, basin management delivers!

The last water conference of this magnitude was organized nearly 50 years ago (Mar del Plata, 1977). This event can really be the political opportunity of a lifetime, and it needs to be seized.

Express your support by :

Completing the dedicated form entitled "Join the Dakar action plan for basins" (if you did not do it already ; important: this is not a legally binding document), disseminating it in your own network and promoting it in major international events (including the Climate COP27 in Egypt in November).
mobilizing your organization, your country and its embassies to promote the integration of basin management within the program and outputs of the UN Water Conference (22-24 March 2023, New-York). We need stronger support in favor of basin organizations and committees, either national or transboundary, to have basin management as one of the political priorities!
having your country to participate in the steering committee of the initiative.

We would be pleased to have the honour to receive your support for this initiative that promotes the role of basin actors!

Europe - INBO, a Group of European Basin Organizations for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive

m.furtado — Fri, 06 May 2022 09:23:27 +0000

Europe - INBO, a Group of European Basin Organizations for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive m.furtado Fri, 05/06/2022 - 11:23

The "Europe-INBO" Group of European Basin Organizations for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD – 2000/60/EC) was established as a regional chapter of the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO) in 2003 in Valencia, Spain. It gathers 200 members throughout Europe around one primary objective: Exchanging between peers to improve the implementation of water policies in Europe, especially the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) of the Water Framework Directive and all water related directives.

It shares its practical field experience to promote and disseminate the principles and tools of European water-related Directives and support their implementation throughout the European Union (including its overseas territories), in candidate or interested neighboring countries of the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia and in the Mediterranean region.

The exchange of experiences and discussions on basin management undertaken by Europe-INBO also cover these interested neighboring countries and regions through the regional networks associated with INBO: the Mediterranean Network of Basin Organizations (MENBO) and the Network of Basin Organizations of Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA - NBO). The Europe-INBO group holds annual general assemblies, held in Valencia (Spain) in 2003, Krakow (Poland) in 2004, Namur (Belgium) in 2005, Megeve (France) in 2006, Rome (Italy) in 2007, Sibiu (Romania) in 2008, Stockholm (Sweden) in 2009, Megeve (France) in 2010, Oporto (Portugal) in 2011, Istanbul (Turkey) in 2012, Plovdiv (Bulgaria) in 2013, Bucharest (Romania) in 2014, in Thessaloniki (Greece) in 2015, in Lourdes (France) in 2016, in Dublin (Ireland) in 2017, in Seville (Spain) in 2018 in Lahti (Finland) in 2019, online in 2020, in Mellieha (Malta) in 2021 and with an upcoming 20th edition in Annecy (France) on the 26-29th of September 2022.

Every year some technical workshops are devoted to interesting and currently trending topics in relation to water management, be it new EU regulations or emerging cross-cutting issues ( Green deal, CAP, restoration standards, circular economy...). An electronic newsletter is also published twice per year in order to follow the news related to "Life in the basins", European projects of interest, or simply the development of water management issues at EU level.

EURO-RIOB 2022

admin — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 12:45:41 +0000

Europe-INBO 2022 admin Tue, 04/12/2022 - 14:45

20th Europe-INBO International Conference
for the Implementation of the European Water Directives

The 20th Europe-INBO International Conference organized by the Group of European Basin Authorities for the Implementation of the European Water Directives will be held in a face-to-face format from Monday 26th to Thursday 29th of September 2022, at the Imperial Palace (Annecy, FRANCE) at the invitation of the host and partners of the event:

The event welcomes representatives of EU Member States, national and regional water directorates and administrations, hydrographic district authorities and basin organizations, as well as representatives of EU candidate countries and countries of Eastern European, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Mediterranean basin and other stakeholders interested in basin management and in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, its "Daughter Directives" and other related policies, directives and regulations.

