UK Contribution to International Freshwater Issues

Andras Szöllösi-Nagy

Deputy Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences Secretary, International Hydrological Programme UNESCO

The UN Year

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

International Hydrological Programme (IHP)

International Hydrological Programme (IHP)

• 1965-1974 : IHD [ Experimental Basins, World Cat. Of Very Large Floods, World Water Balance & WR of the E] • 1975-1980 : IHP-I • 1981-1983 : IHP-II • 1984-1989 : IHP-III • 1990-1995 : IHP-IV Hydrology and Water Resources for Sustainable Development • 1996-2001 : IHP-V Hydrology and Water Resources in a Vulnerable Environment • 2002-2007 : IHP-VI Water Interactions : Systems at Risk and Social Challenges

Water Interactions : Systems at Risk and Social Challenges

Plan for the International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO - Phase VI (2002-2007)

IHP VI (2002-2007)

• Examples of Interactions – Surface water and groundwater – Atmospheric and terrestrial part of hydrologic circle – Freshwater and salt water – Global watershed and river reach scales – Water bodies, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems – Water and society – Science and policy – Water and civilization

IHP VI (2002-2007)

• The Plan for the 6th Phase of IHP has 2 major objectives: – To identify the most crucial water-related research issues emanating from the multiple identified water related problems at the turn of the millennium (cataloguing and classifying research problems); – To identify activities and interested countries and organizations committed to particular focal areas and/or activities (Work Plan of IHP-VI)

Interlinkages of IHP-VI, HELP and FRIEND T 5 T1 T2 T3 T 4

IHP VI (2002-2007)

• Theme 1 (T1) • Theme 2 (T2) • Theme 3 (T3) • Theme 4 (T4) • Theme 5 (T5) Global Changes and Water Resources Integrated Watershed and Aquifer Dynamics Land Habitat Hydrology Water and Society Water Education and Training Two cross-cutting programme components (CCPCs): FRIEND (Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data) and HELP (Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy) have been identified which, through their operational concept, interact with all themes.

UNESCO Chairs in Water

JIIHP Interlinkages of IHP-VI, HELP and FRIEND T 5 T1 T2 T3 T 4

UNESCO Institutes / Centers UNESCO -IHE Institute for Water Education Associated Programmes

ISI IFP

Existing Institutes / Centers

• UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (Delft, The Netherlands) • RCUWM - Regional Center on Urban Water Management (Tehran, I.R. of Iran) • Regional Center for Training and Water Studies of Arid and Semiarid Zones (Cairo, Egypt) • CATHALAC - Center for the Humid Tropics of LAC (Panama City, Panama) • Humid Tropics Hydrology Center for SE Asia and the Pacific (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) • IRTCUD - International Research and Training Center on Urban Drainage (Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro) • IRTCES - International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (Beijing, China) • IGRAC - International Groundwater Resources Assessment Center (Utrecht, The Netherlands) • CAZALAC - Water Center for Arid and Semiarid Regions of LAC (La Serena, Chile)

Future Centers in the Pipeline

• Regional Center for the Management of Shared Groundwater Resources (Tripoli, Libya) • Regional Center on Urban Water Management for LAC (Bogota, Colombia) • Regional Center for Ecohydrology (Warsaw, Poland) • International Center on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures (Yazd, I.R. of Iran) • Center on the Global Water Cycle (UNH, New Hampshire, USA) • Regional Center on Drought for Sub-Saharan Africa (site to be identified)

• FRIEND • HELP • WWAP • PCCP / WCF

Programmes

Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data

An International Collaborative Study in Regional Hydrology

FRIEND : Approach

• Development of international hydrological databases containing – time series of daily river flows – spatial data e.g. digitised catchment boundaries, climate, land-use, and soil type • Conduct research in small international project groups on specified themes • Adopt common approaches to the analysis of data from different regions • Exchange of data, models and analysis techniques between researchers in different countries • Disseminate results through training courses, workshops, conferences, exchange visits and annual meetings of project groups.

FRIEND Research Themes Research themes Database Low flows and water resources Regime variability Long time series: models and trends Extreme rainfall and runoff estimation Rainfall-runoff modelling Physical processes Sediment transport Water quality Snow and glaciers Integrated catchment management

  

NE

      

AMHY S Africa AOC

    

Nile

 

HKH



Asian Pacific

  

AMIGO

                 

Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy (HELP)

To deliver social, economic and environmental benefit to stakeholders through sustainable and appropriate use of water by directing hydrological science towards improved integrated catchment management basins ...

HELP

Real people Real catchments Real answers

Compiled from Mike Bonell, Jim Shuttleworth and Jim Wallace

“

Paradigm Lock

” ……based on outdated knowledge and technology Process hydrology Water managers and stakeholders design output research ideas understanding Isolated by lack of proven utility Accepted practices implementation Isolated by legal and professional precedence

HELP

Real people Real catchments Real answers ...

DEMONSTRATION DRAINAGE BASINS

Selection of 5-10 demonstration drainage basins (10 4 -10 6 km²) worldwide Financially underpinned by donors and national sources Addressing the most critical water policy issues

HELP

Real people Real catchments Real answers ...

