SIWI Urges Negotiators to Hydrate the Climate Agreement

STOCKHOLM, Aug. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

World Water Week closed on Friday, with SIWI urging climate negotiators to ensure that water is thoroughly integrated in the global 2015 climate agreement. 

World Water Week - themed Water for Development - had 3,300 participants from 125 countries, representing governments, academia, civil society, international organizations, the private sector, and many others. Both World Water Week and Stockholm Water Prize celebrated its 25^th jubilee.

SIWI's Executive Director Torgny Holmgren summarized the voices of the Week when he said: "water is what binds together all the aspects of climate change. Climate change is water change."

The impact of climate change is felt through water, with flooding, erratic rain patterns, pro-longed droughts, and other extreme weather events.

Sweden's Minister for Climate and Environment and Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Asa Romson, echoed SIWI's message: "If waters are not managed properly and water resources management is not well integrated in climate efforts, climate impacts will have a significant effect on our societies - it is a challenge for all countries."

Dr Benedito Braga, Secretary of State for Sanitation and Water Resources for the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil and President of the World Water Council, said that "Water security is probably the greatest human challenge of this century."

In a passionate plea to negotiators in Paris, the President of Marshall Islands, Christopher J Loeak, said he was not sure if he dared hope for the strongest possible wording in the climate agreement, but said he expected the world to make a historic pledge that would not only save his country, but also the world.

"It is of utmost importance to integrate and address water in the global climate discourse and this World Water Week has been an important platform for such collaborative discussions towards Paris," Minister Asa Romson concluded.

During the Week, three prizes were awarded. The Stockholm Industry Water Award was given to the Colorado-based company CH2M. The Stockholm Junior Water Prize was awarded to Perry Alagappan from USA, by H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. The Stockholm Water Prize was given to Rajendra Singh by H.M. Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden.

Photos and video: http://www.siwi.org/mediahub
About Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) http://www.siwi.org
About World Water Week: http://www.worldwaterweek.org
Press resources: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/pressroom

Contact: Britt-Louise Andersson, Communications Director, SIWI, britt-louise.andersson@siwi.org