By declaring 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation, the United Nations General Assembly recognises the broad benefits of cooperation in the water domain for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. This UNESCO publication has brought together a broad range of water professionals and stakeholders to share their knowledge and experiences. The chapters in this book reflect the progress and challenges encountered in the fields of water management and cooperation around the world.

Water has rarely been the root of conflicts, but it can be an exacerbating factor where social and political tensions already exist. But while transboundary cooperation has often been difficult, experience has shown that sharing a resource as precious as water can be a catalyst for cooperation rather than conflicts. In his contribution, Dr. Jägerskog argues why developing approaches that balance interdependencies of transboundary waters is a matter of high importance. His article also shows how qualitative cooperation, joint management and open communication is critical adequate management is for successful transboundary management.

• Read the article ”Transboundary water management – why it is important and why it needs to be developed” directly

• Read the digital version of “Free Flow – Reaching Water Security Trough Cooperation”

Text: Ms. Sanna Gustafsson, Communications Officer, SIWI

2013 World Water Week – What’s New?

Text: Alistair Rieu-Clarke, Reader in International Law, University of Dundee

Will 2013 be seen as the International Year of Water Law Cooperation?

Text: Josh Weinberg, Programme Officer, Knowledge Services, SIWI

Netafim Receives Stockholm Industry Water Award

Text: Mr. Josh Weinberg, Programme Officer, Knowledge Services, SIWI

Dr. Peter Morgan Wins Stockholm Water Prize

Text: Mr. Kerry Schneider, Programme Officer, Knowledge Services, SIWI

Setting the stage for collaboration over shared waters

With the world population expected to have grown to over 9 billion people by 2050, all depending on the same finite and vulnerable water resource as today, our interdependence is growing every day. We all need to work together to ensure a future where water is used wisely. That is why the 2013 World Water Week, set to take place in Stockholm September 1-6, will focus on “Water Cooperation – Building Partnerships”. Thousands of participants are anticipated to congregate in the Swedish capital – this article provides ten reasons why you should join them this summer.

The UN World Water Day on March 22 has become an important moment for actors around the world to advocate the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year, hundreds of events were held worldwide to raise awareness on water issues. Here in Stockholm, the Swedish Water House at SIWI marked the occasion with a seminar that brought together the leading minds and organisations working with water in Sweden, including the Global Water Partnership, FAO Nordic office, UNDP Sweden, UNEP Sweden, Swedish National Commission for UNESCO and Water Aid.

A Last Ditch Effort to Save the Jordan River
by Mr. Rami Abdelrahman, Programme Officer, and Dr. Anders Jägerskog, Director, Knowledge Services, SIWI

Arguably one of the most endangered rivers on the planet, the river Jordan has been shrinking since one of the oldest continuously inhabited human cities, Jericho, was established on its West Bank. In biblical stories, the Israelites crossed the Jordan “against Jericho,” suggesting that the River was so wide, it reached Jericho. The exact geographical accuracy of this story cannot be defined, but today Jericho stands 10 kilometres away from the River’s West Bank.

The global dialogue, World We Want 2015, comprises of several UN-led processes which aim to help define the global development framework to succeed the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) after 2015. Alongside UN-Water and UNDESA, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF ) co-led the Thematic Consultation on Water. Stockholm Water Front talks to Ms. Cecilia Scharp, Senior Advisor on Water and Sanitation at UNICEF, who shares her hopes for the future Post-2015 development agenda.