International Day for Biological Diversity 2013 will focus on Water

The International Day for Biological Diversity, celebrated every year on 22 May, is a special occasion to reflect on the role of biodiversity for our lives. In 2013 the theme for the day is Water and Biodiversity in recognition of the United Nations designation of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.

This year's theme speaks to the important role of biodiversity and ecosystems in providing for water security, and therefore for sustainable development. Water sustains all life on Earth. The ecosystems of our world, but particularly forests and wetlands, ensure that clean water is available to human communities. Water in turn underpins all ecosystem services. Wetlands can help reduce risks from flooding. Restoring soils can reduce erosion and pollution and can increase water available for crops. Protected areas can assist in providing water to cities. Biodiversity is here to help, as a sustainable solution, let's the world know about it!

>> Booklet: Natural solutions for water security

NEWS

At UN debate experts weigh clean energy, water strategies to halt 'runaway' climate change

16 May 2013 – With dire warnings likely to match or exceed the worst fears about the effects of global warming, environment and development experts gathered today at UN Headquarters to debate the twin challenge of curbing climate change while sustaining economic growth. "The fundamental challenge of our time is to end extreme poverty in this generation and significantly narrow the global gap between rich and poor without ruin the environmental basis for our survival," General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic said as he opened the UN General Assembly Thematic Debate 'Sustainable Development and Climate Change: Practical Solutions in the Energy-Water Nexus'.
>> Mr. Jeremic's address at the opening

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Private sector must engage in disaster risk reduction to avoid economic losses

15 May 2013 – The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) launched today the latest Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR13). Entitled Creating Shared Value: the Business Case for Disaster Risk Reduction, the report, which carried out reviews of disaster losses in 56 countries, found that direct losses from floods, earthquakes and drought have been underestimated by at least 50 per cent. In this century alone, losses from disasters amount to some $2.5 trillion.

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2.4 billion people will lack improved sanitation in 2015

13 May 2013 – Some 2.4 billion people – one-third of the world's population – will remain without access to improved sanitation in 2015, according to a joint WHO/UNICEF report issued today. The report, entitled Progress on sanitation and drinking-water 2013 update, warns that, at the current rate of progress, the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of halving the proportion of the 1990 population without sanitation will be missed by 8% – or half a billion people.

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UN Chronicle highlights water cooperation issues

2 May 2013 – The 1st issue of 2013 of the UN Chronicle focuses on the theme of water cooperation. Articles in the magazine address water cooperation in the context of cross-cutting issues such as development goals, women and agriculture, integrated water resources management (IWRM), and private sector involvement. The Chronicle examines both freshwater and ocean cooperation issues.

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New World Water Development Report's themes announced

30 April 2013 – With the recent change introduced to the UN World Water Development Report (WWDR), this UN-Water flagship report will become annual and thematic with a focus on different strategic water issues each year. The 1st annual WWDR, WWDR5, will be published in 2014 and will address the theme "Water and Energy". The 6th edition of WWDR, which will be launched in 2015, will focus on "Water and Sustainable Development". The report's themes will be harmonized with those of World Water Day, celebrated each 22 March.

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>> Archived news stories

EVENTS

2013 Budapest Water Summit: The Role of Water and Sanitation in the Global Sustainable Development Agenda

Organizers: Government of Hungary in collaboration with the World Water Council and UNESCO
Date: 8-11 October 2013
Place: Budapest, Hungary

The objective of this high-level summit is to take stock of the various developments, in and outside the UN system, in preparing water-related goals for the post Rio+20 development agenda. The expected outcome is one overarching SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on water and sanitation that corresponds and responds to multidimensional challenges.

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Water Integrity Forum

Organizers: Water Integrity Forum, UNESCO-IHE, Water Governance Centre
Date: 5-7 June 2013
Place: Delft, The Netherlands

Improving water integrity means working with preventive measures to promote transparency, accountability and participation in water. Lessons have already been learnt from this preventive work, and tools have already been tested and applied. The main objectives of this forum are to take stock of progress in addressing corruption issues in the water sector; to share knowledge, approaches and experiences; and to build alliances to address integrity challenges in the water sector.

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2nd meeting of the International Steering Committee of the on Water Cooperation

Organizers: Government of Tajikistan in collaboration with UN agencies
Date: 4-5 June 2013
Place: Dushanbe, Tajikistan

In preparation of the High-Level Conference on Water Cooperation which will take place in Dushanbe on 20-21 August 2013, the Steering Committee will meet to discuss and agree on the final draft of the conference program; decide on key sessions' speakers, moderators and chairs; and make suggestions for the zero draft of the outcome document. The main objective of this Conference is to contribute to the improvement of water cooperation, in particular at transboundary level, by promoting successful policies, best practices and wider public participation, and encouraging policy makers to promote water cooperation at all levels in order to achieve internationally agreed goals on water.

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3rd session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals

Date: 22-24 May 2013
Place: United Nations HQ, New York, USA

The 3rd session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals is expected to discuss the issues of food security and nutrition, sustainable agriculture, drought, desertification, and land degradation for one and a half days, and water and sanitation for the other one and a half days. Sessions will be broadcasted live through the UN webcast.

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Strengthening Partnerships Towards Disaster Risk Reduction For Small Island Developing States

Organizers: United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS)
Date: 21 May 2013
Place: Geneva, Switzerland

Small island developing States (SIDS) are widely recognized as being highly prone to both natural and man-made hazards. In light of the interrelated and complex reality SIDS face, vis-à-vis disaster risk, this event aims to draw upon national and regional experiences through the perspectives of political leaders, experts and stakeholders in various aspects pertaining to the disaster risk reduction agenda for SIDS.

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>> Archived events stories