OPEN WORKSHOP - Fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work (SDG#8) through ICT job creation tools for ensuring water security (SDG#6)

30th September 2016

UNESCO

Room IX

7 Place de Fontenoy, Paris - France

The workshop “Fostering inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work (SDG#8) through ICT job creation tools for ensuring water security (SDG#6)” is an international symposium co-organized by the EU HORIZON 2020 FREEWAT project (www.freewat.eu) and UNESCO (partner of the project) on the occasion of the FREEWAT project mid-term meeting. The project is managed in cooperation with the EU ICT4WATER cluster, USGS, H2020 KINDRA, within the framework of the European Innovation Partnership MAR Solutions - Managed Aquifer Recharge Strategies and Actions (AG128).

In September 2015, member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end poverty and promote prosperity for all while protecting the environment and addressing climate change.

The new 2030 Agenda has water and sanitation at its core, with a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on water and sanitation with clear linkages to other Goals relating to health, food security, climate change, resiliency to disasters and ecosystems, among many others. Achieving the ambitious objectives of the 2030 Agenda demands that we address universal access to drinking water and sanitation along with issues of quality and supply, in tandem with improved water management to protect ecosystems and build resiliency.

The Objectives of the workshop are to discuss how using Information and Communication Technology Tools (ICT) in the water sector may help in reaching the SDG6 related targets with an emphasis on creating synergies with the EU HORIZON 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.

Additionally, the workshop will explore how UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme’s (IHP) Hydro Open-source software Platform of Experts (HOPE) play a concrete role in achieving the SDGs by providing a free and open alternative to the commercially specialized engineering software in the field of hydrology such as Conjunctive Water Management etc.).

The event will encourage linkages between Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all and SDG#8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all with a focus on fostering Innovative Job Creation and building the capacity of Young Water Professionals to facilitate improved adaptation to global change. According to the 2016 United Nations World Water Development Report, Water and Jobs, three out of four of the jobs worldwide are water-dependent. Furthermore, water shortages and lack of access may limit economic growth in the years to come. In many countries water problems are largely due to inadequate human and institutional capacities at different levels, rather than to the scarcity of freshwater resources. There are three main challenges in this area: ‘the insufficient number of adequately trained professionals, the need to extend water education to all stakeholders, and the need to strengthen the quality of education systems at all levels. In some countries, there is a big skills mismatch of skills required and skills available in the water sector. One major reason for the difficulty experienced by employers when filling entry-level positions in the water sector is skill shortages. UNESCO views water Education as instrumental in addressing this gap and in ensuring universal access to water.

Speakers will point out which are the main and more relevant targets that may benefit by massively applying ICT tools and which ICT tools are available to particular sectors of water management. The needs of new ICT tools will also be devised. Through project activities and results presentations it will be possible to examine the state of the art with particular attention to open source and public domain software. The discussions at the event will analyze how the ICT sector in water management may create opportunities for innovative job creation and for young water professionals.

Workshop Agenda

Speaker Presentation