Join us and share your experiences on the themes addressed by this on-site event with simultaneous French / English interpretation!
(with the exception of the first of the two sessions of the workshop “Water in mountains”, which will be in French only)

The program includes :

●   Workshop “Water in mountains”:
      Session 1/2. Adaptation to climate changes (in French only) - Program
      Session 2/2. “River restoration: a European goal at the crossroads of several legislations” Agenda
●   Session I. Ecological continuity restoration
●   Session II. Water users involvements and engagements
●   Session III. Good ecological status, Governance of the WFD, water cycle at basin level
●   Session IV. Intersectoral coordination
●   Session: V. Transboundary & international cooperation
●   Technical and cultural visit

ANNECY DECLARATION

Draft document

Outcomes of the workshop : River restoration: a European goal at the crossroads of several legislations

Useful information

Program River restauration

Program adaptation climate change

ENG_Europe-INBO 2022 Detailed program

Keywords

EUROPE INBO

Le RIOB, partenaire stratégique de cette 9ème édition, vous donne RDV à Dakar !

c.buisson — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 07:57:26 +0000

INBO, strategic partner of this 9th edition, will meet you in Dakar! c.buisson Fri, 03/18/2022 - 08:57

D - 3 World Water Forum

The International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), which has been leading ambitious actions for the joint and sustainable management of water resources at the basin level for 30 years, will organize and participate in more than 20 exchange sessions on IWRM at the level of basins, cooperation, water data sharing and adaptation to climate change.

"I applaud the mobilization of INBO and its members to make the voice of basin organizations heard during this unavoidable world meeting on water security for all. In a context of climate change, it was crucial for INBO to highlight the analyses and solutions we provide on related topics such as peace, green finance, cooperation, knowledge sharing, innovation, NBS, etc.".
Eric TARDIEU, INBO Secretary General.

General Programme

For the first time in the history of the Forums, Dakar included a political segment dedicated to basin organizations. With its partners, OMVS, OMVG, UNECE and the Swiss Government, INBO was in charge of the organization, animation and management of this segment.

The United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank, international basin networks and government representatives will meet on Thursday 24 March (Oval Room) to exchange on the strengthening of the basin management model. This segment will also be the occasion to assess the achievement of the dedicated targets (6.5.1 and 6.5.2) of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) n°6, for clean water and sanitation.

Basin Segment Programme

On Wednesday 23 March, INBO members and partners will mobilize around the high-level panel on water and ecological security, in particular with the call for signing the Declaration:

"No water security without ecological security,
No ecological security without water security ".

Each signatory commits to work towards "a better integration of ecosystems and biodiversity in water sector activities".

To know more about the Declaration

Within the basin segment, INBO members and partners will also adopt the "Dakar Action Plan for the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers".

It aims at mobilizing the main stakeholders in basin management (basin organizations and committees, ministries, donors, water users' associations, etc.) in order to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs by strengthening cooperation, planning, the legal and institutional framework of the basin organizations or by seeking innovative financing.

To know more about the Action Plan

The members of INBO delegation present in Dakar during the Forum remain at your disposal for any questions and meetings, or in France after the Forum.

Fichiers

CP RIOB FME VA DEF J - 3.pdf

Le RIOB, acteur clé de l’année de l’ONU pour la valorisation des eaux souterraines : « Rendre l’invisible visible »

m.furtado — Mon, 14 Mar 2022 15:27:51 +0000

INBO, key actor of the UN Year for Groundwater Development: "Making the invisible visible " m.furtado Mon, 03/14/2022 - 16:27

Promoting groundwater management through basin organisations”

Invisible, poorly understood, even badly managed, groundwater nevertheless plays a major role in the hydrogeological cycle: it represents nearly 99% of the planet's unfrozen freshwater reserves and is a source of drinking water for most of the world population.

Thus, the International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO), for which the International Office for Water provides the Technical Secretariat, is particularly committed to better taking groundwater into account at the basin level. In partnership with the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), INBO has collaborated in the publication of an article "Basin Organizations & Groundwater" in the IAH "Strategic Overview Series", published in February 2022.

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the major role of groundwater in Integrated Water Resources Management at the national and transnational basins scale. Indeed, groundwater systems constitute masses that cross borders invisibly, and their natural storage is vital for the resource preservation. Groundwater can therefore provide important ecological and economic services, and help to adapt to climate change in the current context of global surface water resources scarcity.

The basin organisations, which appear to be key players in the proper management of groundwater, are called upon to develop the sharing of knowledge in order to improve quality monitoring systems and preserve the resource.

The 2022 groundwater agenda

2022 is a special year for groundwater as it is the central theme of the UN-Water year. Indeed, groundwater plays a considerable strategic role in the achievement of SDG 6: to ensure access to sustainable water supply and sanitation services for all.

