Together, let’s make 2012 be the Time for Solutions

© A. Lassus

Best wishes from the International Forum Committee team

With the celebration of the new year comes a very good news we are delighted to share: our International SOLUTIONSFORWATER plateform now counts over 1,000 active members from 159 countries with more than 1,000 contributions of solutions. This new year shows a very good start for the coming Time of Solutions. A tribute will be offered to the published solutions in March in Marseille through the Forum sessions and the Village of Solutions.

Join the change makers in Marseille

Grateful regards and best wishes
The International Forum Committe Team

Programme at a glance

The Forum programme includes High Level Roundtables on themes such as right to water and sanitation, health, water food energy nexus, green economy, climate change, water-related disasters, transboundary waters, finance,...

> Click here to see the provisional programme

On the path to political solutions

2^nd Preparatory Meeting of the Ministerial Process in Paris, France, February 2-3, 2012

National governments will meet again to prepare the Ministerial Declaration which will be adopted during the Forum in Marseille, March 13, 2012

For the PrepCom 1, at the UNESCO Headquartes, Paris, December 5, 2011. 73 countries were represented, 213 participants were presided over by Sujiro Seam of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Andras Szollosi-Nagy of UNESCO

> Read more about the Political Process

> Read more about the Preparatory Committee Meeting of the Ministerial Process

Coordinator : j.newton@worldwaterforum6.org

Forum Priorities - Targets - Conditions for Success

The Forum counts 12 Priorities for Action and 3 Conditions for Success. Here are the three priorities related to water preservation.

© Lionel Goujon Les Voyageurs de l'Eau

3.1 Improve the quality of water resources and ecosystems 3.2 Adjust pressures and footprints of human activities on water 3.3 Respond to climate and global changes in an urbanizing world > Read more

Time for Solutions

Focusing on practical actions, the 6^th World Water Forum aims to be the Forum of solutions and commitments. Thus, to collect and share concrete contributions from all horizons, an international Platform for Solutions is now open www.solutionsforwater.org. Open to all, this interactive tool enables everyone to propose and access feasible solutions, related to the Forum priorities and targets. It also helps foster and secure the necessary commitments for their implementation and upscaling throughout the world. This international platform is a working space, a knowledge-sharing basis, a network as well as an international communication and exchange device, to last beyond March 2012. Discover water solutions and share your contributions on solutionsforwater.org

Health and Wholeness a dynamic response to the high incidences of health complications that could be avoided through improved knowledge, practices and attitudes > Log in and read more

		SISPEA In order to improve the performance of water and sanitation services in France, a national regulator has created a performance monitoring system called SISPEA > Log in and read more
		Water Hero Water Hero links virtual and real worlds by giving players a sense of responsibility towards water in their day-to-day life and turning their points into real dollars to finance real-life projects > Log in and read more
		Enhancing decision makers’ implication The work in progress is aimed at building a solid link between water policy makers and the scientific and technical fields conducting research on the impacts of climate change > Log in and read more

An eye on the blue planet

The Forum regional process focuses on 3 goals: mobilising and engaging stakeholders throughout several regions of the world to contribute to the Forum and catalyse action at regional and local level; articulating priorities and targets that are relevant and important to the regions; and seeking commitments to follow-through and implement specific actions after the Forum. It covers 4 large continental regions: Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe and 2 cross-continental regions: Mediterranean and Arab Countries, that our newsletter unveils each month.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Process
This territory covers 6 geographical zones and 50 countries, gathering numerous organisations and institutions, working on 7 targets to be reached by 2015, 2018 or 2025. These include: Household Water Security; Economic, Food and Water Security; Urban Water Security; Water Risks and Resilience; IWRM Process for a Water Secure World including the establishment of a training center in Northeast Asia; and the creation of a financing mechanism for local governments.
Read more about the 7 water targets of the Asia Pacific Regional process.
Coordinator:
Noriko Yamaguchi
Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) Secretariat.

Grassroots & Citizenship

1^st Conference Water & Spiritualities

“Water is life and it is respected for many additional reasons in different cultures and religions. Water is necessary for survival and that makes it a key part of culture. All major civilizations developed around large sources of water; and most often sources of freshwater.” Mr Murad Bino, Executive Director of the Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (Jordan) and Director of the International Water Resources Association.

On our website, read Dr Murad Bino’s full interview on the importance to address the cultural aspect of water when facing water challenges, and the role religious communities can play in seeking sustainable solutions for the environment and for water.

Read more about the Culture & Ethics initiative of the Grassroots & Citizenship Commission

Contact : waterforthoughts@worldwaterforum6.org