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News, November 2012

Alcoa Foundation Program Responsible Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development

On November 7, 2012, under the Alcoa Foundation Responsible Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development Program, the staff of the Institute of Water Problems at the Russian Academy of Sciences and of the Fund for Sustainable Development took part in two round tables – “Efficient Water Management: Challenges, Objectives and Solutions” and “The Future of Water in Russia and the World” – that were part of the 2012 Clean Water Third International Forum/Exhibition.

At this forum, a whole range of issues related to rational water resources management was discussed by over 150 representatives from the Federal Water Resources Agency, regional water basin authorities, research institutes, universities, businesses and NGOs from over 10 regions of Russia. A total of 1,500 participants from Russia and 12 other countries attended the forum.

Members of the Program team spoke about its activities in Moscow and Samara; shared information about guidelines developed as part of the Program and communication channels for their dissemination;  handed over to partner stakeholders an overview and recommendations on water management on a federal level and a model of sustainable water resources management on a community level; and submitted a proposal to Round Table Guidelines concerning the technique of using partnership programs (on the example of Alcoa Foundation Program) for optimizing feedback among government organizations and society and businesses and the non-profit sector.

Director of the Institute of Water Problems, Vladimir Danilov-Danilyan, noted in his presentations that there could only be one approach to managing water resources in the country proceeding from its specifics and complexity: trial and error with feedback based on hydrological, environmental, economic and social monitoring.

Samara is another location for communicating the guidelines of the Program and turning them into actionable solutions. Thus, in October and November 2012, five seminars were organized for businesses (instead of the four planned), which attests to their significance and popularity. These educational events keep up the interest of professionals in water saving issues. Thus, if in 2011, the 8 seminars held during that year were joined by 165 attendees from 60 organizations, in 2012 the same number of events was joined by 200 attendees from 120 organization, which means that 365 professionals from 120 organizations in Samara Oblast, having become beneficiaries of the Program, are applying their new knowledge and skills to addressing water resources and conservation challenges on a regional and community level.

At 10 various communications events held in Russia in 2012, Program participants have acquainted over 750 persons with proposals and recommendations on how to improve water resources management.

 

Partners of the Alcoa Foundation Responsible Water Management for Sustainable Development Program at a round table “Efficient Water Management: Challenges, Objectives and Solutions” held in the framework of the 2012 Clean Water Third International Forum/Exhibition in Moscow

 

 

Professor Danilov-Danilyan, director of the Institute of Water Problems at the Russian Academy of Sciences and research supervisor of the Responsible Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development Program makes a key-note presentation