Knowledge is crucial to improved livelihoods, environmental conservation, broader participation and stronger democracies – in short, to development.

Generating and disseminating this knowledge requires political will, investment, and international cooperation: towards expanding education, facilitating scientific research, building capacities at all levels and bridging the gap between rich and poor. Public awareness, community involvement and the inclusion of all actors – women in particular – in decision-making are also keys to success.

Knowledge requires continuous investment to enable society to adapt to an uncertain future generated by climate change. In particular, increased investments in the hydrological data network and remote sensing are needed to provide the information necessary for modelling future scenarios.

It is necessary to develop institutional and human capacity, both within the water domain and externally. The capacity of water management institutions should be increased to ensure that they have a clear mandate, an effective organizational system, and improved decision support through lessons learned and indigenous knowledge. Capacity development can occur through traditional forms of education, on-the-job training, e-learning, public awareness raising, knowledge management and professional networks.