Event // WWW 2023: Promoting Innovation in Transboundary Cooperation through Water Convention Tools
The global water crisis increases pressure on transboundary waters. The UN Water Convention and its partners have developed several innovative tools to address challenges in transboundary basins and ensure sustainable water management. The official session "Promoting Innovation in Transboundary Cooperation through Water Convention Tools" of the Stockholm World Water Week 2023 showcases how their application in various basins supports transboundary cooperation for a water-wise world.
Convenors
UNECE, Finnish Environment Institute, International Water Assessment Centre, Global Water Partnership, GIZ, Ministry of Interior of Hungary, SDC.
Summary
The global water crisis increases pressure on transboundary waters. The UN Water Convention and its partners have developed several innovative tools to address challenges in transboundary basins and ensure sustainable water management. This session showcases how their application in various basins supports transboundary cooperation for a water-wise world.
Registration
- Online registration (free of charge)
Programme
- 9:00 – 9:10 Welcome remarks and introduction to the Water Convention and its tools – Sonja Koeppel, Secretary of the Water Convention, UNECE
- 9:10 – 9:20 Updated Strategies for Monitoring and Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters – Anna-Stiina Heiskanen, Director of the Freshwater Centre, Finnish Environment Institute
- 9:20 – 9:30 Policy Guidance Note on the Benefits of Transboundary Water Cooperation – Phera Ramoeli, Executive Secretary, Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission (OKACOM)
- 9:30 – 9:40 Application of the Handbook on Water Allocation in a Transboundary Context in regional processes of Central Asia – Zhanar Mautanova, International Water Assessment Centre
- 9:40 – 9:50 Practical Guide for the Development of Agreements supporting Pan Africa Water Governance and International Water Law Training – Yumiko Yasuda, Global Water Partnership
- 9:50 – 10:00 Funding and Financing of Transboundary Water Cooperation and Basin Development – Simon Zbinden, Head of the Global Programme on Water, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
- 10:00 – 10:10 Niger Basin Authority Nexus Guidelines and Dialogue Events (video by EU, BMZ, NBA and GIZ) – Fanni Zentai, Component Manager of Water Policy Team, GIZ
- 10:10 – 10:25 Questions and Discussion
- 10:25 – 10:30 Session summary – Erik Salminen, Associate Environmental Affairs Officer, UNECE
The session will be co-moderated by Callist Tindimugaya, Commissioner for Water Resources Planning and Regulation, Ministry of Water and Environment in Uganda and Sonja Koeppel, Secretary of the Water Convention, UNECE
Session description
The global water crisis is at the core of multiple interlinked environmental, economic and social problems. Numerous world’s shared rivers, lakes and groundwaters are not covered by operational arrangements for transboundary water cooperation. Innovative approaches in transboundary water cooperation are urgently needed to address these challenges and contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
For over 30 years, the United Nations Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) has driven progress on the ground in transboundary basins around the world and prompted innovation in transboundary water cooperation to adapt to changing conditions and emerging challenges. Based on needs identified by countries, the Convention supports the development of innovative tools to support transboundary water cooperation through its intergovernmental and participatory processes bringing together experts from around the world. The application of several of these complementary tools has proven successful to improve cooperation by tackling challenges in transboundary basins such as climate impact, water allocation and intersectoral trade-offs between water, food, energy and ecosystems.
This session showcases practical examples of tools developed by the Water Convention and its partners and provides participants with the opportunity to learn and exchange experiences of their application.
Desired impact and outcomes
The long-term impact of the session is enabling participants to better address challenges in transboundary water cooperation using tools developed under the Water Convention in cooperation with its partners.
The session provides a participatory platform where participants can learn about available tools that can support transboundary water cooperation. The session will consist of inspiring practical examples and case studies illustrating the value of applying recently developed guidance such as the Handbook on Water Allocation in a Transboundary Context (UNECE, 2021), the Practical Guide for the Development of Agreements (UNECE, 2021), Funding and Financing of Transboundary Water Cooperation and Basin Development (UNECE, 2021), the Updated Strategies for Monitoring and Assessment of Transboundary Rivers, Lakes and Groundwaters (UNECE, 2023) and the Synthesis on Transboundary Nexus Assessment Methodology (UNECE, 2018). The session fosters the exchange of experiences among participants from countries and basins around the world and encourages to apply good practices and draw lessons from existing experiences towards the achievement of SDG indicator 6.5.2 on transboundary water cooperation.
The primary audience includes government officials, basin authorities, policymakers and other water practitioners whose work directly concerns or relates to transboundary water cooperation. Secondary audiences include all stakeholders with an interest in transboundary water cooperation processes, such as the general public, water user groups, NGOs and academia.
Learning outcomes
- Participants learn to address challenges for transboundary water cooperation by identifying and applying innovative tools developed by the Water Convention and its partners.
- Participants understand the requirements for successful transboundary water cooperation.
- Participants are aware of novel tools developed by the Water Convention and its partners.
- Participants are aware of different good practices from transboundary basins in various regions.
- Participants exchange experiences on transboundary water cooperation and the application of demonstrated tools among representatives and experts around the world.