UNESCO
The creation of this transboundary reserve is designed to achieve several specific goals, which will benefit both nations. It aims to strengthen the peace agreement signed between Ecuador and Peru, conserve the native flora and fauna, serve as a laboratory for scientific research, and provide a regional platform for strengthening the management of financial resources for conservation and territorial development through South-South cooperation. The joint effort by Ecuador and Peru is contributing to SDGs 9, 15 and 16.
The CIH is a scientific water-related centre that focuses on environmental management and the appropriate and rational use of natural resources by developing innovative solutions and hydroinformatics tools. Capacity building and knowledge-sharing is also an important part of the centre’s mandate. The experience and knowledge developed in Itaipú is unique, and CIH’s efforts to develop innovative solutions in the field of water management and energy generation is increasingly important in helping to identify solutions on how to adapt to climate change. In addition to reinforcing First Binational Water Centre Joins capacities for reaching SDG 6 on water and UNESCO sanitation, CIH’s actions contribute to SDG 7 on UNESCO and Itaipu Binacional (an energy clean energy and SDG 13 on climate change. company) signed an agreement to formalize Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and the recognition of the International Centre Mitigation System on Hydroinformatics for Integrated Water Resources Management (CIH) as a category 2 The Intergovernmental Coordination Group centre under the auspices of UNESCO in 2016. for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning This centre translates into action UNESCO’s and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWMS) was mandate of building bridges for dialogue and established by the Intergovernmental fostering scientific cooperation. It is also an Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO important example of the benefits of South- in response to the tragic tsunami on December South cooperation to meet the challenges of 26th 2004, in which over 230,000 lives were lost the 21st century. around the Indian Ocean region. It supports knowledge sharing and technical cooperation The International Centre on Hydroinformatics through South-South and triangular (CIH), created through a partnership between cooperation. the Governments of Brazil and Paraguay with UNESCO’s support, is already operational The IOTWMS is a fully integrated end-to-end and contributing actively to UNESCO’s warning system built on three pillars: tsunami International Hydrological Programme (IHP). risk assessment and mitigation; tsunami It is part of a much broader cooperation that detection, warning and dissemination; and has flourished between the two neighbouring tsunami awareness and response. The warning countries since the 1970s to build the world’s system is fully owned by the countries, protects largest generator of renewable energy: Itaipú all countries in the region and promotes free dam, a hydro-power plant on the border and open data exchange. The Secretariat of between Paraguay and Brazil that captures the the IOTWMS is hosted and supported by the energy of the Paraná River. Today, Itaipú dam Government of Australia at the IOC-UNESCO accounts for almost 80 per cent of the energy Perth Regional Programme Office in Perth. generated in Paraguay and 20 per cent of the energy generated in Brazil.
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