Water Week
August (annual)
Water is crucial for sustainable development and human survival. With population growth and industrial and agricultural development, the demand for water is increasing but at the same time the amount of clean drinking water is decreasing.
Today 2.2 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water and by 2025, 1/3 of the world’s population will experience a lack of it (WHO/UNICEF, 2019).
In the 21st century, the price of water will be higher than that of oil and gas. Already now a ton of clean water in arid regions costs more than oil (Sahara desert and North Africa, Central Australia, South Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia).
Most global problems or solutions are water-related.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals 2,3,6,7,12,13,14, and 15 are dedicated to this.
- Climate change and its effects, causing rising ocean levels and increased frequency of natural disasters (e.g. tsunamis and floods), which requires competent forecasting and management of water resources.
- Food security, which implies improved yields and efficiency in food distribution. However, global agriculture leads among other sectors of the economy in terms of water consumption.
- Manufacturing and energetics are other two sectors that require large quantities of water. In Russia, the energy sector ranks 1st among economic sectors in terms of water consumption. Intersectoral demand for water requires an Integrated water resources management (IWRM)
- Freshwater and marine biodiversity conservation, which implies reducing anthropogenic impacts on water bodies and their pollution as well as their purification.
- Lack of access to clean and safe water, sanitation systems, including open defecation, failure to comply with sanitation and hygiene standards leading to diseases and death.
Despite its strategic importance, the value and role of water is not fully appreciated in Russia:
- no Water Strategy for the next period has been adopted, despite the fact that the previous document expired in 2020;
- experts are unanimous that the water sector is experiencing an acute shortage of highly qualified employees, including those with experience in interdisciplinary research and a systemic approach to problem-solving;
- water sector professions are not popular among Russian youth.
At the same time, Russia ranks 2nd in the world in terms of fresh water supply. Thus, the water sector may become one of the most promising in developing Russian leadership in the international arena.
Water Week
Water Week is an annual event which gathers representatives of state and local government, business, non-profit organizations, protected areas, and other economic sectors, as well as scientists, young specialists and students.
The aim of the event is to increase the value and strategic role of water in Russia.
Objectives:
- To increase interest in water issues and the level of knowledge of water management;
- To organize a platform for open discussion of the Water Strategy of Russia;
- To evaluate the results of the National Project ‘Ecology’ and its subprojects – the federal projects ‘Preservation of lake Baikal’ and ‘Preservation of Unique Water Bodies’, and to outline the current directions of project development;
- To encourage the best practices in water management and water preservation, and to promote their replication;
- To provide a meeting platform for the Youth Parliament for water.
As part of the Water Week, there are:
- lectures, trainings, and workshops on a wide range of topics;
- events to find like-minded people and partners;
- case-championships and hackathons for finding solutions to current issues of water sector;
- open dialogues of young people with representatives of authorities, business and NGOs;
- awards ceremony for the best initiatives in the water sector;
- meeting of participants of the Youth Parliament for water and election of new members;
- clean-up of the territory and water area.
Water Week can be held as an independent event or as part of existing forums. For example, as part of the Baikal Youth Forum (Irkutsk Region), the Territory of Senses (Lake Senezh, Moscow Region); Eurasia Global (Orenburg).