The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Global Water Partnership (GWP) are increasing their long-standing cooperation to strengthen water resource management at a time when climate change, population shifts and environmental degradation are leading to more stress on water supplies and more water-related hazards.
The two organizations signed a Framework Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on strategic collaboration to achieve the objectives of Integrated Water Resources Management. It was signed on 6 June 2019 during a special Hydrological Assembly during the World Meteorological Congress.
“The impacts of climate change are felt through temperature increase and, more significantly, changes in precipitation. There are areas which becoming drier and areas where there is more flooding. This has a major socio-economic and political impact. Thus WMO cooperation with the Global Water Partnership is really important to develop capacity for better management of water resources,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
WMO and GWP have a long history of collaboration and joint initiatives, including integrated programmes on flood and drought management. They champion an integrated, cross-sector approach to water resource management. This is vital because water investments are spread across many institutions and different levels of government. As a result, decisions are often fragmented and conflicting as water use may be covered by ministries such as agriculture, energy or commerce, that do not have water stewardship as their primary concern.
Original source: WMO
Published on 06 June 2019
