SUGGESTIONS ON WATER FOR CLIMATE, RESILIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT.

The General Assembly, in its resolution 73/226, decided to convene, in New York, from 22 to 24 March 2023, the United Nations Conference on the “Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, ‘Water for Sustainable Development’, 2018–2028” (United Nations 2023 Water Conference).

The first round of special accreditation for stakeholder organizations to participate in the UN 2023 Water Conference resulted with non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, scientific community, the private sector and philanthropic organizations having been approved by the United Nations General Assembly to participate as observers in the Conference.

The final list was submitted by the President of the General Assembly to all Member States on 24 August includes the Institut de diplomatie publique.

To ensure meaningful and substantive engagement of the Institut de diplomatie publique in UN 2023 Water Conference, you are invited to provide comments, suggestions and inputs on the five themes that have been proposed by the co-hosts for the interactive dialogues:

1. Water for Health: Access to safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation (SDG 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and SDGs 1, 3, 4, 5, 17);

2. Water for Development: Valuing Water, Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Sustainable Economic and Urban Development (SDG 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 and SDGs 2, 8, 9, 11, 12);

3. Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment: Source to Sea, Biodiversity, Climate, Resilience and DRR (SDGs 6.5, 6.6, 7, 11.5, 13, 14, 15);

4. Water for Cooperation: Transboundary and International Water Cooperation, Cross Sectoral Cooperation and Water Across the 2030 Agenda (SDG 6.5, 6.b and SDG 16, 17);

5. Water Action Decade: Accelerating the implementation of the objectives of the Decade including through the UN SG’s Action Plan.

---

Dr. Alozie, Onyedikachi Josiah (PhD, Nigeria) provided comments, suggestions and inputs to the proposed interactive dialogue.

SUGGESTIONS ON WATER FOR CLIMATE, RESILIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT.

INTRODUCTION

Water is the source of life and there is no gainsaying that all living organisms which including human beings depend on water availability for survival. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 which is Clean Water and Sanitation for all is the pointer to the fact that water and a sanitized environment is essential for all humans to attain a quality life. Availability of water and sanitation is a prerequisite for achieving global health for the over Seven Billion inhabitants of the earth. Water is an economic, environmental, social and political issue as it is impacted by the ever evolving climatic changes. Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment being the theme for the UN Water Conference in 2023 provides a golden opportunity for global Stakeholders in the sector to re-assess the progress made in the pursuit of the attainment of SDG 6 for improved global human health. A) The most important challenges and shortcomings are lack of financing, data and information, capacity building and good governance among others in the management of water resources globally especially in developing countries for attainment of water for climate resilience and environment. Water policies necessary for climate change resilience require massive funding. Data and information on access to clean water is essential to achieving water for climate resilience but are deficient. Poor capacity building and good governance are evident in weak and inefficient water facilities, management and administration as institutions lack capacity to implement water policies necessary for climate resilience among others. B) The transformative actions includes among others the direct reuse of waste water in cities and factories to address two water related problems namely; water shortage induced by climate change and prevention of pollution caused by waste water in rivers, lakes and streams. This transformative action needs to be by the collaborative support of the World Federation of Engineering as there exist global engineering solutions to issues of water scarcity.Water reuse as a solution need to be explored to create proper integrated water management to build climate resilience for environmental development. C) The contributory changes from the Institut de diplomatie publique would be to create a fora for testing the efficacy of policies in water diplomacy between States and non State actors. Also, the institute will be reporting and documenting the success or otherwise of the policy on water diplomacy to determine the level of achievement of the SDG 6 .The institut de diplomatie publique can collaborate with the World Federation of Engineering Organization, Working Group on Water to bring about kinetic solutions to water problems to climate resilience. Dr. Alozie, Onyedikachi Josiah (PhD, Nigeria) Member, Institut de Diplomatie Publique, London (UK). Member, Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners

Dr.Alozie_Water Conference 23 (3).pdf

Download PDF • 129KB