GCRF Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub---------

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Title
GCRF Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub---------

CoPED ID
15601fe9-262a-4bd1-8552-84b2f2bc7b18

Status
Active

Funders

Value
£35,525,700

Start Date
Feb. 13, 2019

End Date
May 11, 2024

Description

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A reliable and acceptable quantity and quality of water, and managing water-related risks for all is considered by the United Nations to be "the critical determinant of success in achieving most other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)".

Water is essential for human life, but also necessary for food and energy security, health and well-being, and prosperous economies. However, some 80% of the world's population live in areas with threats to water security; the impacts of which cost $500bn a year. Progress in meeting SDG6 (Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all), has been slow and in May 2018 the United Nations reported that "The world is not on track to achieve SDG6". Improvements that increase access to water or sanitation are undone by pollution, extreme weather, urbanization, over-abstraction of groundwater, land degradation etc.

This is caused by significant barriers that include: (1) Insufficient data to understand social, cultural, environmental, hydrological processes; (2) Existing service delivery / business models are not fit for purpose - costs are too high, and poor understanding of local priorities leads to inappropriate investments; (3) Water governance is fragmented and communities are engage with, and take responsibility for, water security; (4) Pathways to water security are not adaptable and appropriate to local context and values.

These barriers are inherently systemic, and will require a significant international and interdisciplinary endeavour. The GCRF Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub brings together leading researchers from Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia and the UK. Each international partner will host a Water Collaboratory (collaboration laboratories) which will provide a participatory process, open to all stakeholders, to jointly question, discuss, and construct new ideas to resolve water security issues.

Through developing and demonstrating a systems and capacity building approach to better understand water systems; value all aspects of water; and strengthen water governance we will unlock systemic barriers to achieving water security in practice.


More Information

Potential Impact:
The UN estimates the annual costs of damage from flooding, inadequate water quality, sanitation, hygiene, and water scarcity to be US$500 billion. Some 2.1 billion people worldwide lack clean accessible water. By 2025, half of the world's population will be living in water-stressed areas. The ultimate reach of the Hub's research is potentially huge. However, the main immediate beneficiaries are:
- International agencies (e.g. UN Habitat) who shape international policy, monitor SDGs, manage processes such as the World Water Data Initiative;
- Local and national government responsible for improving water security;
- Local NGOs and community groups who represent local citizens' interests in water security;
- Utilities responsible for designing, operating and maintaining water infrastructure;
- Charities and industry (e.g. Oxfam, Arup) who deliver water projects around the world and also influence policy and practice;
- Investors (e.g. World Bank) who can influence financial policy and unlock funding to enable water security;
- Technology SMEs (e.g. EnviroWatch) who are developing innovative technologies e.g. sensors, that have the potential to transform innovation in the water sector; and,
- Professional bodies and networks (e.g. ISPRS, WATERLAT) who set international standards and connect across entire industries or groups, and are able to disseminate to the groups that they represent.

Impact and collaboration with partners will be managed by a dedicated Impacts and Communication Officer, to ensure we maximise opportunities and reach. An International Advisory Board, chaired by Prof. Leo Heller (UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Right to Water and Sanitation), with representatives from key end users will help to steer the research and enhance dissemination and uptake.

Our Pathways to Impact and Theory of Change have been developed in consultation with our project partners, and are organised around five impact priorities:
1. Leading an integrated agenda for Water Security in partner countries through our Water Collaboratories.
2. Catalysing change, building partnerships and international cooperation - to unlock investment and improve integrated water management.
3. Accelerating innovation in water security policy and practice - working with businesses to speed up knowledge transfer.
4. Interdisciplinary research leadership in Water Security - adding value to other international research, and helping to sustain a healthy global research base.
5. Advocacy and education - raising awareness of, and support to tackle, water security issues.

Our Collaboratories provide a key vehicle for impact as they convene relevant water security stakeholders. Over 45 partners have indicated their support for the Hub so far. Through our collaboratories we will build capacity and foster an inclusive approach to water security using mechanisms such as co-creation workshops, capacity building using e.g. serious games, and training in the use of new techniques.
Many of the partners highlighted in their letters of support that their focus on delivery limits their time and opportunities to engage in research. Therefore, a key knowledge transfer mechanism will be to embed researchers into partner organisations on long term secondments. This provides both the skills and time to create strong, long lasting, partnerships and build long term capacity.

A regular newsletter, public website, twitter, blog, webinars, stakeholder day at our annual assembly, and other mechanisms will provide regular updates to our project partners. We will also present our work at international conferences, hosting side events and sessions where possible. The Hub will hold a one off conference in its final year to showcase and disseminate our work in depth.

We have a total flexible funding allocation of £3.6m, which can be accessed for impact activities.

