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  United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Freshwater Resources: UNESCO's Role and Contribution (including activities since the International Mauritius Meeting of January 2005 and future activities)

UNESCO’s contribution to the development of integrated approaches for sound water management in SIDS is primarily through the International Hydrological Programme (IHP), with particular emphasis on field operations, including training activities of various kinds. This includes work supported through the UNESCO priority theme of ‘water and associated ecosystems’, a joint initiative of IHP and the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.


In the Pacific, in close partnership with regional bodies and donor agencies, activities are focused on engaging local and indigenous communities in water resources management and monitoring partnerships and on contributing to a three-year regional training programme for water resource managers. The more formalized participation of Pacific-SIDS in the IHP is also being promoted, by rotational participation in the IHP Regional Steering Committee.

Water resources assessment in the Caribbean is being approached through one of the regional projects contributing to the worldwide initiative on Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data (FRIEND). Other activities included a project on three shared aquifers between the Dominican Republic and Haiti on the island of Santo Domingo, and a Map of Arid and Semi-Arid Zones in the Caribbean.

Other work is being undertaken within the UN-system-wide World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP). Cross-cutting activities related to freshwater resources in small islands and other ‘sectors’ (e.g. cities, tourism, biodiversity) are also being promoted through the Coastal Regions and Small Island (CSI) Platform, including its internet-based discussion forums on Wise Coastal Practices for Sustainable Human Development and Small Islands Voice.


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PROJECTS

Caribbean: Mapping of Arid and Semi-Arid Zones
The first phase consists of the preparation of maps to better capture the topography and other possible local features of the islands. >> More

Catchments and Communities in the Pacific
In close partnership with the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and other bodies, technical and financial support is being provided to building the capacity of Pacific island countries in the management of freshwater resources. >> More

Fifth Inter-American Dialogue on Water Management. Montego Bay, October 2005
The theme of this fifth dialogue -- ‘Strengthening Local Capacity to Achieve Global Challenges’. >> More

Participation Programme
UNESCO’s Participation Programme is designed to provide direct assistance to initiatives undertaken by Member States in the Organization’s fields of competence, in line with priorities determined by the countries themselves. >> More

Regional Training Programme for Hydrology Scientists and Technicians and Regional Hydrology Networking in the Pacific
UNESCO is contributing through a broad regional Type-II partnership funded by the Government of New Zealand to the strengthening of national capacities in water resources management and monitoring. >> More

Shared Aquifers in Santo Domingo
The main outputs of the project are the development of an international inventory of shared aquifers and of a management toolkit for transboundary aquifers. >> More

Small Islands Voice(SIV ) Discussion Forum: Water Supply and Conservation
Water cuts normal for consumers in Fiji” provided the starting point on 5 April
2005 for a discussion thread in the SIV discussion forum (some 40,000 individuals connected). >> More

Wastewater Management Training in the Pacific
This training is designed to provide participants with analytical tools, substantive information and skills on how to select, plan and finance appropriate and environmentally sound municipal wastewater management systems. >> More

Water and Education for the Americas
Caribbean-SIDS are among the countries taking part in a programme aimed at changing perceptions and knowledge about the use of water from childhood years. >> More

Water Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions of Southern Africa
Project components include that on Headstreams, which provides support to postgraduate studentships in SADC countries, mainly in hydrology and in such fields as social and ecological interactions in and around present and potential biosphere reserves. >> More

Water Resources Assessment in the Caribbean
Among the cross-cutting projects of the International Hydrological Programme is that on Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data (FRIEND). >> More

World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
Freshwater management issues in small islands is a topic being addressed in the preparation of the second interagency World Water Development Report, to be released on the occasion of the Fourth World Water Forum in Mexico in March 2006. >> More

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