The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA) organized the inaugural meeting of the UN-Water Taskforce on Wastewater at the offices of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, on 9 June 2010. The meeting brought together over 30 representatives from 23 organizations and was followed by a Multi-Stakeholder Partnership meeting, from 10-11 June 2010. The meetings used the six recommendations of the “Sick Water?” report (launched on World Water Day, 22 March 2010) as the starting point for their discussions.
Participants addressed the possible elements of the Multi-Stakeholder Collaborative Agenda on Wastewater, which will be a major product of the Taskforce. They identified the major causes of the wastewater challenge, namely: weak national policies/standards and limited capacity at the municipal level; and community perceptions/attitudes towards the re-use of wastewater. Meeting participants also recommended a number of immediate and longer-term actions that will contribute to the Collaborative Agenda and directly tackle the wastewater challenge, including: enhancing communication, capacity building and science; developing interaction with the climate change and food security agendas; carrying out field projects and twinning; exploring wastewater financing approaches; and documenting the economic valuation of ecosystem services affected by wastewater (IISD RS sources).
MEA BULLETIN - Issue Nº 97 Thursday, 29 July 2010 Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
Related Links:
World Water Week : | Stockholm
Joint workshop on Capacity Development for Farm Management Strategies to Improve Crop-Water Productivity using AquaCrop
World Water Development Report (WWDR)
Climate Change Adaptation: The Pivotal Role of Water
UN-Water Task Force on Transboundary Waters http://www.unwater.org/TFtrans.html
Transboundary Waters: Sharing Benefits, Sharing Responsibilities
Joint workshop on Capacity Development for Farm Management Strategies to Improve Crop-Water Productivity using AquaCrop
World Water Development Report (WWDR)
Climate Change Adaptation: The Pivotal Role of Water
UN-Water Task Force on Transboundary Waters http://www.unwater.org/TFtrans.html
Transboundary Waters: Sharing Benefits, Sharing Responsibilities
