Currents No.8, newsletter of the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)

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CURRENTS - newsletter of the World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)

Issue n°8, November 2003

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT WWAP?

WORKSHOP ON GOVERNANCE IN COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION
A workshop on Governance for World Summit on Sustainable Development Implementation in countries with economies in transition was also held in Istanbul, from 16 to 18 September. It was organized by WWAP partner, the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) and the State Planning Organization of the Government of Turkey. The five working sessions covered: country experiences; institutional issues; civil society and the private sector; governance and public administration; and the role of regional organizations.

A UN-WWAP side event allowed the countries in transition to learn more about the Programme and the mutual benefits of participating as a country case study. There are many opportunities for cooperation because of the special relationship between the European Union (EU) and transition countries. With the expansion of the EU in May 2004, countries will be expected to meet new standards complying with European Directives.

For more information, contact e.koncagul@unesco.org.
Consult WWAP's pilot case studies.

ISTANBUL MEETING FOCUSES ON CITIES
Since its founding in 1984, the World Association of Major Metropolises has brought together mayors and officials from 77 major cities around the world to exchange information and ideas about matters of common concern. The WWAP Secretariat, represented by Engin Koncagül, attended the most recent meeting from 28 September to 1 October, in Istanbul, Turkey.

The association maintains six commissions: Urban Mobility Management, Urban Poverty & Environment, Urban Waste Management, Metropolitan governance, Metropolitan Performance Measurements, and Water Management. WWAP was invited by Mexico City, which holds the presidency of the Water Management Commission, to make a presentation in this session. It was the only United Nations participant. The challenge of providing water for the world's rapidly growing cities, especially megacities, is discussed in depth in chapter 7 of the World Water Development Report, under the title "Cities: Competing Needs in an Urban environment."

For more information, contact e.koncagul@unesco.org.
Access facts and figures on water and cities.

UN-WATER MEETING ON INDICATORS: 17-18 NOVEMBER
WWAP is now pursuing a long-term strategy for indicator development, requiring an evaluation of the indicators defined in the production of the first World Water Development Report (WWDR). These are being examined for their scientific validity, as well as their policy relevance.

In the aim of developing indicators that are very well supported by data, the first UN-Water Coordinating Group Meeting on Indicators for the second edition of the WWDR is to be held from November 17 to 18 in Geneva. The meeting will focus on elaborating a framework, through WWAP, for a collective UN-Water approach to indicators for this next Report.

It is anticipated that a detailed framework for action will be agreed, and that each of WWAP's challenge areas will be restructured around relevant indicators. The meeting will also discuss ways in which indicator development and other WWAP activities can be more successfully integrated.

For more information, contact b.neupane@unesco.org.

WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEBSITE?

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND WATER
In its 2000 Millennium Declaration, the United Nations set eight goals for development, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals set an ambitious agenda for improving the human condition by 2015. Water plays a more or less crucial role in achieving each of the targets.

The new page devoted to the Millennium Goals and water provides an overview of the eight goals as well as how they apply to WWAP challenges. Relevant publications are also listed.

Access the page on the Millennium Development Goals.
Read the full text of the Millennium Declaration.

WWAP PHOTO LIBRARY ONLINE
WWAP has mounted a photo library as a contribution to the International Year of Freshwater 2003. A selection of photos from all over the world illustrating issues relating to water resources (health, ecosystems, cities, food production, and energy among others) is now online.

Visit the photo library.
Contributions are welcome, so if you would like to place a photo in the photo library, please contact wwap@unesco.org or wateryear2003@unesco.org.

FACTS AND FIGURES ON VALUING WATER: IN FRENCH AND SPANISH
The page of facts and figures on valuing water taken from the World Water Development Report is now available in French and Spanish. You can access information on:

- Water pricing in both developed and developing countries;
- Estimates for financing the Millennium Development Goals;
- The value of ecosystems;
- The religious value of water; and
- Key concepts relating to valuing water.

Access the page in French or in Spanish.
Read more on valuing water from the executive summary of the Report.

RUHUNA BASINS CASE STUDY IN FRENCH AND SPANISH
The presentation of the Ruhuna basins case study, located in Sri Lanka, has now been translated into French and Spanish. This area is currently suffering from water stress due to seasonal variations and increased demands from hydropower and irrigation.

FOCUS ON UN PARTNER PUBLICATIONS

Several of WWAP's UN partners have recently issued publications on water-related issues.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION (FAO)
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has just published its contribution to the World Water Development Report as an offprint. The slightly modified document, 'Agriculture, Food and Water', discusses such issues as the role of water in food production, the contributions from rainfed and irrigated agriculture, and food security and the right to adequate food in the world. The debate is illustrated with up-to-date information and statistics. Agriculture consumes the most water of any economic sector, with some 70 percent of all water withdrawals going to irrigation.

Download the full offprint in PDF format.
Read facts and figures on food and water from the Report.

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME (UN-HABITAT)
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) was the lead agency for the chapter on water and cities in the WWDR. On the occasion of World Habitat Day, celebrated this year on October 6th and focusing on water and sanitation for cities, UN-Habitat has published two reports.

'Water and Sanitation in the World's Cities' assesses the problems related to water and sanitation in urban areas, the impacts on health and livelihoods, and discusses governance and possible solutions. The full table of contents, a sample chapter and ordering information can be found here

'The Global Report on Human Settlements 2003: The Challenge of Slums' takes up the Millennium Development Goal that commits the international community to significantly improving, by 2020, the lives of at least 100 million slum-dwellers. According to this report, the number of people living in slums is set to rise to 2 billion by the year 2030 if action is not taken. Slums present specific water-related challenges, as informal settlements are generally severely lacking in water and sanitation facilities. Today, almost 1 billion urban residents live in slums, mostly in the developing world.

For more information, access the full table of contents and ordering details.

WORLD BANK-WWF ALLIANCE
A new report by the World Bank - WWF Alliance for Forest Conservation and Sustainable Use has shown that there is a significant link between the protection of forests and the provision of water supplies for cities. Forests can capture and store water, and help sustain its quality by filtering pollutants such as pesticides.

Around 33 of the world's largest cities rely on fully or partly protected forests for their drinking water. These cities include: Mumbai (India), Jakarta (Indonesia), Karachi (Pakistan), Tokyo (Japan), Singapore, New York (United States), Bogota (Colombia), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Los Angeles (United States), Cali (Colombia), Brasilia (Brazil), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), Medellin (Colombia), Caracas (Venezuela), Maricaibo (Venezuela), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Salvador (Brazil), Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Madrid (Spain), Vienna (Austria), Barcelona (Spain), Sofija (Bulgaria), Idaban (Nigeria), Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), Cape Town (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Durban (South Africa), Harare (Zimbabwe), Johannesburg (South Africa), Sydney (Australia), Melbourne (Australian) and Perth (Australia).

The new report intrinsically links two of WWAP's challenge areas, the protection of ecosystems and water and cities, explored in detail in the UN World Water Development Report (WWDR).

Some 150 countries are now involved in international efforts to establish indicators for sustainable forest management.

Read the full report in PDF format.
Access facts and figures on water and cities ;
Access facts and figures on water and ecosystems ;
Access the World Bank-WWF Alliance site.

NATIONAL PARTNERS

WWAP would like to welcome the following three countries into the partnership: Germany, Portugal and Saint Lucia. Thank you all for your participation in the Programme.

If you have background documents, photographs, local, regional or national case studies or website links relating to water resources in your country, please send the information to wwap@unesco.org. We welcome any and all participation.