United Nations 2023 Water Conference: discover INBO's report

In its report, INBO presents the key messages, commitments and recommendations that it brought to the United Nations Water Conference of 2023 to inform the debate on the challenges of water management by and for basins, in a context of climate change and increased pressure on the resource.

It shared its analyses, its knowledge, its experiences and the solutions tested by its 192 members around the key topic of water management at the level of basins, such as: Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), joint management of groundwater and surface water, protection of biodiversity and aquatic environments, risk management, transboundary cooperation, city-basin dialogue, technical and natural innovations (spatial hydrology, Nature-based Solutions).

INBO intervened on all these topics during about fourteen parallel events. It was also able to highlight the following initiatives:

• the Dakar Action Plan, for the basins of lakes, rivers and aquifers, gathers 81 signatories in 50 countries and aims at affirming the role of basin organizations, strengthening institutional frameworks, especially for transboundary basins, and long-term financing.
• the "Water and Nature" Declaration, with already 100 signatories in 27 countries, calls for greater coherence between policies on water management and biodiversity conservation. It aims to link the water and environment communities for greater recognition of the inseparability of water security and ecological security.
• the Coalition for Transboundary Water Cooperation is a multi-stakeholder partnership of 40 stakeholders (governments, international and civil society organisations, etc.) that aims to demonstrate the benefits of transboundary water cooperation for both upstream and downstream countries and to foster concrete commitments.
• the Water and Climate Incubator to help new project leaders from around the world to develop and bring to life their projects.

46 years after the Mar del Plata conference in 1977, the 2023 UN Water Conference provided an opportunity for the entire water community to participate in constructive meetings, renew physical dialogues and strengthen ties with partners. The announcements made at the end of the discussions offer encouraging prospects for accelerating international cooperation and strengthening sustainable water resources management in a joint effort.