High-level event discusses the key role of water in building a more resilient and sustainable Post-COVID-19 world

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On Friday, 25 June, the fifth “United Nations Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters” will take place. Under the theme “Building Back Better towards More Resilient and Sustainable Post-COVID-19 World” high-level speakers will address the issue of “water and disasters” as critical element in achieving sustainable development. Register now to attend the event virtually!

Countries all over the world are battling the social and economic repercussions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development have been disrupted by the pandemic, threats of water-related disasters remain as imminent now as before COVID-19. The fifth “United Nations Special Thematic Session on Water and Disasters” therefore aims at globally raising awareness on water and disasters, and at promoting action for building back better towards more resilient and sustainable societies in the post-COVID-19 era.

The session is the world’s highest-level event on the issue of “water and disasters”. In line with GRoW’s contributions to the UN Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) event in February 2021 as well as to the Water Dialogues for Results – Science and Research Forum in May 2021, water is thus being acknowledged as a crucial element in building a sustainable future.

Co-hosts for the session are Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Tajikistan, High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters (HELP), and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) of Japan. The focus will lay on sharing experiences and promoting action towards a more sustainable, resilient, and climate adaptive post-COVID-19 world. This includes concrete steps towards accelerating the implementation of SDGs and other internationally agreed agendas.

GRoW Steering Committee member and former UNSGAB Chair Dr Uschi Eid will deliver key thematic messages in the plenary session. During the high-level panel discussion, Thomas Stratenwerth from German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) will summarise the results of the Water Dialogues for Results – Bonn 2021. Please find the full programme with additional information here.

The official invitation to the event is available for download here. To attend the virtual event, please sign up using this registration form by Friday, 18 June.