Event description
The Geneva Water Hub’s Platform for International Water Law, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and DiploFoundation are pleased to invite you to, ‘Implementing the Water Convention: A look at the results of the first reporting exercise’. This event is organised within the framework of the Distance Learning Course on ‘International Water Law & The Law of Transboundary Aquifers’ delivered through the Continuing Education and e-Learning Centre of the University of Geneva.
The eighth session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (the Water Convention) took place from the 10th to the 12th of October 2018 in Astana (Kazakhstan). This MOP was the first one held in Asia. Around 90 countries, parties and non-parties to the Convention participated. During the meeting, more than 15 countries from outside the Pan-European region announced their interest to accede to the Convention. This event aims at presenting some insights on the 2018 MOP of the Water Convention focusing on the results of the first reporting exercise on the implementation of the Convention.
In accordance with the Decision VII.2, adopted in 2015 at the seventh session of the MOP to the Water Convention, a pilot reporting exercise started in 2017. The introduction of a reporting mechanism marks an important milestone in the Convention’s evolution. For the first time, parties have a mechanism to systematically review the implementation of the Convention on a regular basis. Moreover, states that are either in the process of accession or are considering accession to the Water Convention might also benefit from the reporting exercise as it provides an insight into what implementation of the Water Convention entails.
The ‘Report on Implementation of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes‘ offers a synthesis of all national reports submitted during the pilot reporting exercise. A further benefit of Reporting under the Water Convention is that it supports reporting under sustainable development goal (SDG) indicator 6.5. for which UNECE and UNESCO have been designated as ‘custodian agencies’. During the 2018 MOP, parties and non-parties shared their experience on reporting under the Water Convention and under SDG indicator 6.5.2. The results on the first reporting exercise on SDG indicator 6.5.2 were presented (see Progress on transboundary water cooperation: Global baseline for SDG indicator 6.5.2). Participants discussed how to address gaps and strengthen transboundary water co-operation worldwide, also on the basis of the Water Convention.
When: Friday, 23rd November 2018 , 13:00 to 14:00 CET (12:00 – 13:00 UTC)
Programme
Dr Mara Tignino – Reader and Coordinator of the Platform for International Water Law/Geneva Water Hub, Faculty of Law and Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva.
The Water Convention: normative and institutional aspects
Ms Chantal Demilecamps – Environmental Affairs Officer, Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.
The results of the first reporting exercise under the Water Convention and on SDG indicator 6.5.2.
13:30-14:00 – Q & A