Thus, INBO will be present in several international debates during the coming months. First of all, during the 9th World Water Forum, the largest global event bringing together the water community, which will be held from 21 to 26 March in Dakar. Echoing the World Water Day of 22 March, "Groundwater: making the invisible visible", INBO will intervene, during the Forum, in the debates led by UNESCO and the UNECE, in order to feed the reflection on innovation, knowledge sharing and cooperation on the scale of transboundary groundwater resources.

"Groundwater often is a victim of the "Out of sight, out of mind" syndrom: people cannot see it and therefore do not realize that they are using it every day. We need to raise awareness globally and explain that we all depend on groundwater, and we need therefore to protect and manage it in a sustainable manner. UNESCO is glad to coordinate (with its International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre) the World Water Day campaign “Groundwater: making the invisible visible” and to host in its headquarters the upcoming UN-Water Summit on groundwater! (Paris, 6-8 December 2022) » " Abou Amani, Director of the Division of Water Sciences and Secretary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, UNESCO

Then, INBO will be present at the international conference "Groundwater, key to sustainable development objectives" which will be held in Paris from 18 to 20 May 2022. International decision-makers, Water Agencies, consulting firms, basin organizations, academics, donors, civil society, industrialists... several water specialists will be present to feed these exchanges whose objectives will aim at promoting the sharing of experience, knowledge and providing recommendations in order to promote a better integration of groundwater resources in the SDGs.

Finally, the UN Groundwater Summit, to be held in Paris in December, will be the highlight of this special year and will provide an opportunity to take stock of the progress of the associated SDGs.

A report on the challenges and opportunities of groundwater use, management and governance around the world will be published shortly.

More information to come...

Well in banco, Chinguetti desert, Mauritania

News

Forum Mondial de l’Eau 2024 : Réunion de lancement à Jakarta le 15 et 16 février 2023

3ème Conférence Internationale Eau et Climat : « La gestion de bassin, clé pour l’adaptation et l’atteinte des Objectifs de Développement Durable »

UN 2023 Water Conference

Promoting INBO's priorities at the 2nd ever UN Conference on water since 1977!

Find the sessions' programs, pictures and videos by clicking on "Program" on the left.

Special issue of Water International

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

SPECIAL ISSUE OF WATER INTERNATIONAL: Water management in Basins of rivers, lakes and aquifers: the challenges ahead after 30 years of innovation

Rationale

The scope of the Special Issue :

Main objectives:

Main topics:

Intended audience of the issue:

Submission process

Important dates

Coalition pour la coopération dans le domaine des eaux transfrontalières

Additional information

Webinar

UN-Water Summit on Groundwater

Venue

Groundwater: a Hidden Resource

Background

EURO-RIOB 2023

Europe-INBO International Conference: save the dates of the 20th anniversary edition!

Conférence des Nations Unies sur le changement climatique (COP27)

A bit of history

Water at COP27

Our message

Atelier mondial sur l’eau, l’agriculture et les changements climatiques

Présentation officielle du guide méthodologique IWA-RIOB sur la gouvernance entre les zones urbaines et les bassins versants

Call for Contribution! First Global Survey on Localising the Blue Economy

Dynamiser l'économie bleue : comment nos villes peuvent faire parler d'elles ?

Le Réseau Africain des Organismes de Bassins (RAOB), un acteur clef pour la coopération au sein de l'Union Africaine

Conférence internationale "Les eaux souterraines, clé des objectifs de développement durable"

Le RIOB au cœur de l’initiative « Plan d'action de Dakar pour les bassins des lacs, des fleuves et des aquifères »

Le RIOB au cœur de l’initiative « Plan d'action de Dakar pour les bassins des lacs, des fleuves et des aquifères »

Europe - INBO, a Group of European Basin Organizations for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive

EURO-RIOB 2022

20th Europe-INBO International Conference for the Implementation of the European Water Directives

The program includes :

Le RIOB, partenaire stratégique de cette 9ème édition, vous donne RDV à Dakar !

Le RIOB, acteur clé de l’année de l’ONU pour la valorisation des eaux souterraines : « Rendre l’invisible visible »

20th Europe-INBO International Conference
for the Implementation of the European Water Directives