Please note that this is an on-going project.
Project Description
Based on a MoU between UNESCO and Griffith University, intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO and the Sustainable Water Future program of Future Earth ( hosted at Griffith University) are developing a joint action plan, “Science for SDG6: Science to accelerate the implementation of SDG6″, focusing on the role that 21st Century Science can play in addressing the gaps in SDG monitoring, assessment, and implementation. The outcome of this initiative will be a water science research agenda which will be one of the key guiding documents to be presented and discussed with different stakeholders at the UN 2023 Water Conference to be held in March 2023 in New York.
The agenda will provide the foundation and basis for discussions and further engagement with UN member countries, Intergovernmental agencies, civil society and funding bodies. Furthermore, the science research agenda will also be a contribution to the 9th Phase of IHP (IHP IX 2022-2029) “Science for a Water Secure World in a Changing Environment.”
As part of the action plan, two high-level task forces will be formed with world-renowned scientists and governance and policy experts. The task force focussing on “Frontiers of Water sciences and Development Goals” will explore in-depth the scientific models and tools that can support the SDG implementation in monitoring, infrastructure planning, policymaking, and impact evaluation.
The task force will work closely with the other task force,” Science Policy Interlinkages”, focussing on “Resilient Water Management Approaches boundary conditions and policies”. The latter task force will explore the benefits and institutional complexity of applying the scientific tools in SDG implementation for the member countries. It will recommend strategies to overcome the challenges so that Science can effectively contribute to SDG 6 Acceleration.
Project Personnel and Beneficiaries
1. Andras Szollosi-Nagy, Chair Water Future
2. Abou Amani, Director, UNESCO-IHP
3. Anik Bhaduri, Director, Sustainable Water Future Programme
4. Anil Mishra, Chief of section, Hydrological Systems and Water Scarcity, UNESCO
5. Stuart Bunn (Chair-Task Force I: Science toward supporting SDG6 and other related SDGs )
6.Olcay Unver (Chair-Task Force II: Science-Policy Interlinkages)
Outcomes to Date
Sustainable Water Future Programme of Future Earth and UNESCO -IHP jointly proposed to UNGA to support the process in having an appropriate scientific mechanism to undertake a solution-oriented water assessment 6 based on scientific evidence.
This has been regarded as a potential game changing tool to accelerate the SDG6 by UN general assembly.
https://www.un.org/pga/77/2022/10/25/high-level-summary-of-stakeholder-dialogue-of-the-preparatory-meeting-for-the-un-2023-water-conference/
Project Significance
Science has a clear role to play in developing such tools and in the implementation of SDG. It includes advanced tools and methods integrating physical and socio-economic approaches for practical implementation of investment planning and assessment of interactions and feedback with other SDGs in implementation. There is an urgent need to map out the exact areas where Science can contribute effectively to support SDG implementation based on the capability and the knowledge generated from different SDG related projects conducted worldwide. A clear demonstration of the capability could convince policymakers worldwide to use and uptake the open-source Science for SDG implementation. This may help the countries to meet the problems in data collection, validate the monitoring data and investment planning and thus the acceleration of the overall SDG implementation activities.
Water Future community of Future Earth , and the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) of UNESCO, contribute to developing a science research agenda addressing the gaps in SDG monitoring, assessment, and implementation and how Science can be linked to policy-related SDG implementation.