Development Alternatives hosted Water trialogue 2047 on World Water Day
Trialogue brings together People & Partnerships for a Peaceful & Prosperous Blue Planet. - At a 27th trilogue2047, the stellar speakers like Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon’ble Member of Parliament; Ms Hyun Hee Ban, Chief, Social Policy, UNICEF India and others focussed upon Water as it connects with “Planet, People, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership” and the impact of water on socio-economic and ecological systems and the urgent need for conservation, restoration, rejuvenation, based on collaborations and partnerships. - The ROUND TABLE on Water for Peace witnessed the participation of 30 water specialists (Corporates, Water Conservationists, Government officials, and International Organisations and like-minded NGO’s) to deliberate on the looming water crises, innovations and policies that intend to enhance water security for the present and future. - The ‘Dastan Goi on Water’ showcased water and it’s connect with various aspects of our life, including behavioural change as an important tool to redefine our relationship with water.
New Delhi : On the eve of World Water Day, Development Alternatives (DA) brought together corporates, Institutions, Individuals, Government officials, environmentalists and multilateral agencies to create a groundswell around water. In the background of escalating water crises both nationally and globally this multi stakeholder platform is the need of the hour. The cross-cutting themes in both the events are to scale and partnerships. This event will serve as a central hub, drawing stakeholders from various sectors to delve into the complex connections between water management and peace building. It actively promotes the sharing of best practices, identification of barriers, and emphasises upon the integral role of community engagement. Acknowledging the crucial influence of national policies and international agreements, the event advocates for innovative and sustainable approaches to water management. A critical plea is made for heightened investment to bolster resilience and foster global collaboration. The overarching goal is to forge impactful partnerships that effectively address shared water challenges and contribute to global peace.
27th trilogue2047
The trialogue threw light on the urgent need to balance people, prosperity issues with specific focus on affordable access to water without compromising on ecological health. The “trialogue2047” brought together key stakeholders on one shared platform. The theme of the 27th trialogue on Water for Planet, People, Prosperity, Peace and Partnerships. Shri Suresh Prabhu, Honourable Member of Parliament, was the keynote speaker of the event. Ms Hyun Hee Ban, Chief, Social Policy, UNICEF India; Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs and Ms Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation were the esteemed guests discussed the need for united efforts to address water-related issues, underscoring the imperative to view water not merely as a vital resource but as a catalyst for global collaboration towards a harmonious and sustainable future.
Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Shri. Suresh Prabhu in his keynote address emphasised on the Scenario of water in 2047 is going to be a challenging one. Too much water is a problem, so is too less of it. By 2047, per capita availability of water would be under severe stress. Climate change is irrevocable – we need to figure out the best way of saving water.
Ms Hyun Hee Ban, Chief, Social Policy, UNICEF India has ensured that water is available in schools and universities because water is an important component within the overall human development, Water touches upon many SDGs from health to education, gender equality. UNICEF with Ministries has ensured that water is available in schools and universities because water is an important component within the overall human development”.
Zeenat Niazi, Senior Vice President, DA Group shared her fresh perspective on the alarming issue of water and its scarcity “Green is the new blue – if you don’t manage green, blue doesn’t stay” “
Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs shared her views on some of the governance challenges for ensuring that water conservation, blue-green issues and demand side management are prioritised in urban planning. She said, “In my experience in the urban sector of a few decades, I have seen a gap. A set of institutions formulate policies, a separate set of them implement them on the ground, and individual “ownership” of ecological resources lies with local communities, while the responsibilities of custodianship are promptly placed on the government. There needs to be contiguity from the government in formulation as well as implementation of policy, whereas local communities need a sense of fiduciary responsibility towards their water resources and need to be given space in conversations around planning and conservation”
Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Tech & Director, HCL Foundation
HCLF – the CSR arm of HCL Tech has taken a systems strengthening approach to water conservation. In a very limited time, we have harvested more than 60 Billion Litres of water and rejuvenated close to 200 water bodies, big and small. We work with rural and urban local bodies to rejuvenate the ‘commons.’ Our afforestation efforts lead to the ‘green’ efforts. We are a Tech company, with a low water footprint, yet water conservation is core to our CSR strategy. We were awarded the National Water Award as Best in Industry for our efforts. Success of these efforts lies in the Public Private Partnerships, Citizens and Volunteer Engagement. Two appeals we have for citizens and government are that we should completely stop touching the ground water, there should be a ban on extracting ground water near water bodies which we are rejuvenating. Other, all water bodies must be marked and notified under law. No urban/rural expansion should be allowed on water bodies. This will enable other corporate to invest in rejuvenation of water since the risk of losing impact will be minimised and they will feel protected. We are in a situation of crisis already. Time to act is NOW! Our publication ‘Water – the essence of life’ which we unveiled at the UN Water Conference, presents several such models which can be upscaled across geographies”
ROUND TABLE
This objective is to unite diverse perspectives through programs, policies, and cultural integration, fostering a commitment to sustainable water practices. The closed door round table had 30 panellists from organisations such as Government of UP, UNDP, IUCN,NGO’s and agencies that work specifically on water such as DA, CEEW, CANSA, TERI, Gurujal, Sehgal Foundation and other. From corporates there were CSR teams of leading corporates. The outcomes of the dialogue while stressing on water scarcity also laid emphasis on social and ecological aspects covering equity in access and intergenerational equity in the water sector. Collaboration and collective action is a public -private-community-academic model will be important to drive the agenda towards efficient water management and to move towards a water positive future.
The themes that were discussed included Exploring interconnectedness, Challenges and barriers to water cooperation, National and International Policies and Frameworks, Financing mechanisms, Innovative approaches and technologies: