Water for Life and Peace

International Dialogues
 
21-23 May 2003 - Bologna, Reggia Emilia, Italia

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 1.        Meeting the Chalenges

1.1.      Averting a water crisis

Over 1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe water supply and almost 2.5 billion people lack adequate sanitation. More than 5 million people die each year from water-related diseases that are mostly preventable.  Water problems are most acute in Africa where it is estimated that 300 million people are affected by water shortages. 

The global water crisis is a threat to economic development, to poverty reduction, to the environment, and to peace and security.  Water is central to sustainable development and solving water problems means progress across all pillars of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. 

The challenges for the water sector have been highlighted in many forums at international, regional, national and local levels. The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) provides impetus and political support for solving the water crisis. The political declaration, the Plan of Implementation, and many Head of State and Government declarations confirm that water is a key issue for poverty reduction, sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals on Water.

1.2.       Confirming the targets

In Johannesburg, during the World Summit, the International Community reconfirms its firm commitment to contribute to ensuring that: 

·      By 2015, halve the proportion of people who do not have access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation;
·      By 2005, develop integrated water resources management (IWRM) and water efficiency plans in all countries.

Improved access to water supply and sanitation can make a major contribution to poverty eradication, health improvements, quality of life and protection of the environment but their contribution is often underestimated.  Progress toward targets on water supply and sanitation has been slow, particularly with regard to sanitation.

Water resource management needs to be addressed at all levels and should be based on the natural river, lake or groundwater basin.  Integrated water resources management with strong stakeholder participation, a pro-poor emphasis, and gender sensitivity is a key instrument to ensure the integration of water services within an overall water management framework. 

Integrated water resource management also provides a framework to promote peace and security in transboundary watercourses.  Integrated approach for transboundary water courses management makes easier the regional co-operation and economic development.

Freshwater ecosystems provide a range of vital services related to biodiversity, the hydrological cycle, and self-purification capacity.  The health of ecosystems is therefore key to human health, to sustainable development, and to poverty reduction and vice-versa.  

1.3.      Achieving the targets

To meet the challenges, the policy profile of water needs to be higher on local, national and regional agendas. This political commitment needs to be translated into co-ordinated action.

The primary responsibility for ensuring equitable and sustainable water resources management integrated into development strategies rests with local and national governments, and their sustained ownership of both policies and projects is essential to achieve results.

Access to clean water is a human right. This assertion is not really challenged but the international law doesn’t officially recognize it. Even just few countries recognize the right in their national law or constitution. Obstacles should be identified in order to get in reasonable date the full recognition of this implicit human right.

Good governance, political and sectoral reforms are necessary. Indeed, it has been stated that ‘the water crisis is mainly a crisis of governance’ (GWP, 2000) and making water governance effective is a major challenge for most countries.  Better governance arrangements and measures to safeguard against corruption and financial and operational mismanagement are important.

Partnerships between public, private and civil society actors have to be promoted, ensuring that those partnerships remain equitable, transparent, safeguard consumers' and investors' interests and maintain high standards of environmental protection. 

Institutional strengthening, capacity building and expanding the knowledge base are essential to support sound planning and decision-making processes.  Such processes should also guarantee participation of all stakeholders and popular ownership of policies and strategies.

Regional co-operation along the international watercourses strengthens the economical links and the interdependence between countries. Sharing benefits of sustainable management of shared watercourses strengthens peace at regional level.

Closing the financing gap is one of the major challenges.  Financial estimates to meet the Millennium Development Goal for water and sanitation, as reported in 2001 by the UN High Level Panel on Financing for Development, suggested that between US$10-29 billion per year is required on top of the roughly US$30 billion already being spent.

Improved efficiency of existing financial resources and the mobilization of mechanisms to attract additional financial resources are important factors. The Monterrey Consensus, one of the outcome of the Conference on Development Funding (2002), that is a commitment to mobilise and increase the effective use of financial resources and to achieve national and international economic conditions to fulfil internationally agreed development targets is not certainly sufficient. Additional efforts are strongly necessary to achieving the Millennium Development goals on water and to close the financing gap.

2.        Water for Life and Peace: International Conference in Reggia Emilia and Bologne, 21-23 May 2003

After the World Summit in Johannesburg, August 2002, after the 3rd World Water Forum in Kyoto, March 2003, before the G8 meeting of Evian, June 2003 and in the framework of the 2003 International Year of Water, it is essential to intensify the mobilization of European actors of challenging the Water Crisis.
Europe Union is playing a central role in promoting and elaborating solutions to tackle the global water crisis. The European Union Water Initiative launched during the World Summit in Johannesburg, August 2002 provides an essential framework for actions and should be promoted.

2.1.      Objectives of the Conference

  • Mobilization of local, regional, and national actors in water domains and launching new initiatives and strengthening of existing ones in the Region of Emilia Romania and in Italy to facilitating access to clean water and sanitation in developing countries.
  • Elaboration of Declaration to be addressed to G8 countries leaders.
  • Awareness of National and International actors on water challenges.
  • Information of general public.

2.2.      Themes

  1. Assessing the Global Water Crisis in term of quantity, quality, sustainability of the natural resource, lack of good governance in water management and law enforcement, risk in food supply, local and regional stress on environment and biodiversity, impact of climate change on the hydrological cycle. What are the certainties and assumptions about the global water crisis?

