22 March 2017
Laxenburg, Austria
World Water Day
World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about taking action to tackle the water crisis.
This year´s theme of World Water Day is "Why wastewater?" and tries to raise awareness on ideas and solutions of how to reduce and reuse water instead of wasting it. As an international global research institution IIASA itself develops solutions to these concerns globally, regionally and locally, based on high-end groundbreaking research.
This year IIASA is organizing three events to celebrate World Water Day
- 17 March 2017 Water-Energy Nexus Game
- 22 March 2017 Water at IIASA - Lunch & Learn
- 22 March 2017 Wastewater treatment plant visit
Please note that these activities are internal and are for IIASA staff members only.
World Water Day events at IIASA
FAST FACTS
Why is World Water Day Important?
Today, there are over 663 million people living without a safe water supply close to home, spending countless hours queuing or trekking to distant sources, and coping with the health impacts of using contaminated water.Why is Waste Water important?
Globally, the vast majority of all the wastewater from our homes, cities, industry and agriculture flows back to nature without being treated or reused – polluting the environment which in turn pollutes water supplies and farm land.What has Water to do with the UN SDGs?
Water is covered by the Sustainable Development Goals, within Sustainable Development Goal 6. The target is to halve the proportion of untreated wastewater and increase water recycling and safe reuse.What other fact should i know about wastewater?
Download the World Water Day 2017 Factsheet and learn more
17 March - Water-Energy Nexus Game at IIASA
11:00 - 14:00: Play the new Water-Energy Nexus Game
We start celebrating World Water Day on 17 March 2017 by organizing the first Water-Energy Nexus Game at IIASA.
The game addresses the key water-energy nexus issues such as reducing the water footprint of energy and food production, maintaining wetlands ecosystem services, and trans-boundary basin management challenges from the perspective of Southern African countries.
Why Gaming Activities? As the world is becoming more and more complex, and the future more and more uncertain, new tools arise to develop and implement solutions. Building on a broad range of systems models that IIASA is using to address global challenges, serious games and simulations strengthen the human dimension and outreach potential. These games are made not to escape from reality – but to improve it. More information can be found here.
22 March - Water at IIASA - Lunch & Learn
12.00 - 13.30: Movie, poster show & discussions
Opportunity to learn more about IIASA´s Water program.
Water program posters presented:
22 March 2017 Wastewater treatment plant excursion
14.00 - 15.00: On-site visit and tour around water treatment plant in Laxenburg (IIASA)
On topic with this years theme of Waste Water, join us for a unique experience to learn about what happens to the water after it goes down your sink or toilet.
Wastewater treatment plant I © Marktgemeinde Laxenburg
Games
If you are not an IIASA staff member and would like to get involved in World Water Day 2017, why not play a water game? Together with the Centre for Systems Solutions IIASA collected a broad range of water-related games. These games are designed to explore barriers and solutions to achieving clean and accessible water for all. Games can provide exciting ways to bring people’s attention and raise awareness about water issues. Further information, resources and how to get involved are included at the bottom of this page. Find a game that is interesting for you, invite your friends to play under Games 4 Sustainability.
IIASA and UN-Water
UN-Water, responsible for the annual World Water Day as well as for the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Life’ has as its primary goal to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water related issues and is composed of member representatives of 31 United Nations organizations that work on water issues and 38 other, non-UN organizations which are partners in UN-Water.
Via the Water Futures and Solutions (WFaS) Initiative IIASA has had a close partnership with UN Water since 2013. They strongly support the Water program´s efforts in contributing to the well-being of the world through scientific analyses to identify solutions that can ensure water security which is essential to sustainable development, and in the near term to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030).
As an interagency entity of the United Nations, endorsed in 2003 for the follow-up process of the 2002 , UN-Water strengthens coordination among UN agencies and improves the cooperation between relevant governing bodies and development organizations that work on all aspects of freshwater and sanitation considering surface and groundwater resources, the interface between freshwater and seawater and water-related disasters.
Resources
- UN WATER for World Water Day 2017
- Presentation (Angela Morelli): Water Footprint
- Short film “The story of bottled water”
- Movie "When the water ends"
- 65 films (short and long) on water and sanitation: H20 Films
FAO Infographics
- Make #NotWasting a way of life
- Food security & climate benefits through nationally appropriate mitigation actions in agriculture
- How much water is needed to produce...?
- Soils store and filter water - Improving food security and our resilience to floods and droughts
- The world is thirsty because it is hungry
- Understanding water scarcity
- Water needed for food production
- Water use efficiency
CONTACT DETAILS
Research Scholar Water Security Research Group - Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program
Research Scholar Equity and Justice Research Group - Population and Just Societies Program
Senior Guest Research Scholar Water Security Research Group - Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program
WFaS Reports
Learn more about the latest research findings from the Water Futures and Solutions Initiative
PUBLICATIONS