From 2001-12-03 to 2001-12-07

Venue: International Congress Centre (ICC)
Bonn, Germany

Summary:
The aim of the Conference is to build on the freshwater related objectives set out in Agenda 21 (Chapter 18) and to serve as a preparatory step on freshwater issues for the upcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development, in Johannesburg 2002. The Conference theme is: Water - a Key to Sustainable Solutions. Under this general heading, various sub-themes will be highlighted:
- Innovative Strategies for Water and Sanitation for the Poor: Special attention will be given to question of access and affordability.
- Protecting Ecosystems and Water Resources: Preventing pollution in all water-user sectors (industry, agriculture, human settlements) is of great importance for the protection of our eco-systems and therefore our drinking water.
- Balancing Water Uses: Attention will be given to the allocation of water between "water for food" (agriculture) and "water for nature" (to maintain the self-puriying power of water and to protect aquatic eco-systems).
- Transboundary Water Issues: Sharing Benefits; What are the lessons learned?
- Floods and Droughts: Coping with Variablitity and Climate Change - Prevention and management are the two areas to be addressed in the Conference. This issue will be taken up again at the 3rd World Water Forum in Japan 2003.

Organizers: Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Federal Ministry for the Environment,
Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU)
Contact Name: Secretariat of the International Conference on Freshwater
E-mail: info@water-2001.de
URL: http://www.water-2001.de/