Article in Stockholm Water Front, issue no 1, 2012.

Article in Stockholm Water Front, issue no 3, 2011.

“After a preloged negotiation between the 16 and 18 june, the Brazilian government released the Rio + 20 outcome on Tuesday morning and the document was accepted by all parties in a plenary meeting some hours later.

From a water perspective one may do the following observations; It is good that water and sanitation is clearly visible, as the second thematic section in chapter 5 of the outcome document.

It is important that , despite very hard resistance from some countries, there is a paragraph on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, even if the languish is diluted and a text got included stating that this right shall be realised “with full respect for national sovereignity” to accommodate some countries that otherwise would not have let the text pass

It is excellent that there are clear references to “the need to adopt measures to  significantly reduce water pollution and increase water quality, significantly improve waste water treatment and water efficiency and reduce water losses ” and to ” significantly improve the integrated water resource management AT ALL LEVELS”. The latter is especially important as the paragraph on transboundary water got deleted, where the host country gave it a final shot down by even not including it in the text Brazil presented on Saturday afternoon after taking over the leadership of the negotiations.

Bedsides the loss of the transboundary paragraph, and the weakening of the human rights paragraph another weakness is that there are no words of commitment throughout the text. Also that “nexus sentence” on the linkages between water, food, energy, health, biodiversity and climate, that the EU wanted to have in the chapeau of chapter 5, was not included.

Finally, it is important that the document envisions a process on Sustainable Development Goals, even  thought it is a bit unclear how this process will be carried forward and the specific reference to water got lost as the references to thematic issues in the SDG section was deleted”.

The final outcome document will be issued on June 22.

Excerpt from the text (20 June) where water is mentioned:

CHAPTER 5, Framework for action and follow-up
A. Thematic areas and cross-sectoral issues

Food security and nutrition and sustainable agriculture

109. We recognize that a significant portion of the world’s poor live in rural areas, and that rural communities play an important role in the economic development of many countries. We emphasize the need to revitalize the agricultural and rural development sectors, notably in developing countries, in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable manner. We recognize the importance to take the necessary actions to better address the needs of rural communities through, inter alia, enhancing access by agricultural producers, in particular small producers, women, indigenous peoples and people living in vulnerable situations, to credit and other financial services, markets, secure land tenure, health care and social services, education and training, knowledge, and appropriate and affordable technologies, including for efficient irrigation, reuse of treated waste water, water harvesting and storage. We reiterate the importance of empowering rural women as critical agents for enhancing agricultural and rural development and food security and nutrition. We also recognize the importance of traditional sustainable agricultural practices, including traditional seed supply systems, including for many indigenous peoples and local communities.

(…)

111. We reaffirm the necessity to promote, enhance and support more sustainable agriculture, including crops, livestock, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, that improves food security, eradicates hunger, and is economically viable, while conserving land, water, plant and animal genetic resources, biodiversity and ecosystems, and enhancing resilience to climate change and natural disasters. We also recognize the need to maintain natural ecological processes that support food production systems.

112. We stress the need to enhance sustainable livestock production systems, including through improving pasture land and irrigation schemes in line with national policies, legislation, rules and regulations, enhanced sustainable water management systems, and efforts to eradicate and prevent the spread of animal diseases, recognizing that the livelihoods of farmers including pastoralists and the health of livestock are intertwined.

(…)

Water and sanitation

119. We recognize that water is at the core of sustainable development as it is closely linked to a number of key global challenges. We therefore reiterate the importance of integrating water in sustainable development and underline the critical importance of water and sanitation within the three dimensions of sustainable development.

120. We reaffirm the commitments made in the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and Millennium Declaration regarding halving by 2015 the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation and the development of integrated water resource management and water efficiency plans, ensuring sustainable water use. We commit to the progressive realization of access to safe and affordable drinking water and basic sanitation for all, as necessary for poverty eradication and to protect human health, and to significantly improve the implementation of integrated water resource management at all levels as appropriate. In this regard, we reiterate these commitments in particular for developing countries through the mobilization of resources from all sources, capacity building and technology transfer.

121. We reaffirm our commitments regarding the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, to be progressively realized for our populations with full respect for national sovereignty. We also highlight our commitment to the 2005-2015 International Decade for Action “Water for Life.”

122. We recognize the key role that ecosystems play in maintaining water quantity and quality and support actions within the respective national boundaries to protect and sustainably manage these ecosystems.

123.  We underline the need to adopt measures to address floods, droughts, and water scarcity, addressing the balance between water supply and demand including where appropriate non-conventional water resources, and to mobilize financial resources and investment in infrastructure for water and sanitation services, in accordance with national priorities.

