UNESCO Chair on Water Security

Today, water systems are faced with several challenges, which can be categorized as technical, institutional, political, financial and information-related. These challenges are compounded by global and regional change pressures and associated risks and uncertainties. Water security is an increasing concern particularly to the developing world, considering population growth, uncontrolled urban expansion, increased water infrastructure decay, land use changes, water quality degradation, growing impact of extreme hydrological events and other effects of global change.

In effectively dealing with complex, rapid environmental and demographical changes and challenges, holistic, multidisciplinary and environmentally sound approaches to water resources management and protection policy need to be sought to attain sustainability. Furthermore, the deterioration of hydraulic infrastructure is requiring a level of investment which poses a challenge even to developing countries and is critically impacting the sustainability of water security enterprises and operations.

Despite these challenges, there are opportunities to be tapped effectively to transform unsustainable water systems to sustainable. Some of the key opportunities include: strategic planning processes, integrated water management, sustainable, flexible and resilient technologies, emerging economic development, emerging urban centers in developing countries and green economy (UNESCO IHP Strategy, 2012).

Read more about IHP-VIII: Water Security or learn more on the challenges and actions undertaken by UNESCO to attain water security by visiting the UNESCO Water Portal.

The mission of the UNESCO Chair on Water Security at the FIU Institute of Environment is to bring together university-wide research and educational programs to address regional, national and global water security issues, through innovative interdisciplinary research and partnerships for sustainability. This statement coincides with UNESCO's Mission Statement in reference to the pursuit of sustainable development and poverty eradication through education, the sciences, knowledge and information sharing. In addition, operating within the FIU gender equality policy, while the implementation of activities will be in an equitable manner including both men and women, special attention will be devoted to incorporate women in all activities of the programmatic agenda of the Chair.

The long-term development objective of the Chair is to contribute to sustainable development goals by supporting equitable availability and sustainable management of water.

Specific short-term objectives:

• Coordinate and contribute to research, science and technology development, innovation and policies related to sustainable water security.
• Foster national and international scientific cooperation and integrated scientific approaches to managing and conserving water resources.
• Build human and institutional capacity at all levels to support sustainable water security.
• Advocate for, strengthen, and participate in global partnerships to bridge the science-policy interface.

• Nile Talk Forums | 2020-present
• Navigating the Complexities of Compound, Multihazard, and Cascading Events Impacts on Water Security | November 21, 2024
• Water Security For a Sustainable Future | October 18-20, 2023
• Water Information Summit XIV | Date: December 8-9, 2021
• Validation Workshop: Study of the Participation of Women in Water Management in Communities of Cundinamarca, Colombia | Date: October 1, 2021
• Global Water Security Forum: Challenges from a Gender Perspective | Date: March 8, 2021
• Cybersecurity for Water Security in the Era of COVID-19 | Date: October 21, 2020
• 2020 International Conference on the Nile and Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam: Science, Conflict Resolution and Cooperation | Date: August 20-21, 2020
• Global Water Security Forum w/ FIU SIPA & Institute of Environment | Date: January 29, 2020
• 2018 Water and Environment Security Conference | Date: Sept. 17-18, 2018

• Proceso Regional de Las Américas Foro Mundial del Agua (2018) | Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo | November 2018
• Informe de Resultados - Participacion de la Mujer en la Gestions del Agua en Areas Rurales de Cundinamarca, Colombia