A coordinated approach to water in Europe

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A coordinated approach to water in Europe
Harro Riedstra, EWP
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European Water Partnership

• Independent, non-profit organisation helping to
  coordinate initiatives and activities in
  international water issues and undertaking
  worldwide promotion of European expertise related
  to water
• 2009
• Aquawareness
• European Regional Coordination fifth World
  Water Forum Istanbul
• Climate Change Adaptation and Water
• European Water House

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EWP history and Mission

• The European Water Partnership is an open forum
  for
• Private sector,
• Government bodies (regional, national and local),
  
• Knowledge institutes,
• Financial sector and,
• NGOs
• aiming to find innovative solutions for the water
  challenges in wider Europe and the rest of the
  World and to stimulate innovative partnerships.
• History
• Water Supply and Sanitation Technology Platform
• European Regional Process for the 4th World
  Water Forum
• ? need for broad European coordination

EWP Created March 2006
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Objectives (1)

• Putting water on the mainstream political and
  business agenda
• Increasing and developing co-operation between
  all stakeholders
• Promoting
• Innovation
• European expertise
• Achievement of MDGs and Horizon 2020
• New procurement approaches

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Objectives (2)

• Mobilise funding for innovative water solutions
• Supporting effective implementation of European
  legislation
• Building a reference base of projects with
  tangible examples, and visible user impact

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Membership

• Broad representation currently over 50 members
• Benefits of Membership of the European Water
  Partnership
• Network and knowledge
• Involvement in European policymaking and
  legislation
• Participation in European initiatives and
  projects
• Demonstration of commitment to addressing the
  water crisis
• Broadening of sector boundaries stepping
  outside the traditional water sector

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Overview of activities 2008-09

• Aquawareness
• European regional coordination, Istanbul 2009
• Dialogue Climate Change Adaptation and Water
• European Water House

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Aquawareness Programme
Raising awareness among all European stakeholders
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Water Vision for Europe

• regional workshops elaborated joint commitments
  towards sustainable water management, generated
  region specific points and started a map of
  activities already implementing the Vision aims
• vision mapping presents the status quo of
  Europes water and includes a gap analysis of
  recommended actions for European decision makers
  
• vision animation translates complex water issues
  into understandable language

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Vision mapping

• What is vision mapping?
• Survey in Europe to find out
• What is already in place to achieve the vision
  aims
• The status quo on the vision in Europe
• What is missing to achieve the aims of the vision
  for Europe
• Policy recommendations to new commission
  presented in November
• Initiating projects along the way
• ? Envisioned actions that are first steps to 2030

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Water Awareness

•  
• Youth Generation Blue International European
  Youth Water Parliament
• Summer school for decision makers
• European Water Barometer
• Information exchange platform

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Water Stewardship Project
Communication of SWM
COMMUNICATE How to promote SWM?
ASSESS How to evaluate and assess SWM?

• DEFINE
• What are the SWM principles
• and requirements?

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Fifth World Water Forum

• European Regional Process
• Momentum of the Forum created progress for
  existing projects
• Large involvement (new) stakeholders
• Main results include
• Extension network (East, South)
• Progress on eight themes, including
• - Climate Change Adaptation and Water
  Stronger Cooperation in Europe
• - Aquawareness Water Vision for Europe

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Increased momentum examples

• Climate Change Adaptation and Water the need
  for increased cooperation in Europe
• European Policy Summit 08 Call for increased
  cooperation
• Highlevel Roundtable
• Conference 12 and 13 March
• European Dialogue on Climate Change Adaptation
  and Water
• (focusing on specific niches, setting up
  cooperation, exchange and concrete projects)
• Aquawareness Water Vision for Europe

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The place that will give your Water Vision the
chance to be reality!
The European Water House will aim at
demonstrating the vast potential of appropriate
water technology, its practical applications as
well as exhibiting education tools for a
sustainable management of water in Europe. It
will help you

• Be visible
• Be understandable
• Be understood
• Be sustainable!