  2. Access to clean water and sanitation is a human right. How to enforce this accepted basis human right at national and international level?

  3. EU Initiative and its implementation in NIS, Mediterranean region, and Africa. How the European community is preparing to answer to the global and intergenerational challenges of water crisis?

  4. Exchange of successful and unsuccessful experiences in Public, private and civil society partnership in the world with a special focus in western and Eastern Europe. How much the public interest (access to clean water and sanitation for all) is respected when the water services are management by public or private sector or in case of public, private and civil society partnership?

  5. Transboundary watercourses integrated management, a tool for Peace, the European (Rhine, Danube, etc) African (Nile, Congo, Volta, etc) and New Independent States (Volga) experiences. Does water resource and access is a source of conflict or cooperation between countries and stakeholders?

  6. Mobilisation of new sources of financing, elaboration of new tools of financing. What can be the role of local and regional authorities in developed countries in mobilizing the new sources of financing and in transferring know-how and technologies in developed countries? Does the individual contributions should replace, stimulate or reoriente the bi and multilateral international assistance?

  7. Mobilisation of general public with a special focus on children and students. How the new technologies of information can contribute to public awareness?

2.3.      Main outputs of the Conference

Three mains results are expected:

  • Elaboration of final declaration that will be presented to G8 leaders in Evian on June 1-3, 2003.
  • Adoption of Charter that established principles and rules of sharing responsibilities between public, private sectors and civil society in access to safe drinking water and sanitation for all.
  • Involvement of local, regional authorities, private sector and individuals in concrete and significant actions and projects towards developing or and in transition countries. Creation of Water for Peace Funds.

2.4.      Participants

The conference is an open Public Forum.
Number expected is 1200 in Reggia Emilia and 2000 in Bologna or more.

2.5.      Structure of the Conference


Day 1 - Reggia Emilia:

11.00 to 13.00 Opening Ceremony in main theatre
14.00 to 17.00 roundtables on specific issues (Public, Private Partnership, European Western and Eastern cooperation)
17.00 to 18.00 opening of the exhibition of concrete actions and photos
18.00 to 20.00 Gala Ceremony and diner
20.00 Return to Bologna for speakers and invitees

Day 2 - Bologna:                     

9.00 to 10.00 Opening of the trade fair
10.00 to 12.00 Opening Ceremony and Keynotes Speakers
14.00 to 18.00 Roundtables
                       

Day 3:

9.00 to 12.00 Roundtables
14.00 to 16.00 Plenary and Closing Ceremony

2.6.      Keynotes Speakers


Expected keynote speakers:
President du Conseil Italian, M. Berlusconi
President Areni
Italian Minister of Environment
Mayor of Bologna and  Reggia Emillia
Mayors of large cities: Ouagadougou, Rome, Lyon, Curitiba, London
President of European Commission: Romano Prodi
President of European Parliament
Secretary general of FAO
Secretary General of Council of Europe
President Mikhail Gorbachev
Peace Nobel Prize laureates: Rigoberta Menchu, Jimmy Cater, Betty Williams, Jody Williams, Oscar Arias, others.

2.7.      Roundtable Structure

Each of the seven themes will constitute the main topic for the seven roundtables and will be discussed in detail under different perspectives during four sessions. It is proposed to organise roundtables with trans-sectoral speakers. Discussions begin with presentations from speakers-experts from the theme under analysis, and then enlarge to include discussion with speakers from other sectors, and finish by including public contributions to the debate. This structure encourages the exchange and examination of ideas in order to promote the development of concrete initiatives.

Speakers will be chosen in the following sectoral groups:

  • Economic Institutions
  • Business and Industry
  • Media and Communication
  • Government and Elected Officials
  • International Institutions
  • Religious Groups and Spiritual Leaders
  • Non-Governmental Organisations
  • Experts, Academics and Educators
  • Leading Activists (Farmers, Scientists, Trade Unionists, Women, Indigenous Peoples)
  • Youth

Each session will aim to have 3-5 Speakers. 2-3 will be experts of the theme under discussion, while the other 1-2 will be comprised of one representative from each of the other sectors. This approach will ensure an adequate representation from the target sector, complemented by cross-sectoral perspectives.

The organizers will prepare background information and documents for speakers. Between 120 to 140 speakers are expected during the three days of the conference. It will be searched a balance between speakers from south and north and gender balance.


2.8.      Management Structure

High Patronage Board: President of Italy, President Gorbachev, Rita Montalcini, Romano Prodi, Abou Saïd, President Areni,
Steering Committee: Individuals representing of Emilia Romania Region, of Bologna and Reggia Emilia cities, Green Cross International, main sponsors, Chambers of commerce, University of Bologna, Foundations and NGOs.
Operations Units for Bologna and Reggia Emilia
Permanent Secretariat: Green Cross Italy

2.9.      Side events

The following side events are proposed:

  • Organization of music concert in Palais des Sports of Bologna on Day 2 of the Conference.
  • Exhibition of concrete actions lead NGOs, local and regional authorities, private and public sector that should be hold in Reggia Emillia.
  • Trade fair opens to private and public sector dealing with water issues and in environmental services.
  • Holding of technical and scientific special sessions in parallel of the main conference opened to experts.
  • Conferences on Globalisation and sustainable development open to students and general public.