15th WORLD WATER WEEK IN STOCKHOLM
(21-27 August 2005)
One of the largest international forums on water problems took place fifteenth time in Stockholm. Since 1991 each August leading water specialists throughout the world come to the capital of Sweden to participate in World Water Week. Within the framework of this week, a scientific symposium and a number of events combined with it take place. By the efforts of the Stockholm International Water Institute, annual forum is being transformed into a well-organized, colorful water festival, which during the week brings together inhabitants and guests of picturesque Stockholm, where the main theme is an idea of careful regard to water. The main theme of the Symposium within the framework of the Water Week in 2005 was formulated as follows: “Watershed management: firm and relaxed solutions to regional development”. In the context of this subject, the focus of discussions was concentrated on the following key aspects: water resources development, use and allocation taking environmental requirements into account; water supply and sanitation – approach to population requirements; water quality management with a view to reduce pollution from industry and agriculture.
The official activity of the Symposium began on 22 August 2005 from a plenary session. Ms Lena Sommestad, Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development of Sweden, launched the Water Week. In her speech, she emphasized that for solving the current global and regional water stress and deficit it is necessary to develop the democracy and public cooperation. The new Swedish water strategy states that everybody should have courage to manage his life, regarding water with care. International development organizations are not now able to solve problems without everybody’s contribution. Line of behavior and priorities in countries that are given international assistance for water sector should be determined through broad participation of population, but not by politicians. There is no place for options like “business as usual” any more.
The main issues of the Symposium were discussed within the framework of eight program workshops.
Workshop 1: “Designing and operating an infrastructure for multipurpose development”, presided by Prof. Benedito Braga, Brazilian Water Agency. At the workshop, 14 oral presentations and 9 poster presentations were made. The main subject of the workshop was a concept of water management for water uses. It discussed issues such as how to organize decision-making process between sectors and levels of management hierarchy, what tools are needed to support decision-making, how to manage multipurpose projects and so on. The program of the workshop included the presentation by U.V. Abdullayev (Uzbekistan) on “Designing and operating water infrastructure for multipurpose development: initiatives of Uzbekistan for the Syrdarya river basin”.
Workshop 2 – “Adaptation to climatic changes and related damages” under the chairmanship of Doc. Avinash Tyaga, World Meteorological Organization. 12 oral and 8 poster presentations were made at the workshop. The focus was on issues such as how to make the results of climate change research usable, how to eliminate the existing uncertainties and differences in understanding problems, and what tools are to be proposed for water management practice. At the session, poster paper of Prof. V.A. Dukhovny on joint action of the SIC ICWC and McGill University under the project in the field of climate change was presented.
Workshop 3 – “Water supply to economic sectors and jurisdiction aspects” under the chairmanship of Prof. Olli Waris from the Helsinki Technological University, Finland. 11 oral and 7 poster presentations were made at the workshop. The presentations discussed the problems of competition for water between various sectors, and what methods and tools can be proposed for more effective water management taking into account multiple interests and comprehensive jurisdiction.
Workshop 4 – “linkage of water and sanitation problems to achieve the Millennium Goals” under the chairmanship of Paul Reuter, International Water Association (IWA). At the workshop, 15 oral and 12 poster presentations were made. The presentations discussed specific problems of linking organizational and technological aspects, the role of political leadership and public participation at national level – for solving drinking water supply and sanitation problems.
Workshop 5 – “Strategy for improving water efficiency in industry and agriculture” under the chairmanship of Robert Martin, World Business Council for Sustainable Development. 12 oral and 8 poster presentations were made at the workshop. It discussed issues such as how to take water quality, role of economic initiatives, and aspects of separate water use sectors into account in assessment of water efficiency. At the workshop, poster paper of V.I. Sokolov and S.S. Mukhamedjanov (SIC ICWC) on “Extension service as a tool for improving the productivity of irrigated farming in Central Asia” was presented.
Workshop 6 – “Process of political and social dialogue: sustainability and policy in water sector” under the chairmanship of Emilio Gabbrielli, GWP Executive Secretary. The most presentations - 20 oral and 20 poster ones were made at the workshop. Topical aspects of organizing negotiation process and involving all the stakeholders in dialogue on water management problems were touched upon. A special attention at the session was given to transboundary aspects.
Workshop 7 – “Approaches to land degradation and erosion control” under the chairmanship of Johan Rokstrem, Stockholm Institute of Environment. 11 oral and 8 poster presentations were made at the workshop. It reviewed issues on how to reduce detrimental influence of water use for land degradation processes, and how to enable economic tools towards these issues. At the workshop, paper of Izzet Aimbetov (Karakalpakstan) on the subject “Regarding the issue on salt control in the Amudarya river delta” was presented.
Workshop 8 – “Degradation of water quality under human influence and cost of inactivity” under the chairmanship of Patrick Murphy, European Commission. 9 oral and 7 poster presentations were made at the workshop. Its main theme was what we know about water pollution, and what we are doing to reduce this pollution, using various mechanisms and tools. At the workshop, paper done by Prof. Bakhtiyar Karimov from Uzbekistan in co-authorship with a group of specialists on “Assessment of hydro-ecological situation in South Priaralie” was presented.
One of the most outstanding events at the Symposium was a ceremony of giving annual water prize from the Stockholm Water Fund for a substantial contribution to science, technology, education or public work relating to world water resources protection. The prize was instituted by the members of the Stockholm Water Fund (today it is supported by 21 states) in 1991, and is valued at US$150,000. Every year the prize is presented by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at the ceremony in the Stockholm city administration. In 2005, this prestigious water prize was presented to Ms Sunnita Narain, Director of the Center for Science and Environment of India, for her outstanding contribution to improving public awareness of water problems in developing countries.
Within the framework of the Symposium, an exhibition of survey works of students from 25 countries was held. This exhibition is attractive by that based on its results the best poster would be awarded a US$5,000 special prize of the Symposium. The prize is given at special ceremony of HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. This year the prize was awarded to students from South Africa for “revolutionary solutions to minimize water requirements of small irrigation schemes”.
More detailed information on the Water Week in Stockholm in August 2005 is available at: www.siwi.org
During the World Water Week Prof. V.A. Dukhovny and Doc. V.I. Sokolov held a number of meetings:
- An agreement was achieved with the World Water Council and Japan Water Forum (JWF) on holding a session “IWRM as a basis for socio-economic development in Central Asia” at WWF4 in Mexico. The Japan Water Forum will finance holding a preparatory conference in Almaty on 31 October-2 November “Implementation of integrated water resources management for welfare and future development in Central Asia”. The organizers of this conference are SIC and GWP CACENA. ICWC members or their deputies, representatives from the environmental sector, NGOs, power, economy, foreign ministries, water organizations/executive bodies of ICWC, international organizations and projects will participate in the conference.
Preliminary talks were conducted with the JWF and Organizing Committee of the 4th WWF on funding the participation in WWF4 some more 20-25 people from the region.
- A number of projects have been prepared and submitted to the donor meeting:
- Project “Promoting Twinning of River Basins for Developing Integrated Water Resources Management Practices (TWINBASINXN)”
- Training Project of UNESCO-IHE / SIC ICWC
- Project “Governance and Management” (UN-Water)
- Project “IWRM-Lowlands”
- SIC’s project proposal “Climate Change” was submitted to the Columbian University.
The World Water Week was preceded by convening a meeting of the Board of Governors of the World Water Council (BoG WWC), in which Prof. V.A. Dukhovny took part. At the BoG WWC meeting, decisions were made on:
- measures towards the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico,
- changes in the status and vision of the WWC,
- selecting venue for the 5th World Water Forum.
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