Water in the World
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Water is the basis of life and livelihoods all over the world. Of all the resources required for sustaining ecosystems and the services they provide for human health and well-being, water is arguably the most important. Worldwide, accessing clean and reliable water supplies is a key challenge for policy-makers and managers in light of growing demands and unreliable availability and supply. This challenge is exacerbated by the predicted impacts of climate change on the future supply, quality and reliability of water.
A strong international emphasis on the integrated management of water was demonstrated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the integrated water resources management (IWRM) framework was highlighted based on the perception of water as an integral part of the ecosystem, a natural resource and a social and economic good. It was stressed that priority has to be given to the satisfying basic needs and safeguarding ecosystems. Subsequently, at the World Summit for Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, 2002), participating countries decided to develop IWRM and water efficiency plans through actions at all levels.
In 2005, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment reaffirmed the value of integrated ecosystem management. It also reaffirmed that integrated river basin management was an appropriate framework for "intentionally and actively addressing ecosystem services and human well-being simultaneously."
In May 2008, the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-16) reiterated that, despite difficulties encountered in implementation and monitoring, IWRM is an essential tool to effectively manage water resources and improve delivery of water services.
While the value of IWRM remains unchallenged, the understanding of IWRM and the effective application of its principles have been difficult. According to the World Water Assessment Program (2009), promotion of the broad feasibility and applicability of the "integrated" approach is important in widespread acceptance and application of IWRM.
The Water Innovation Centre (WIC) promotes IWRM for the realization of multiple policy objectives related to social, economic and environmental development. To this end, WIC will continue to apply lessons from best practices around the world towards regional solutions and use regional analysis to inform broader audiences for management in similar contexts around the world. WIC promotes the use of watersheds and basins as the appropriate ecosystem management units for coordinated development activities such as poverty alleviation, health promotion, environmental management and climate change adaptation. WIC believes that when the multiple benefits of IWRM are tallied and properly communicated, the economic case for investing in watershed and IWRM institutions is obvious.
