UNESCO-Chairs Webinar for World Water Day 2024 on “Water for Prosperity and Peace”

UNESCO-Chairs Webinar  for World Water Day 2024 on “Water for Prosperity and Peace”
21 March 2024

การประชุมออนไลน์ ยูเนสโก แชร์ เนื่องในวันน้ำโลก ๒๕๖๗ เรื่อง “น้ำเพื่อความมั่งคั่งและสันติภาพ”
วันที่ ๒๑ มีนาคม ๒๕๖๗

Introduction

In the past decades, world demand for water has increased and the signs of a looming water crisis are clearly evident.  Since water is essential to every aspect of life, the crisis affects everything – from health to human rights, the environment to the economy, poverty to politics, and culture to conflict.  The crisis is also well beyond the scope of any individual or sector and cannot be dealt with in isolation.  The need for integrated and cooperative mechanisms, institutions, and solutions for shared water resources to become a catalyst to efficiently manage disputes over water for regional peace and development through  inclusive participative management of water resources is necessary.

Objectives

  • To gather water sector representatives involving various stakeholders from all levels, including policy multilateral institutions, academia, scientific communities, international organizations and development agencies, public administration, civil society, and private sectors.
  • To promote interactions; share knowledge, experiences, and best practices regarding existing and future water challenges; and booster cooperation under water for prosperity and peace development concept.

Tentative Program

UN-CU World Water Day Webinar   March 21, 2024
Opening Session: UNESCO Bangkok Director and
Dean of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University (13.30-13.45)   
Session 1: Policy (13.45-14.45)    
1. Thailand “Data Driven Solutions in Thailand Water Management and Policy Addressing Hydrological Changes for Uncertain Future” 
By Dr.Somkiat Prajamwong
Senior Expert, National Water Resources Committee, Thailand.
Former Secretary General, Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), Thailand.
2 Indonesia “National Water Policy Security : Problem and Challenges Scoping”
Prof. Dr. Ignasius D.A. Sutapa, MSc 
Asia Pacific Centre for Ecohydrology 
(APCE) - UNESCO C2C, Indonesia 
3  Malaysia  “Water Resources Sustainability and Innovation in Malaysia”
Ir.  Dr. Tan Woon Yang
Humid Tropics Centre KL (HTC KL), Malaysia.
Session Q&A and Discussion
Session 2: Asia  (14.45-15.45)
1 China “Our recent study for water shortage development in last 100 years in Central Asia and Aral Sea” 
by  Professor Yonghui Yang 
Center for Agricultural Research, IGDB
Chinese Academy, China
2 Japan  “How we are renovating infrastructures like dams to maintain water resources and flood control capacity “
By Professor Dr. Nasu Seigo
 Dean, School of Management
Kochi University of Technology, Japan.
3 Australia Sponge Cities and the role of NbS in providing multiple benifits”
by Ms. Katharine Cross
 Monash University, Australia
Session Q&A and Discussion
Session 3: ASEAN (Academics and Professionals) (15.45-16.45) 
1 Thailand  “New technology introduced in an irrigation Project to solve water conflict”
By Associate Professor Dr. Sucharit Koontanakulvong
Department of Water Resources Engineering Chulalongkorn University
2 Indonesia “Strengthen water resources management at the micro level to support sustainable renewable energy availability”  
by Dr. Ir. Florentinus Budi
Soegijapranata Catholic University, Indonesia
3  Malaysia “GEC's experiences in River Care Programme In Malaysia through Nature based Solutions (NbS)”
By Dr. Kalithasan Kailasam
 Global Environment Center, Malaysia
Session Q&A and Discussion 
Closing Remarks Dr.  Sucharit Koontanakulvong, UNESCO Chair, Chulalongkorn University (16.45-17.00)    

     
Presentation video clips :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6sKT0-gEus&list=PL2qBZChb2KWLqFsioSl0ks8IordgHD46O

Webinar Report :

UNESCO Chairs Webinar Report

Expected Outputs

  • Support SDG6 achievement.
  • Actual case studies on water management, especially for prosperity, conflict and dispute solving towards peace and cooperation initiative in Asia-Pacific countries.
  • Policy support needed to enhance water prosperity, conflict and despite solving towards peace and cooperation.
  • Embracing potential collaboration among countries in the region and UNESCO Water Family in the focus area of water management. (As of March 6, 24)

 

Under collaborations with

National Research Council of Thailand

Asia Pacific Centre for Ecohydrology

(APCE) - UNESCO C2C, Indonesia and

The Humid Tropics Centre KL (HTC KL), Malaysia.