Americas discuss action plans for the 6th World Water Forum
Priorities, targets, and strategies discussed in the Preparatory Meeting of the Americas.
The State Secretariat for Environment of the State of São Paulo – SMA hosted, on June 27th and 28th, the Preparatory Meeting of the Americas for the 6th World Water Forum, which gathered nearly 90 representatives from 8 countries.
“We want to get to Marseille showing our continent’s strength and what we are doing in this part of the world regarding the thematic process and the local and regional process” says Paulo Varella, Director of the National Water Agency of Brazil (ANA). The solemnity also had the presence of Rubens Rizek, Deputy Secretary for Environment, Edson Giriboni Secretary for Sanitation and Water Resources, Benedito Braga, Vice-president of the World Water Council and President of the International Committee of the 6th World Water Forum, Roberto Olivares Regional Coordinator of the Water Forum of the Americas, and Vitor Lippi, Mayor of the city of Sorocaba.
“Water is one of the most important environmental issues and has to be a variable present in public policies. Events as this one are essential to develop the technical capacity, the dialogue, and the mobilization amongst the main actors of the preparatory process”, highlighted Rubens Rizek. The exchange of information amongst the countries bring the structure of a document for the Americas, with solutions to water issues. This document will be presented in 2012 in the biggest event on the theme in the world, the World Water Forum, whose sixth edition will be in Marseille, France. “It is important that we take to the rest of the world the effective participation of the Americas and show that more than specific intentions there is the greater interest of this common good”, affirmed Paulo Varella.
The Forum is being built based on the contributions of four regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and Americas. Each of them will present its priorities and suggestions for a better management of the water for everybody in the planet. The preparatory process aims to promote ample participation of all stakeholders in four processes: the thematic, the local/regional, the political, and the citizen’s ones, identifying concrete actions that respond to the challenges of the water theme and proposing mid- and long-term measures, highlighted Prof. Benedito Braga.
As the theme itself suggests, it is “time for solutions”, and the preparatory meeting was focused on the definition of targets and strategies of implementation for the six priority themes of the Americas: water for energy, water and sanitation, water and climate change, governance and integrated water resources management, food safety and protection to fresh water and ecosystem services.
The challenge now is to establish common goals for the whole continent, taking into account the geographic and cultural diversity. “It is important that we get to Marseille with a consensus” said Maureen Ballestero, in charge of the Commission of Regional Targets for the Water Forum of the Americas. Samuel Barreto, WWF-Brazil’s representative, explained that the problems are already known. “We already have the laws, now we need to implement them so that we can really reach a common goal”, he said.
For more information
waterforumoftheamericas.org
Related pages
Regional process for the Americas
Bulle En
