Commitments to Accelerate Cooperation on Water, Environment, Climate, and Peace
This is a side event to the UN 2023 Water Conference about the role of transboundary water cooperation for peace. The in-person event provides a platform for Member States , facing water scarcity, to communicate their commitments or explain the barriers to forming commitments to transboundary cooperation for peace and regional stability.
In the face of a changing climate, coordinated action can contribute to peace, prosperity and strengthen resilience. The side event will provide a platform for Member States, affected by water scarcity, to communicate or explain the barriers to forming commitments to transboundary cooperation for peace and regional stability. It will explore relevant, innovative, and useful tools and methodologies, including solutions and pathways for policy.
In addition, the event will include comments from experts. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) will share insights from its SIPRI’s Environmental of Peace Report and the Stockholm International Water Institute will describe its Experience Exchange methodology from the Shared Waters Partnership (SWP) Programme. The aim is to jointly explore examples of how water cooperation can address climate-related security risks, with a focus on more effective and relevant approaches.
The purpose of the event is to inspire countries to pledge commitments before or after the UN 2023 Water Conference up until the end of the Water Action Decade 2018-2028 and the 2030 Agenda. It aligns with the interactive dialogue on Water for Cooperation: Transboundary and International Water Cooperation, Cross Sectoral Cooperation, including Scientific Cooperation, and Water Across the 2030 Agenda (SDG 6.5, 6.b and SDGs 16, 17). The event will feature high-level representatives from countries experiencing water scarcity and leading experts on water-related topics.
The side event builds on the High-Level Panel on Climate and Peace organized during the 2022 World Water Week in Stockholm. A similar High-Level Panel will be held at the 2023 World Water Week in August to further discuss Member State commitments to cooperation over shared water resources across boundaries and sectors.
Programme
Welcoming remarks: Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director, Stockholm International Water Institute
Keynote speaker: Aaron Salzberg, Director, The Water Institute at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Introductory Remarks:
- Daniel Westlén, State Secretary, Minister for Climate and Environment, Sweden
- Hussein Yusuf Ali, Director of Policy and Planning, Executive Secretary of Transboundary Water Diplomacy Committee, Office of the President, Federal Republic of Somalia
Panel Discussion, Member State Representatives
- Moderator and Introduction: Martina Klimes, Advisor Water and Peace, Stockholm International Water Institute
- Tuğba Evrim Maden, Policy Development Coordinator at SUEN Turkish Water Institute
- Ali Radhi Thamer, Director General of the Dams and Reservoirs Directorate, Republic of Iraq
Panel Discussion, Member State and Civil Society Representatives
- Tuğba Evrim Maden, Policy Development Coordinator at SUEN Turkish Water Institute
- Ali Radhi Thamer, Director General of the Dams and Reservoirs Directorate, Republic of Iraq
- Sofia Corradi, Civil Engineer, Specialist in Geoprocessing
- Ambika Vishwanath, Founder and Director of the Kubernein Initiative
Closing Remarks: Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director, Stockholm International Water Institute
Organizers
The Government of Sweden is the main organizer, in partnership with the Federal Republic of Somalia and the Stockholm Hub on Environment, Climate and Security (The Hub). The Hub combines the strengths of four leading research institutes: Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University (SRC).
Contacts
- Martina Klimes, SIWI, martina.klimes@siwi.org
- Katie Goldie-Ryder, SIWI, katie.goldie-ryder@siwi.org
- Anniek Barnhoorn, anniek.barnhoorn@sipri.org
- Claire McAllister, claire.mcallister@sipri.org
Follow SIWI to New York
On 22-24 March, the United Nations headquarters in New York will host a historic conference on freshwater. SIWI will play an active role to ensure that countries finally tackle the urgent water crisis and deliver on commitments already made.
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