Water, connector of solutions to face global changes

24 March, 2022
9:00 – 10:30 Local time
on site- Room 7 EXPO

Introduction

This special session will discuss the global changes and put a spotlight on Water as a panacea to meet these challenges.

The opening remarks (recorded) will be delivered by Mr Taher KAHIL, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis ( IIASA ), Austria.

The session will be moderated by Mr Khatim Kherraz from the World Water Council and will include presentations from:

Mr Abu Amani, Director of the Division of Water Sciences and Secretary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), UNESCO : Addressing complex interrelated water challenges within the context of global change required sound science translated in methodologies and tools for shaping and implementing coherent policies for sustainable and climate-resilient water management. As water connects various agendas, it is part of the solutions in achieving these agendas including agenda 2030, Paris agreement, Sendai framework, and new urban agenda. Examples of tools and methodologies and related applications will be presented including among others bottom-up approaches, floods, and droughts early warning systems, City Blueprint Framework (CBF).

Nicolas Franke, Water and Climate Coalition Secretariat, WMO: Water-related data and information are the foundation for smart decision-making to help the world achieve the SDGs and meet global climate commitments. We need data to understand where, how much, and in what quality water is and will be available. We need the information to know where and how our actions will support access to the precious resource and ensure a transition to clean energy, food security, and climate-smart cities. Political will and resources are key to bringing together water-related data and information to secure the future of our people and planet.

Ms Burcu Calli, Expert, Turkish Water Institute (SUEN), Turkey: Understanding the Interlinkages Between Water and Migration: Challenges related to migration and water are interlinked in complex ways in the face of global climate change and various other global changes. Water risks can be one driver among many and also may trigger economic and social drivers of migration/displacement in different ways. There is an obvious need to understand these interlinkages to develop sufficient adaptation/response policies which will eventually benefit both sending and receiving communities/countries and migrants/refugees themselves. Water professionals, scientists, and policymakers need to pay more attention to migration as future policy work.

 Ms Karishma Asoodani, Youth delegate, World Water Council: Youth strategy in the global dialogue on Climate change.

Matthias Berninger, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Sustainability, Bayer

Matthias Berninger

Matthias Berninger (born 1971) is a former German politician and member of The Greens from 1993 until 2007.
From 2001 to 2005, Berninger served as Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection under minister Renate Künast in the second cabinet of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. After leaving the government, he was his parliamentary group’s spokesperson on economic policy from 2005 until 2007.
Since 2019, Berninger has been serving as head of public and government affairs at Bayer.