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The lack of effective governance is cited as one of the main causes of unsustainable management of groundwater resources and degradation of aquifers. To reverse these worrying trends and close the governance gap, regional and international experts and stakeholders are meeting in The Hague, Netherlands, for the fifth Regional Consultation of the Groundwater Governance Project, to discuss regional priorities and needs and feed in a Global Groundwater Governance Diagnostic.
The fifth Regional Consultation of the project “Groundwater Governance: A Global Framework for Action”, dedicated to the UNECE region, will be held in The Hague, Netherlands, 19-21 February 2013. It is organized by UNESCO International Hydrological Programme (IHP), in cooperation with the UNECE Secretariat and with the support of the International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC), the Netherlands National Commission for UNESCO and the Netherlands’ IHP National Committee.

This project has been initiated in January 2011 by the UNESCO IHP together with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) and the International Association Hydrogeologists (IAH).
Organized under the responsibility of the UNESCO-IHP network, the Regional Consultations are a fundamental component of the Groundwater Governance project. These Consultations will focus on the regional characteristics of groundwater use and will seek to promote discussion about the characteristics, priorities, visions and specific challenges to the region.

This fifth and last Consultation will also include a Round Table on Public-Private Cooperation for Groundwater Governance, as a contribution to the celebration of “2013, International Year of Water Cooperation” (United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/65/154). It will include participants from the private and public sector that will explore opportunities for partnerships, information sharing, support and definition of key messages.