124. We stress the need to adopt measures to significantly reduce water pollution and increase water quality, significantly improve wastewater treatment, and water efficiency and reduce water losses. In order to achieve this end we stress the need for international assistance and cooperation.

Contact
Ms. Karin Lexén
Email: karin.lexen@siwi.org
Phone:  +46 8522 139 93

SIWI is part of the Swedish Pavilion at Rio+ 20 in the Athleats Park organized by the Swedish Trade Council. SIWI has among other things held two presentations about the World Water Week in Stockholm under its theme: Water and Food Security. SIWI was also present and presented its engagement at Rio+20 at the visit of their Royal Majesties and the Swedish delegation including Hon. Gunilla Carlsson, Minister for Development and Cooperation and Hon. Lena Ek, Minister of Environment.

Water Food and Energy Nexus – A Fundament for Green Economy
On June 15 SIWI co-convened together with KTH a side event about the value of addressing water, food and energy through and integrated approach. Speakers included: Per Bertilsson, Acting Executive Director SIWI; Mark Howell, KTH; and Hans H. Rogner, IAEA. A conclusion of the side event was that there is a need to address the water, food and energy in a holistic manner in planning for a sustainable future.

UN Watercourses Convention

On June 14 SIWI co-convened together with WWF and Green Cross a side event about the ratification and entry into force of the Un Watercourse Convention.

The UNWC offers legal stability and consistency for preventing and dealing with water-related disputes in a peaceful and equitable manner. In a changing climate, the Convention also serves as a flexible instrument to support mutually beneficial interstate cooperation and cross-border adaptive freshwater management and protection, as well as to contribute to the achievement of key policy goals and other environmental agreements.

At the side event the convening organizations urged governments and the international community at large to acknowledge the transboundary and global dimensions of climate change in relation to water; and, accordingly, to strengthen international law as a key tool supporting and facilitating transboundary water cooperation.

Mr Per Bertilsson, Acting Executive Director of SIWI held a presentation at the side event, about the importance of countries uniting and ratifying the convention to support the management around shared waters.

Sustainable Water Use in Textile Production – A Case for Cooperation
On June 16 the Government of Sweden hosted a session at the UN Global Compact’s Rio +20 Corporate Sustainability Forum where SIWI was the partner’s coordinator. On behalf of SIWI Ms Karin Lexén, Director of SWH at SIWI and board member of STWI, presented the main lessons learned from the Sweden Textile Water Initiative (STWI). STWI was founded to promote sustainable water use in the textile and leather industry. Over the course of two years, 33 Swedish companies have worked together with SIWI to develop guidelines for sustainable water use. Other speakers included Mr Torgny Holmgren, Ambassador and head of the Department for Development Policy, Sweden Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Stuart Orr, Manger Freshwater Team, WWF International; Dov Brachfeld, Global Environmental Sustainability Controller, H&M.

Taking part in the Swedish Delegation as adviser
Karin Lexén takes part in the negotiations as an adviser to the Swedish delegation:
“We are in a critical phase of the negotiations. The Brazilians have put a text on the table that builds on the negotiated text of the Zero Draft. It is attempts to serve as a compromise but in many critical parts the text has been diluted.

There is a water section in the text but the paragraph on transboundary waters has been deleted and the text on drinking water and sanitation as a human right has been weakened, so right now there is an important momentum for a push on the water issue as the negotiations continue”.

SIWI will take an active part in the Rio+20 summit:

Key messages

SIWI has prepared a Key Messages document, which provides a series of priorities on water issues to be included in the outcomes of Rio+20. The main points are:

• Access to drinking water and sanitation is a human right: A sustainable development goal on water must  set targets for achieving universal access.
• Set a sustainable development goal on water for improved water efficiency, reduced water pollution and improved wastewater management.
• Set a sustainable development goal on energy and food security and include targets to significantly increase water use efficiency.
• Integrate water in climate adaptation and mitigation policy and implementation at all levels.
• Call for more effective cooperation on transboundary waters.
• Establish good water governance as a prerequisite for sustainable development.

Read the full document

Session involvement

SIWI will be involved in the following sessions:

TUESDAY 12 JUNE
16.00-18.00, Water Security: Growing Multiple Needs and Scarcity. (Pontifical Catholic University Rua Marquês São Vicente, 225 – Gávea).
Session Convenors: UNESCO-IHP, GWSP.

18.00-20.00, Water Resources; Uncertainties and Opportunities. Case Studies from Geographic Hotspots.
(Pontifical Catholic University Rua Marquês São Vicente, 225 – Gávea).
Session Convenors: UNESCO-IHP, French Water Academy, FAO – Mountain Partnership Secretariat,
ICIWaRM.

