Water for a changing world Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity

There are legitimate reasons why many feel the issues related to the use and management of water have reached a critical stage. The figures are well known by now and overwhelming in their impact: indeed, the availability of water has dropped from approximately 13,000 to 6,000 cubic meter per person per year; every day we witness 6,000 children dying of waterrelated diseases and disasters; there are still one billion human beings out there who are not being served with clean drinking water and two billion who are lacking access to proper sanitation. While population has increased threefold during the 20th century, collective water thirst has grown six fold, a clearly unsustainable trend.On the other hand, a positive aspect of these developments is that the crisis has become so important to so many productive sectors that water is now internationally recognized as a top priority at the highest political levels. Some say it is the single most limiting factor for investment. As a result, governments at all levels, as well as other organs of civil change, are taking any number of initiatives. Investment in “pipes and pumps” is up, but this is the “easy” part of the solution. Still required are more tangible commitments and decisions that will impact water management over the longterm. Generating and disseminating new knowledge, and building capacity at all levels, are inescapable parts of any sustainable solution, and investments in these aspects will pay dividends for years into the future. While these benefits are not as easy to measure as those from investments in physical infrastructure, they are equally vital to our being able to actually reach the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). As the world is in a state of accelerated change, part of the challenge has been “catching up” in terms of both human and physical capacity. The knowledge and capacity to deal with these new challenges sometimes exist but they often are not in the right “place” and need to be transformed in order to be understood and applied appropriately.

[...]... simultaneous effect of capacity of the individuals as well as of the institutions Developing countries tend to possess weak institutional and human capacity, with administrative systems that tend to be static and bureaucratic, and pre-occupied with technical aspects and standardized solutions Especially local governments and local communities are at risk and may have little capacity to anticipate, and adapt... water and groundwater, between the land use and its local hydrology and aquatic ecosystems, and between the quantitative and the qualitative characteristics of water Water is also fugitive and nonterritorial—it is always moving from one location to another and a unit of water is more expensive to retain, control, store or transport than, say, a unit of energy in 8 the form of a liquid, gas or as electricity... scientific staff from around the world partly UNESCO-IHE alumni— and recognized specialists from the water sector and specialists in KCD, as well as representatives of the institute’s international partners, of the major international development agencies and NGOs, of water sector agencies, and of the UNESCOIHP partner institutes 4 Water for a Changing World – Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity – Alaerts... drinking water and sanitation—“drinking water and sanitation for all by 1990”— and the need to save water and protect it from wastage and pollution The 1981–1990 Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade managed to drastically increase the coverage for water services but proved on many counts less effective It was overwhelmed by population growth, and it led to the recognition that strong institutions and. .. strait connecting Denmark and Sweden Decision-makers have nowadays an array of tools and knowledge pools” such as data bases, research and educational centres, consultants, etc at their disposal to develop or enhance capacity and facilitate knowledge generation in those areas and with those actors whose low capacity is considered a key constraint 22 iv) The strategy generally is implemented through a. .. capacity for individuals, organizations and the sector; the development tools, outcomes and indicators ENABLING ENVIRONMENT ORGANIZATION INDIVIDUAL Factual knowledge Understanding Skills Attitudes Knowledge and Capacity policies scenarios in development scenarios, and reduce the uncertainty related to climatic variability The access to relevant data facilitates decision-making and in general increase... serve as benchmark Basically, three approaches have been proposed that each contribute to informing decisions regarding KCD strategies and investments A first approach takes a normative position and attempts a semi-quantitative assessment of the capacity gap”, at least on one or more key elements of an organization’s or the sector’s capacity For example, it would assess a capacity gap” by estimating... Inter-relationships and teamwork Do individuals interact and form functional teams? Communication skills Are these effective? Organizational capacity: Focuses on the overall organizational performance and functioning capabilities as well as the ability of an organization to adapt to change Mission and strategy Do the organizations have clearly defined mandates? Culture/structure/competencies Are organizations effectively... important instruments Both for individuals and for organizations, networks are playing an increasingly important role for generating, sharing, corroborating and improving knowledge and capacity Networks—both formal associations and informal communities of practice—are becoming the main mechanisms for professional improvement for many water professionals Information and Communication Systems (ICS—comprising... Changing World: Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity in response to the combination of a demand for action and the need to develop new and sustainable approaches for the water sector UNESCO-IHE is an educational institution, with education, research and capacity building pillars supporting its relevance, particularly to developing and transition economy countries In its 50 year history, 46 as a Dutch institute . class="bi x0 y0 w0 h0" alt="" WATER FOR A CHANGING WORLD – DEVELOPING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY Water for a Changing World – Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity Editors G.J. Alaerts The. Water for a changing world: Enhancing local knowledge and capacity” 301 His Royal Highness The Prince of Orange Author index 305 Water for a Changing World – Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity. water and sanitation—“drinking water and sanitation for all by 1990”— and the need to save water and protect it from wastage and pollution. The 1981–1990 Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade