Bridging Borders: A conversation with Jon Lane

The theme brings together water, peace, and sustainability. Could you outline the connection between the three?

Improved water management and cooperation over water will lead to increased security, collaboration and mutual understanding, and therefore peace. And for any achievements and improvements to become sustainable, one of the prerequisites is the ability to maintain peace.

What are the most pressing challenges around water, peace, and security that we need to overcome?

Water itself and on its own cannot solve everything – that is an idealistic perspective. Water will contribute to solving challenges, but the biggest challenge that I see is the deeply embedded behaviours of aggression, violence and disagreement in our psyche as a species.

Water people or peace diplomats need to be prepared to face disappointments and persevere at the same time.

The second most pressing challenge is that of climate change which is a risk multiplier. As conditions worsen, people will become increasingly desperate. For example, those relying on subsistence farming could get pushed to starvation.

Therefore, security also encompasses human security, food and nutrition security, ecosystems security, economic security and military security.

What do you look forward to the most during this year’s World Water Week?

I’m looking forward to learning from colleagues who are specialists in peace and peace building and mediation. Professionals in this space don’t necessarily attend World Water Week each year.

Over the past few years, we have strived to promote World Water Week as a meeting about water for all people.

So we’re really welcoming colleagues from other professional backgrounds to come. I’m looking forward to listening and learning from them and witness how the work that we do as water professionals can fit into their framework of thinking, and their worldviews.