Room 4

This session by the Korea Water Forum and the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea will share the latest solutions for carbon-neutral smart water management, and provide the framework and direction for the regional cooperation and partnership enhancing climate resilience and achieving sustainable development.

Climate change has profund direct implications for water quality and quantity, including droughts and floods, and indirect implications, for instance via forest fires and hurricanes impact on surface and groundwater resources, This session will focus on water-sector adaptation to climate change, with an emphasis on sustainable approaches in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Transboundary water cooperation is one of the bedrocks of international security since it has proven spill over economic and peace benefits beyond the water sector. It is thus important to advance cooperation on shared water resources to promote peace. One of the well-tested and tried ways of advancing water cooperation is through the establishment and implementation of legal frameworks for transboundary water resources.

There is growing evidence that water scarcity, changes in precipitation patterns and extreme weather events combined with socioeconomic vulnerabilities are driving migration and displacement. In 2016, climate and water-related disasters were responsible for displacing 23.5 million people. Closing the knowledge gaps by gathering statistics, data and information on migration and its drivers, is key to support evidence-based policies, programmes and investments to tackle migration.

There are large opportunities on the migration-water nexus in rural areas – for example through the development of green and decent employment projects, especially for the empowerment of women and youth, the inclusion of migrants and the sustainability of water resources, both in the territories of origin and destination. The session will explore how adapted and coherent policies can help us realize these opportunities.

Diffuse pollution and food losses are increasingly frequent and have a negative impact on the reduction of poverty and hunger in our countries. Their reduction will contribute to the improvement of producers' income, to the contribution to food security and to the creation of employment.

Rural Transformation (RT), involves rising agricultural productivity,
increasing commercialization and marketable surpluses, and diversification of
production patterns and livelihoods. It also involves expanded decent off-farm
employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, better rural coverage and access to
services and infrastructure, and greater access to, and capacity to influence, relevant
policy processes.

WASH advocates from across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East will convene to discuss and debate best, worst, and promising practices in advocating for WASH in healthcare facilities and schools. How are advocates working with political leadership in their countries and communities to accelerate progress on WASH access? What are the challenges encountered, and what are the keys to successful advocacy?

Action Idea #3 has been divided into three projects: (1) Strengthening the enabling policy environment for safely managed sanitation; (2) Promote wide adoption of sanitation as a utility service and (3) Demonstration of emerging commercial to advance sanitation. Achieving sustainable sanitation requires combined efforts from multiple partners. Sessions under this action idea shall convene government stakeholders, regulators, private sector, and civil society actors.