WRI staff will be attending and blogging during World Water Week - hosted and organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI). World Water Week has been the annual focal point for the globe's water issues since 1991.

Each year the World Water Week addresses a particular theme to enable a deeper examination of a specific water-related topic. While not all events during the week relate to the overall theme, the workshops driven by the Scientific Programme Committee and many seminars and side events do focus on various aspects of the theme. The themes change each year, but each fits within a broader "niche" that covers several years. The grouping of themes within a niche is designed to develop a long-term perspective on a broad yet significant water and development issue. It also ensures that each year builds upon the previous years' outcomes and findings.

The current niche for 2009-2012 is "Responding to Global Changes", which looks at the potential and necessary responses in water policy, management and development to address pervasive and increasingly impacting global changes. The themes within the current niche are:

  • 2009: Accessing Water for the Common Good
  • 2010: The Water Quality Challenge
  • 2011: Water in an Urbanising World
  • 2012: Water and Food Security

 

This year, WRI is co-convening the following panels:

  • Implementing the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus
    2012-08-29; 09:00am-12:30pm; Room K21
    WRI speaker: Charles Iceland - 11:00 a.m.
    This seminar presents policies, enabling conditions, innovations and solutions, for putting the quickly growing knowledge around the water-(land-)energy-food security nexus into practice. It places local data, tools and practical examples in the context of global scenarios and assessments, for outscaling and up-scaling. By presenting a set of local and regional cases, this seminar demonstrates how integrated approaches can reduce tradeoffs and improve resource use efficiency, how they can contribute to more equal benefit sharing and eventually become key pillars of sustainable development. This seminar will pick up on previous nexus fora, as recently held e.g. in Bonn, Marseille, London and Rio. With that it will contribute to building a community of practice, bringing together actors from governmental, non-governmental and intergovernmental organisations with the private sector and science. Jointly we will move the nexus further towards operationalisation.
  • Towards Sustainability: Harmonising Water Tools for Better Water Governance
    2012-08-29; 09:00am-12:30pm; Room K11
    WRI speakers:
    Betsy Otto - 9:00 a.m.
    Tien Shan - 11:15 a.m.
    Good water governance and sustainable water management have become top priorities for governments and corporations. However, determining the most effective action for water risk mitigation often requires different types of information and tools. Many organizations have risen to the challenge and developed a proliferation of frameworks and tools to help businesses understand their water use, risks and opportunities. With this information, businesses can choose to be more water efficient and engage with other water users in the watershed and develop sustainable solutions. Overall, greater understanding of water risk encourages businesses to better manage their water resources and become better stewards leading to more sustainable water use.
    Register for LIVE WEBINAR via 2degreesnetwork, 8:00am BST / 3:00am EDT.
  • Securing Water Quality While Providing Food Security: The Nutrient Question
    2012-08-29; 12:45-13:45; Room K22;
    WRI speakers: Mindy Selman and Cy Jones - 12:45 a.m.
    In light of growing populations we need to understand how we can increase food production, use nutrients sustainably, and decrease ecosystem impacts. This event will examine the relationship between nutrients used in food production and water quality and what new tools and approaches are emerging to balance these needs.

Follow World Water Week events online via https://www.watermedia.org/.