World Water Week

Hosted and organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the World Water Week in Stockholm is the leading annual global event for addressing the planet’s water issues and related concerns of international development. Under the theme “Water for society: Including all”, leaders and experts from the world’s scientific, business, government and civic communities will gather in Stockholm from 25 to 30 August 2019 to exchange views, experiences and shape joint solutions to global water challenges.
The International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO will be convening or co-convening a series of sessions during the 2019 World Water Week in Stockholm:

Showcase session "Earth Observation-based and other innovative water quality monitoring tools"
Sunday 25 August | 14:00-15:30
Room: M1
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8390-eo-based-and-other-innovative-...

Water quality information is essential for the SDGs implementation and monitoring. The use of innovative approaches such as Earth Observations and smart sensors can enhance global water quality data. The event presents practical applications of innovative water quality monitoring approaches including the satellite-based UNESCO World Water Quality Portal. The event will demonstrate and enhance awareness on the use of EO for inland freshwater quality monitoring, by presenting practical applications and in-situ data validation of UNESCO World Water Quality Portal in surface waters in different regions. Similar research and practical activities on the use of EO for freshwater monitoring carried out by other organizations will be shared. Tools to translate and transmit information on water quality in almost real time will also be showcased. These tools support efforts to provide data and information to all stakeholders in every part of the world, thus leaving no one behind.

Navigating through limited data while aiming at SDG6 ‘fit-for-policy’ evidence
Monday 26 August | 16:00-17:30
Room: L10
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8382-navigating-through-limited-dat...

Collaborative planning is essentially needed to develop and implement effective water policies under limited water-related data and information in SDG era. This event provides an insight into means of implementation and collaboration through water-related capacity needs assessment, financial arrangements, policy and institutional aspects, gender mainstreaming, disaster risk reduction, and integrity. Strengthening enabling environments to drive successful achievement of water-related sustainable development is a critical step for many countries, particularly low- and middle-income economies. The evidence for SDG 6 and pertinent data for policy makers to make this happen are missing, overlapping or fragmented.
The session highlights aspects of addressing the need for policy actions under limited data conditions, a multi-institutional team of water professionals and policymakers developed the SDG 6 Policy Support System (SDG-PSS), which is an answer to the challenge of bringing data and information from different sources and translating them into a ‘fit-for-policy’ evidence framework.

Innovations in groundwater monitoring: Potential of telemetry and remote sensing
Monday 26 August | 16:00-17:30
Room: M6
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8562-innovations-in-groundwater-mon...

Groundwater data is rare as monitoring is expensive, time consuming and requires high technical expertise. Telemetric systems and remote sensing emerges for monitoring purpose to collect precious groundwater information. Practioners and scientist will discuss the potentials and limits of high-tech application in the context of different capacity levels.
Groundwater is a hidden resource, knowledge about its quantitative and qualitative changes is crucial to manage this strategic resource sustainably. However, in many parts of the world, groundwater data is rare as monitoring is expensive, time consuming and requires high technical expertise. When technical staff has to drive hundreds of kilometers to monitoring wells in remote areas, telemetric systems attract increased attention. These systems store and transfer data of groundwater levels and flow automatically -sometimes in real time - to the water manager. Remote sensing technology is another field of innovation, where promising application for groundwater monitoring emerged. Estimations of groundwater abstraction by irrigated agriculture based on crop mapping from multi-spectral remote sensing find their way from science into water management authorities. Furthermore, different geophysical investigation methods allow the exploration and discovery of groundwater bodies. By using airborne systems, large areas can be explored with these approaches.
However, the experiences so far show that technology is no magic bullet and it is crucial to find ways to combine wise digitalization of water monitoring with classical knowledge management and institutional capacities.

Event session "Emerging pollutants in water: Invisible threats to health and ecosystems"
Tuesday 27 August | 09:00-10:30
Room: M4
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8357-emerging-pollutants-in-water-i...

Emerging pollutants -- pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products and chemicals -- is a new global water challenge for world's countries, with no exception. Convened by UNESCO IHP and the Florida International University (USA) The session presents scientific and policy developments in managing emerging pollutants, including thematic and regional assessments, regulatory frameworks for monitoring and solutions for reducing their input into the environment, focusing on scientific and policy developments in managing emerging pollutants. It presents an overview of scientific understanding, knowledge gaps and research priorities with focus on regional specificities. The session provides a platform for science-policy dialogue to facilitate evidence-based decision making towards more sustainable solutions.

Showcase session "Join the Youth for the World Water Forum "Dakar 2021""
Join the Youth for the World Water Forum "Dakar 2021"
Tuesday 27 August | 09:00-10:30
Room: L7
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8354-join-the-youth-for-the-world-w...

The event will illustrate the innovative Framework of the 9th World Water Forum (Dakar, Senegal) and its preparatory process, including stakeholder’s involvement. Particular emphasis will be given to the engagement of the youth in this process and how their activities are connected to it. The 9th World Water Forum will be of utmost importance for Africa and will introduce an innovative structure encouraging greater integration and collaboration, especially of youth. Indeed, youth have a weighty responsibility on their shoulders, since the actions they are taking today will determine their future. This is particularly true in Africa where the 70% of the population is under age 30. Youth engagement in water governance is essential for achieving water security and the achievement of SDG 6. Youth and young water professionals are leaders, knowledge-holders (including indigenous knowledge) and innovators who can provide solutions for the achievement of SDG 6 and consequently, their participation is pivotal in global water governance and decision-making processes.This event will involve youths in reviewing existing youth and water security statements and processes and present the youth activities connected to the preparations for the next World Water Forum.

