2013 International Year of water cooperation

An United Nations Assembly has declared 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation. The objective of this International Year is to raise awareness, both on the potential for increased cooperation, and on the challenges facing water management in light of the increase in demand for water access, allocation and services. The Year will highlight the history of successful water cooperation initiatives, as well as identify burning issues on water education, water diplomacy, transboundary water management, financing cooperation, national/international legal frameworks, and the linkages with the Millennium Development Goals. It will also provide an opportunity to capitalize on the momentum created at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), and to support the formulation of new objectives that will contribute towards developing water resources that are truly sustainable. In support of the UN campaign we are presenting the main themes about the water cooperation.

Main Themes About Water Cooperation

Water Cooperation Water Cooperation requires a common understanding to a joint work among nations, to deal with the challenges of the water resources management, in a peaceful, sustainable and mutually beneficial way.

Learn more: http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/water_cooperation.shtml

Water Conservation Awareness Awareness campaigns about the rational use of water and the combat against its waste are essential to the development of saving water habits.

Learn more: http://www.unep.org/training/programmes/Instructor% 20Version/Part_2/Activities/Interest_Groups/ Public_Awareness/Supplemental/ Water_Conservation_A_Guide_to_Promoting_Public_Awarene ss.pdf

World Water Day March 22nd is the World Water Day. The involvement of all in awareness campaigns disseminates the water preservation need.

Learn more: http://www.un.org/en/events/waterday/

Sanitation Sanitation is a set of cares necessary to handle water, sewage and garbage, essential to the maintenance of the population´s health and wellbeing.

Learn more: http://www.unwater.org/wwd08/docs/vital-for-health.pdf

Transboundary Cooperation The cooperation for the use of transboundary watersheds ensures the watercourses sharing without conflicts and enjoying mutual benefits.

Learn more: http://www.unwater.org/wwd09/flashindex.html

Water Resources Management The water resources usage must be rational, ensuring the environment´s development and preservation.

Learn more: http://www.unwater.org/TFresources.html

Water Scarcity Potable water scarcity is a harsh reality to many countries and regions. Integration and cooperation must be constant task to the government and society.

Learn more: http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml

Water Enjoyment The enjoyment of rainwater to the not potable consume and reuse of treated unconventional water, as irrigation sources, are excellent alternatives to water economy.

Learn more: http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/china/ Waterf.pdf

Potable Water Quality Potable water is fundamental to the human´s health and the continuous development of technologies and management strategies is basal to guarantee the supply of good quality drinking water.

Learn more: http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/quality.shtml

Water and Food Security Most of the freshwater in the world is used in the food production. The recycling of wastewater for agriculture reduces water scarcity and contamination.

Learn more: http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/ food_security.shtml

Water, Climate and Energy The world faces crucial challenges in the dominion of the climate, water, energy and feeding, factors complexly interconnected which cannot be dealt separately.

Learn more: http://www.iwahq.org/hk/themes/water-climate-andenergy.html

World Water Monitoring Challenge It is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world.

Learn more: http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org/