The water consultation is part of the UN-system led “global dialogue” comprising of 50-100 Country Consultations and eleven global Thematic Consultations, including one on water. The water consultation is mainly taking place as an online discussion using different social media. The purpose is to bring voices from a broad range of stakeholders to build consensus around key future challenges related to water and the need for a new global water goal in the post-2015 development agenda.

The thematic consultation on water is divided in three sub-consultations:

• Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
• Water resources
• Wastewater management and water quality

On January 14, all sub-consultations started their online activity inviting everyone to share their insights and opinions on different topics. Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) will lead and moderate the first week under the Water Resources Management theme, which opens with a focus on water and energy.

Water for Energy – Energy for Water

Water and energy linkages have rapidly risen to the forefront of attention among urgent themes related to development challenges in the international community. The importance of water as a key pillar to sustain human well-being, secure livelihood opportunities and provide bases for diverse productive uses has long been recognized. In a similar manner, the need for energy to raise people out of poverty and fuel growing economies, whilst sustaining mature ones, is a well-established fact. The notion about how these resources are linked and dependent on each other has for a long time gone unnoticed by the broader global community, but not any more. The fact that energy needs water in its production and that water needs energy in order to be extracted, treated and moved is quickly gathering awareness as the demand for diminishing water resources increases.

Simultaneously the demand for energy is projected to grow massively over the next 20 years. The challenges and opportunities tied to this development are great and have been recognised in different ways by major development institutions. The World Economic Forum ranks water supply challenges at number three on their Global Risk Ranking for the coming years. In the UN report titled “Secretary-General’s Initial Input to the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals” (2012), the entire nexus of water, energy and food security is ranked as separate topics on the top three positions for priority areas among member states.

You can read our full paper about water and energy at www.worldwewant2015.org/water/waterresources where you can contribute to the discussion and post your own comments. You can also participate through social media via Twitter using the hashtag #waterpost2015 or visit the Facebook page WaterPost2015.

SIWI encourages everyone to take the opportunity to participate in the consultation on water and energy during January 14-20, 2013, and be part of creating the world we want.

The outcome from the different discussions will be summarised into policy recommendations in a final report that will be transmitted to the High-level Panel on Post-2015 appointed by the UN Secretary General at the end of March.

SIWI’s Torgny Holmgren on Water Resources Management

Mr. Holmgren is currently Ambassador and Head of the Department for Development Policy at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where he is responsible for Swedish policy on global development and has recently served at the United Nations Secretary General’s High-level Panel on Global Sustainability. An economist by training, Mr. Holmgren has also previously served at the Swedish Ministry of Finance, the World Bank, and the Swedish Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.

“We are confident that Mr. Holmgren’s proven leadership talents, strong international network and extensive knowledge on water, sustainability and development issues will be a tremendous asset to the future success of the organisation,” said Peter Forssman, Chairman of the SIWI board. “We heartily welcome him to SIWI and his new position here.”

The Stockholm International Water Institute, founded in 1991,  is a Stockholm-based international policy institute that contributes to international efforts to ensure the sustainable use of the world’s water resources. SIWI conducts original studies, develops new tools, and provides in-depth analysis that enables policy-makers to make informed decisions on water issues that are based on the latest scientific research.

“I greatly look forward to my new assignment and have the utmost respect for SIWI and its staff. My vision is to build upon SIWI’s already established role as a world leading institute that bridges research and policy-making and broadens the scope of water related issues to other policy areas,” said Mr. Torgny Holmgren.

Former Executive Director Mr. Anders Berntell left the institute in March 2012 to begin as the new Executive Director of 2030 Water Resources Group at the International Finance Corporation within the World Bank Group. Over the past decade, SIWI has grown from a staff of 10 to over 50 employees and has developed into a leading provider of applied research, capacity building and advisory services on water-related issues. Mr. Per Bertilsson will continue to serve as Acting Executive Director until September 15, 2012, and then will resume his previous position as SIWI’s Deputy Director.