Brasília to host world forum on water resources for next generations

In less than a hundred days from now, the biggest international forum aimed at discussing water resources available worldwide is to be held in the Brazilian capital. The 8th World Water Forum is expected to draw 30 thousand people from March 18 to 23, 2018.

First held in 1997 by the World Water Council shortly after its foundation, in Marseille, France, the forum takes place every three years and was never before hosted by a country in the Southern Hemisphere. Seven editions were held in Africa, America, Asia, and Europe.

In an interview with Agência Brasil, Glauco Kimura, coordinator for one of the forum committees, explains that the meeting will seek alternative solutions to ensure the availability of water for the upcoming generations.

“We are working with three goals: raise society's awareness about water, exchange experiences—which is fantastic—and bring about a favorable political environment,” he said.

This is not a politically engaged forum, he says. Unlike most international conventions on climate and biodiversity, where countries commit to meet certain goals, the idea this time is to urge not only government authorities, but also members of society to commit to the cause.

Topics for debate

Discussions will be divided into five axles: Thematic Process, Regional Process, Political Process, Sustainability Focus Group, and Citizen Forum.

Kimura chairs the committee for Thematic Forum, charged with the forum's program, put together by representatives from different water-related associations. He said that the committee was formed in accordance with the standards set in the first forum, in Morocco.

“We're designing a program made up of sessions for each one of the processes that provide the forum with its content,” he noted.

In sessions under Regional Process, water will be considered from the perspective of each region of the world. In the Political Process, the goal is to “encourage local political authorities—Congress members, mayors, governors—to take part in water-related activities and meetings.”

Sustainability is a new axle in the agenda and is expected to introduce the discussion on the social, economic, and environmental importance of water, as well as on the development of more sustainable management models.

Also among the novelties is the Citizen Forum, designed to allow the public in attendance to join the debate.

The presence of a number of representatives from across the globe at the 8th World Water Forum, Glauco Kimura says, will make it possible to further drum up the attention given to the issue since the World Water Council was created, in 1996: “People need to be reminded that no one can live without water.”

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira