Simposio Internacional sobre "Nuevas orientaciones en la gestión del agua en zonas urbanas"

La UNESCO convoca al Simposio Internacional sobre "Nuevas orientaciones en la gestión del agua en zonas urbanas" a realizarse en Paris - Francia del 12 al 14 de septiembre del 2007.

Este simposio tiene los objetivos de: (1) reunir a expertos de renombre internacional en materia de gestión de aguas urbanas con el fin de discutir sobre nuevos conceptos, perspectivas y tecnologías que permitan abordar problemas relacionados con el agua en zonas urbanas en diversos contextos, abarcando países tanto desarrollados como en vías de desarrollo; (2) intercambiar ideas sobre nuevas tendencias de la gestión del agua en zonas urbanas, así como proponer recomendaciones para la formulación de nuevas estrategias y componentes de implementación, tales como guías y herramientas pedagógicas; y (3) presentar y distribuir los resultados y conclusiones del Programa de Gestión del Agua en Zonas Urbanas de la 6taa fase del PHI y recoger opiniones de los participantes respecto a su aplicabilidad, vacíos y posibles ampliaciones.

Second Circular -
Call for registration

Background

Over half of the world’s population will live in cities by year 2010, a large
part in an increasing number of megacities. Urban water problems
are growing more complex and acute all over the globe. Widespread
mismanagement of water resources, growing competition for the use
of freshwater, degraded sources heighten the depth of these problems,
which are likely to be increased under the looming effects of the climate
change and variability. Cities in the developed world face critical
challenges such as: lack of basic water supply and sanitation, aging
infrastructure, a degrading environment and vulnerability to extreme
events. In the urban environment in developing countries, providing
improved access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, as called
for by the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals), now commands a
greater sense of urgency and is seen as a necessary pre-condition for
health and success in the fi ght against poverty, hunger, infant mortality
and gender inequality. These problems can only be addressed
properly through a concerted effort which involves scientific, social
and institutional approaches. New paradigms for improved urban
water management are emerging – refl ecting integrated management
of all components, and emphasizing demand management
(more effi cient water use and reuse), implementation of more
environmental friendly and energy effi cient technologies and solutions

adapted to the particular physical and socio-economic settings.

The International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO has
an active and continuously evolving programme aimed at the
development of approaches, tools, guidelines and capacity
building means to allow cities to assess their urban water
situation and to adopt more effective urban water management
strategies and practices. During the Fifth Phase of IHP (1997-2001)
a number of management issues were addressed, culminating in
a major event, in the International Symposium on “Frontiers in
Urban Water Management: Deadlock or Hope?” held in Marseille,
France, on 18-20 June 2001. During the Sixth Phase of IHP (2002-2007), an ample scope of work extending an integrated approach
was carried out through nine urban water management projects.

Objectives of the Symposium

• Bringing together leading international urban water management
  experts to discuss new concepts, approaches and technologies for dealing with urban water problems under various settings, covering both industrialized and developing countries.


• Exchange of ideas for new directions in urban water management, as well as drawing recommendations for the formulation of new strategies and implementation elements such as guidelines and educational tools.


• Presentation and delivery of the results and outputs of the IHP-VI
  Urban Water Management Programme (UWMP) and gathering feedback
  from the participants regarding their applicability, gaps and possible extensions. These elements will also feed the design of the next phase of IHP-VII (2008-2013).