World Water Forum Adopts New Agenda For River Basin Management To Achieve SDGs

Participants of the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) have agreed on the "Bali Basin Action Champions Agenda," a new commitment aimed at supporting river basin management to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as reported by the Indonesian news agency ANTARA.

"All participants in this segment welcomed this decision to further consolidate river basin management as a political priority by continuing to include river basin issues in high-level political segments," said Eric Tardieu, Secretary General of the International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO), in Badung, Bali, on Friday.

The agenda includes collaborative steps such as the launch of the Twin Basin Initiative (TBI), a global program for capacity building and experience exchange between organizations working on integrated water resources management (IWRM) at both national and international levels. Tardieu informed that TBI will support joint capacity-building activities, including webinars, face-to-face exchanges, and study visits, as well as global learning dissemination through peer-to-peer and community-level interactions.

At the opening of Basin Segment Day, Minister of Public Works and Public Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono, emphasized that collaboration is essential for successful basin or river area management. "Basin Segment Day is a valuable opportunity to discuss the next steps to increase cooperation and exchange experiences regarding basin management," he added.

The 10th World Water Forum was held in Nusa Dua, Bali, from May 18–25, 2024. The forum focused on water conservation, clean water and sanitation, food and energy security, and natural disaster mitigation. A total of 244 water-related discussion sessions were expected to offer concrete results on global water management.

The forum produced several ministerial declaration points that have been ratified. At least 106 countries and 27 international organisations have joined the declaration. The declaration covers the establishment of a center of excellence on water and climate security to develop capacity and utilize superior facilities.

Additionally, the declaration includes a proposal to designate World Lakes Day to highlight lakes as a crucial water source supporting humans, besides their social and economic functions. The commemoration of World Lakes Day aims not just to be symbolic but to become one of the main keys to preserving lakes globally.

Concrete Actions and Financial Commitments

A concrete action compendium covering 113 projects in the water and sanitation sector worth US$9 billion has also been ratified at the forum. These projects are expected to significantly impact global water management efforts.

With inputs from WAM