Event session "A big push for drought resilience–can it include all?"
A big push for drought resilience–can it include all?
Tuesday 27 August | 14:00-15:30
Room: L12
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8419-a-big-push-for-drought-resilie...

This session explores what it takes for countries to address drought proactively, across sectors and scales, putting a spotlight on drought risk mitigation options that are integrated and inclusive. The discussion is informed by a Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Global Water Partnership (GWP) white paper on proactive and inclusive approaches to drought preparedness. Drought ranks first -in cash terms- as the most destructive in a crowded field of disasters including floods, forest fires and storms. Competition for access to water and productive land is mounting leading to more conflict and civil unrest, forced migration, poverty and food insecurity. This session will propose technical and policy options aimed at contributing to the restoration and/or protection of productive natural capital affected by droughts and minimizes the impacts on lives and livelihoods of vulnerable populations, and explore the economic case for taking such actions. Drought monitoring and early warning systems, vulnerability assessment and drought risk mitigation measures will frame the discussion. Indigenous knowledge and practices for drought adaptation will also be included and their potential to improve resilience explored.

How can intergenerational dialogue facilitate youth inclusion in decision making?
Thursday 29 August | 09:00-10:30
Room: L9
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8527-how-can-intergenerational-dial...
The session will present intergenerational dialogues as an approach to reform decision making in the water sector and promote youth inclusion. Policy and decision making processes in the water sector urgently need to make space for youth engagement as youth voices, actions and solutions are essential to achieve the SDGs.
Most organizations in the water sector easily recognize the importance of youth engagement in making policy processes more inclusive and achieving the SDGs. However, putting this theory in action is challenging and the approaches vary depending on the region and stakeholders. Youth networks and organizations will demonstrate how young leaders and young water professionals are able to provide innovative solutions to address emerging challenges in the water sector by addressing the following questions: What are the benefits of involving more young people? What are the responsibilities of today’s leaders to facilitate this involvement? What are the challenges and the strategies to have more young people influencing the decisions? How can their inclusion be adapted to regional realities and priorities? The session aims to explore these questions through intergenerational and multi-stakeholder dialogues. Young water leaders and experts from various regions will not only exchange experiences, best practices and knowledge on how the youth is already shaping the water sector but will also explore common answer on how to unlock the access to larger space for youth to influence decisions.
During the interactive part, the audience will be invited to contribute to the conversation aiming to identify strategies to overcome the the challenges.
Gold standard events are committed to ensure the gender balance in speakers/panellists and young professional representation in the session.
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"Microplastics in freshwater environments"
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8760-microplastics-in-freshwater-en...
Thursday 29 August | 10:00-10:30
Room: Exhibition Hall, “Sofa session”
Microplastics in freshwater environments represent a growing concern. This session will present key findings of the UNESCO-IHP International Initiative on Water Quality (IIWQ) assessment of the state-of-the-art research and scientific information on microplastics in freshwater resources, wastewater systems and drinking water, as well as on their potential ecological effects. The presence of microplastics in freshwater systems have been reported in different parts of the world—even in remote areas. Yet, scientific knowledge about their presence and health and environmental effects is limited. The event will present key findings of the UNESCO-IHP International Initiative on Water Quality (IIWQ) assessment of the state-of-the art scientific information and research on microplastics in freshwater resources, wastewater systems and drinking water in 16 countries around the world. The discussion will focus on knowledge and data gaps, as well as policy and research priorities.

Launching New Gender-Responsive Water Indicators: Towards An Inclusive Water-Secure World
Thursday 29 August | 16:00-16:45
Room: L9
https://www.worldwaterweek.org/event/8374-launching-new-gender-responsiv...

The event will discuss how gender-responsive indicators to collect sex-disaggregated water data are key to strengthening social inclusion and achieving human rights for all. Focus is on the new edition of the UNESCO WWAP Toolkit on Sex-disaggregated Water Data and the set of new indicators in consistency with the 2030 Agenda.
The Agenda 2030 pledges the need for high-quality, timely and reliable disaggregated data, including by sex, as they are key to decision-making and to measure the progress in achievement of the SDGs. The lack of sex-disaggregated water data is a major obstacle to the production of scientific evidence on gender inequalities related to water and to the formulation of gender-transformative policies to ensure that no one is left behind.

The WWAP Toolkit on Sex-disaggregated Water Data contributes to the achievement of the SDGs and complies with Target 17.18. The WWAP indicators and Toolkit are recognized by the international community as useful instruments to produce baseline knowledge, monitor progress, and inform gender-transformative water policies.
The event will discuss how using the WWAP’s new gender-responsive indicators to collect and analyse sex-disaggregated water data contributes to eradicating poverty, advancing environmental sustainability and achieving human rights for all.
In addition, interlinkages between gender and water in a variety of fields will be addressed, such as human rights, WASH, governance, migration, education, traditional knowledge among others, to achieve the 2030 Agenda.