HELP PILOT PHASE DRAINAGE BASINS

 

Reference HELP Basin Operational HELP Basin

 

Evolving HELP Basin Proposed HELP Basin South America

 22  19  18

24. Rio Jau and/or Rio Branco or Ji-parana (Brazil) 25. Rio Jequetepeque (Peru)

HELP PILOT PHASE DRAINAGE BASINS  15  14   

Reference HELP Basin Operational HELP Basin Evolving HELP Basin

  13 

Proposed HELP Basin

 17  23  22  19  18  20  17  23 16  15  16  12  14  13  12  9  20

North and Central America 19. San Pedro (USA, Mexico)

 21

17. Lake Ontario (USA, Canada) 18. Red-Arkansas/Little Washita (USA)

 21 25  24  25  24  

20. Luquillo Mountains (Puerto Rico)

 1  10 2

21. Panama Canal (Panama) 22. Yakima (Washington, USA) 23. Hudson (NY &NJ, USA) Africa

 7  9  11  6  10  8  7  4  5

1. Olifants (South Africa, Europe Mozambique) 12. Herault ( France) 2. Thukela (South Africa) 13. Danube (5 countries in Europe) 14. Spree-Havel (Germany) Australasia 15. Upper Severn (UK) 3. Motueka (New Zealand) 16. Thames (UK) 4. Mount Lofty (Australia) 5. Murrumbidgee, sub-basin Middle East

(None)

of Murray Darling (Australia)

 11  3

Asia 6. NE of Thailand and Vietnamese Delta, sub-basins of Mekong (6 countries in Asia) 7. Subernarekha (India) 8. Yasu or Tama (Japan) 9. Aral Sea (Central Asia) 10. Walawe (Sri Lanka) 11. Tarim (China)

 6

Asia

 8  4  5

6. NE of Thailand and

 3

Vietnamese Delta, sub-basins of Mekong (6 countries in Asia) 7. Subernarekha (India) 8. Yasu or Tama (Japan) 9. Aral Sea (Central Asia) 10. Walawe (Sri Lanka) 11. Tarim (China)

PLAYERS

UNESCO (IHP) GTOS CGIAR/ CIP CLIVAR WMO (HWRP) GEWEX IAHS IWMI IAEA ICSU IGBP GWP NASA...

World Water Assessment Programme

(WWAP)

The State of The World’s Freshwater Resources

The Mandate

• By co-ordinating the concerns and activities of

agencies

to:

23 UN

– Identify and describe the nature of water crises. – Assess the coping capacity of societies. – Assess the effectiveness of policies. – Develop indicators to monitor and report progress against targets. – Enhance capacities of the participating countries to perform in-country assessments.

Water Solidarity within the UN System

• Brought UN Agencies together in assessing

water issues

• UN Water has recognized – WWDR as the flagship product – WWAP as the flagship programme • WWDR recognized as the principle output of

the UN system for the IYFW 2003

• Production of African Water Development

Report

From

Potential Conflict

to

Co-operation Potential Water for Peace

a contribution to

World Water Assessment Programme

Purpose: To tip the balance in favour of co-operation potential away from potential conflicts

in order to enhance water security

Target Groups

Institutions and individuals that manage shared water resources:

•

Governments

•

Donor and funding agencies

•

Educators at all levels

•

Professionals

•

Current and future decision-makers

Operational objectives

Defining and Surveying Conflicts in Water Resources Management Identifying possible PC and CP indicators Providing Educational Material Providing Decision Support Tools Disseminating results and good practices

INTERNATIONAL WATER (CONFLICT MEDIATION) COOPERATION FACILITY

POSSIBLE PROJECTS WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP

WATER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME FOR THE UNESCO IHE INSTITUTE FOR WATER EDUCATION

UNESCO INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY FUND FOR WATER

Multimedia teacher professional development for water education

        Each of the 60 million teachers in the world is a key agent for bringing about the changes in lifestyles and systems we need. For this reason, teacher education is an important part of solving the looming water crisis.

In most countries very few teachers have the knowledge or skills to teach about water and sustainable development issues. This is because there are very few resources to train the teachers.

Teachers particularly need training the social and economic aspects of water in addition to the traditional scientific approach - for example: water and health, water and food security, water and peace etc.

Fortunately, there is a wealth of information on these water topics already available online.

UNESCO wants to provide a framework that teachers can use to capitalise on these resources.

This can help improve the quality of education and encourage governments to adopt a broader view of water in syllabuses and learning materials.

Multimedia professional development allows us to take advantage of new Information and Communication Technologies - relatively inexpensive, accessible, flexible, up-to date, interactive.

The History of Water and Civilization

A UNESCO book series on humanity’s interaction with water – The use and management of water resources is one of humanity’s most ancient and most powerful activities but its History remains to be written!

– This publication project is designed as a tool for a better understanding of the actual water challenge and a basis for wiser actions in the future.

Water History experts developed the series’ following sequence:

The History of Water and Civilization

• will foster research, collect and systemize findings on the historical interaction between water resources and human development; and • disseminate this referential scientific information to the interested public, academics, and policy makers.

Adaptations of the series include:

• Books for children, audiovisual productions, public information packets, multimedia uses, and policy briefs.

• Related events like seminars and conferences, but also International Film Festivals and Exhibitions.

Based on the dialogue of the world’s cultures, this project is thought to act as a catalyst for a new holistic vision of humanity’s interaction with water.

UNESCO Water Portal www.unesco.org/water

The challenge we all have

How to put water in the minds of people?