Newcastle University LEAD_ORG
Asociación de Usuarios de Aguas del río Guabas (ASOGUABAS) COLLAB_ORG
Argos Group COLLAB_ORG
University of Valle COLLAB_ORG
Instituto para la Investigación y la Preservación del Patrimonio Cultural y Natural del Valle del Cauca (INCIVA) COLLAB_ORG
Sociedad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados del Valle del Cauca SA ESP COLLAB_ORG
Corporación Autonoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC) COLLAB_ORG
Autonomous University of Occident COLLAB_ORG
Asociación de Organizaciones comunitarias Prestadoras de Servicios Públicos de Agua y Saneamiento en Colombia COLLAB_ORG
Government of Colombia COLLAB_ORG
Unión Sindical de EMCALI (USE) COLLAB_ORG
Unidad Ejecutora de Saneamiento del Valle del Cauca (UESValle) COLLAB_ORG
Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority COLLAB_ORG
Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria COLLAB_ORG
Empresas Municipales de Cali (EMCALI) COLLAB_ORG
Instituto Mayor Campesino COLLAB_ORG
ValleCaucana de Aguas SA ESP COLLAB_ORG
Fundacion Biodiversa Colombia COLLAB_ORG
UNICEF COLLAB_ORG
Asociación Colombiana de Ingeniería Sanitaria y Ambiental (ACODAL) COLLAB_ORG
Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM) COLLAB_ORG
Corregimental Association of Peasant Users of Gabriel Lopez Cauca Acuc GL COLLAB_ORG
Secretaria de Medio Ambiente del Municipio de Jamundí COLLAB_ORG
Asociación Campesina el Pepino COLLAB_ORG
National Institute of Health Peru COLLAB_ORG
Fundación Empresarial para el Desarrollo de Yumbo (FEDY) COLLAB_ORG
Fundación para la Protección, Conservación y Vigilancia de los Recursos Naturales del Sur del Valle (FUNECOROBLES) COLLAB_ORG
National Natural Parks of Colombia COLLAB_ORG
Minciencias COLLAB_ORG
Federación de Acueductos Comunitarios del Valle del Cauca COLLAB_ORG
Contraloría de Santiago de Cali COLLAB_ORG
EPSRC COFUND_ORG
Natural Environment Research Council COFUND_ORG
Medical Research Council COFUND_ORG
Syarikat Air Johor - Johor Water Company PP_ORG
Delhi Development Authority PP_ORG
Ministry of Science and Technology PP_ORG
Int Commission on Irrigation & Drainage PP_ORG
Commission for Recovery of the River Cau PP_ORG
Binary Asylum PP_ORG
TickTock Games Ltd PP_ORG
Reg Council Enviro Policy + Water Res PP_ORG
Int Soc Photo + Remote Sensing PP_ORG
Wolf and Wood PP_ORG
Envirowatch Ltd PP_ORG
Global Flood Partnership PP_ORG
UES Valle PP_ORG
Awash River Basin Authority PP_ORG
Department of Irrigation and Drainage PP_ORG
Ministry of Water, Irrig & Elec Ethiopia PP_ORG
Rift Valley Lakes Basin Authority PP_ORG
SAJ Ranhill PP_ORG
Oxfam GB PP_ORG
Waterlat PP_ORG
World Health Organisation PP_ORG
Abay River Basin Authority PP_ORG
AQUACOL PP_ORG
Indah Water Konsortium PP_ORG
Ministry of Agriculture and NR Ethiopia PP_ORG
Municipal Companies of Cali PP_ORG
Arup Group Ltd PP_ORG
Malaysian Government PP_ORG
Green Power Foundation PP_ORG
Ministry of Earth Sciences (India) PP_ORG
Central Water Commission of India PP_ORG
Delhi Jal Board PP_ORG
National Water Services Commission PP_ORG
The World Bank PP_ORG
International Centre for Biosaline Agric PP_ORG
Green Earth Society PP_ORG
WWF South Africa PP_ORG
Centre for Urban And Regional Excellence PP_ORG
UN Habitat India PP_ORG
EcoKnights PP_ORG
National Capital Region Planning Board PP_ORG
UN HABITAT PP_ORG
The Flow Partnership PP_ORG
Matrix Development Consultants PP_ORG
Indian Council Research on Int Eco Rel. PP_ORG
Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) COLLAB_ORG
Texas A & M University COLLAB_ORG

Subjects by relevance
  1. Sustainable development
  2. Water services
  3. International cooperation
  4. Developing countries
  5. Water resources
  6. Water policy
  7. Water
  8. Development cooperation
  9. Water quality
  10. Water distribution
  11. Water use
  12. Quality management
  13. Water scarcity

Extracted key phrases
  1. GCRF Water Security
  2. Water security policy
  3. Relevant water security stakeholder
  4. Water security issue
  5. Inadequate water quality
  6. Integrated water management
  7. Water project
  8. Water system
  9. Water governance
  10. Clean accessible water
  11. Water scarcity
  12. Water Collaboratory
  13. Water sector
  14. Water infrastructure
  15. Sustainable Development hub---------

Related Pages

UKRI project entry

UK Project Locations