THURSDAY 14 JUNE
17.30-19.00, UN Watercourses Convention side-event. (T-8, RioCentro).
Session Convenors: SIWI, WWF (others TBC).

FRIDAY 15 JUNE
11.00-11.40, The Water, Food and Energy Nexus – A Fundament for a Green Economy. (Common Space Conference Room CNO 3 at Athlete’s Park).
Session Convenor: SIWI and KTH.

SATURDAY 16 JUNE
9.00-10.30, Sustainable Water Use in Textile Production – A Case for Cooperation at the UN Global Compact’s Rio +20 Corporate Sustainability Forum (Windsor Barra Hotel & Congresses)
Session Convenor: The Government of Sweden.

SUNDAY 17 JUNE
11:00-13.30, The Economics of Sustainable Development, Including Sustainable Patterns of Production
and Consumption. (Venue TBC).
Session Convenor: TBC.

MONDAY 18 JUNE
9.30-11:00, Mountain Knowledge Solutions for Improved Water, Food, Energy and Environment Nexus (P3-A, RioCentro).
Co-convenors: ICIMOD, SIWI, Govt. of Nepal, Mountain Partnership, EVK2CNR and GGCA.

14.00-14.40, Sweden Textile Water Initiative Session (Common Space Conference Room CNO 4 at Athlete’s Park).
Session Convenor: SIWI

TUESDAY 19 JUNE
09.30-13.00, Water Day

17.30-21.00, Part 1: Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), Benefiting Countries for a Sustainable and Equitable Future. Interactive Policy Dialogue and Launch of the UN-Water Report on Water Resources Management. Access to Water & Sanitation, Reflections on the Rio +20 Outcome document. (Venues TBC).
Convenor: UN-Water.

Part 2: Water and Sanitation as a Human Right. International Year of Water Cooperation and World
Water Day 2013. (Venue TBC).
Convenor: UN-Water.

The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20), to be held June 20-22, provides an opportunity for global leadership to harness economic activity at all levels to catalyse sustainable development and eradicate poverty. The 6th World Water Forum, taking place in Marseille from March 12-17, is an important stepping stone to strengthen the voice of water in the process leading up to Rio+20. At this juncture, the Stockholm International Water Institute strongly urges that following points are emphasised in the outcome of Rio+20:

1. Set Sustainable Development Goals for water, food and energy
The foundation for a resource efficient green economy must be built upon water, energy and food security – and these issues must be addressed in an integrated and holistic manner.

The outcome of Rio+20 should explicitly:

• Recognise the strong interdependence between long term sustainable energy supply and sustainable water resources management.
• Recommend that the Sustainable Development Goals should include targets to increase total food supply-chain efficiency from field to fork, to increase water efficiency in agriculture, and to increase water use efficiency in energy production.

2. Integrate water in climate adaptation and mitigation policy and implementation at all levels
Our ability to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change requires an improvement in the management of water as a natural resource, an economic asset and as a hazard. It is therefore critical that the cross-cutting nature of water is fully acknowledged and that water management is fully integrated into climate adaptation and mitigation measures.

The outcome of Rio+20 should explicitly:

• Emphasise the vital importance of integrating water resource management in national climate adaptation and mitigation plans and measures; and in this acknowledge that support to climate interventions need to be site specific and built upon local knowledge and capacity.
• Recognise the vital importance of addressing water comprehensively through the establishment of appropriate policy measures and programmes at local, regional and global levels, including within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

3. Call for more effective cooperation on transboundary waters
Increasing population, economic growth and climate change will likely intensify tensions over transboundary water resources around the globe. Multi-country dialogue and cooperation over transboundary waters is an effective vehicle to promote improved relations between nations and opens opportunities for more productive water management.

The outcome of Rio+20 should explicitly:

• Recognise the importance of increasing efforts to advance cooperation on transboundary waters as a means to promote development, poverty reduction, regional integration and the advancement of peace and stability, fostering trust and coinvestments.

4. Establish good water governance as a prerequisite for sustainable development
Forming transparent and participatory governance processes is critical to ensure the sustainable and equitable use of water resources and to expand the delivery of clean water supply and sanitation services to all people.

The outcome of Rio+20 should explicitly:

• Recognise the importance of transparency, accountability and integrity as part of the efforts to improve water governance and prevention of corruption.
• Emphasise that availability and public accessibility of information is central for improved water governance. This also includes transparent budgets, which enables stakeholders to identify priority areas, potential funding gaps and track resource allocations.
• Encourage countries to set up procedures for local stakeholder participation in planning, budgeting and implementation of reforms related to water resources and water supply and sanitation.