Programme  | Session Presentations | Target Audience | Video | Related links | Contact

 

OECD Conference Centre, Paris

 25-26 October 2011

Well-managed water systems are a fundamental policy goal for all countries and can be an important driver for green growth. Yet significant gaps persist between aspirations to ensure access to sufficient and sustainable quantities of good quality water and the actual conditions on the ground. Identifying appropriate policies and approaches for integrative water policy is only a first step - implementation is essential.    Photo: Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD at the opening of the Global Forum

 

Objectives

• To identify the challenges of designing and implementing water policy reforms and strategies to address them;
• To gain a better understanding of how integrated water policy reforms can be implemented in specific contexts incorporating well-recognised principles of environmental policy (e.g. the polluter pays principle, removing environmentally harmful subsidies), a sound economic basis (e.g. sustainable cost recovery) and good governance; and
• To provide an opportunity for developing and developed countries to share experiences about past and on-going water policy reforms and to identify key factors for improving the prospects for success.
  

Programme and Background Papers

Rapporteur's Report

Programme of Events

• Opening Remarks by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General
• Keynote speech by Professor John Briscoe: “The Politics of Water Reform: Lessons from Practice”
• Case study: "Water Sector Reforms in Estonia", by Ain Lääne and Rene Reisner
• Case study: "The experience of the Philippine Water Revolving Fund", by Jeremias N. Paul

 

Session Presentations

Framing the Reform Challenges

• Keynote speech: “Future Challenges for Water” Ms. Helen Mountford, Environment Directorate, OECD
• Keynote speech: “The Politics of Water Reform: Lessons from Practice” Professor John Briscoe, Gordon McKay Professor of Environmental Engineering, Harvard University

Water Reform at the National Level

• “A Paradigm Shift in Water Resource Management in India” Dr. Mihir Shah, Planning Commission, Government of India (synopsis)
• “Sustaining Water Reform during Political Transition: the Challenges for South Africa” Professor Mike Muller, National Planning Commission, Republic of South Africa
• “Water Markets: A Central Element in Australian Water Reform” Mr. David Parker, Deputy Secretary, Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Commonwealth of Australia
• “The Israeli Water Sector: Closing the Gap” Mr. Abraham Tenne, Head of Desalination Division and Chairman of the Water Desalination Administration, The Governmental Authority for Water and Sewage, State of Israel
• “Transition to a Market Economy and Accession to the European Union: Impetus for Water Sector Reforms in Estonia” Mr. Harry Liiv, Ministry of Environment, Estonia

Water, Agriculture, Energy and Environment Linkages

• “Targeting the Good Ecological Status of Water Bodies in France at the Nexus of Water, Food and Energy Policies” Ms. Dominique Dron, General Commissioner for Sustainable Development, France
• "Addressing Water Conflicts in the Copiapó Basin, Chile: Competition for Water in the Context of Severe Water Scarcity” Professor Marcelo Villena, University of Adolfo Ibanez, Chile
• “The Water-Energy Nexus: a Case Study of Reform” Mr. Dan Bena, Senior Director of Sustainable Development, PepsiCo
• “Colombia: Managing Water Conflicts in an Emerging Economy” Ms. Claudia Martínez, Director E3- Ecologia, Economia y Etica, Former Vice Minister of Colombia
• “An Energy Company Perspective on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus” Mr. Allard Castelein, Vice President Environment, Royal Dutch Shell plc

Meeting the Water Supply and Sanitation Challenge

• “A Turnaround Account: Reforming the National Water and Sewerage Corporation of Uganda” Mr. David Isingoma, National Water and Sewerage Corporation of Uganda
• “Protecting Water Consumers- the Role of Economic Regulation” Mr. Philip Fletcher, Chairman of OFWAT (The Water Services Regulation Authority), England and Wales
• “Implementing Reforms and Engaging Private Sector Participation in the Water Sector in the Republic of Armenia” Mr. Gagik Khachatryan, Deputy Chairman of State Committee of Water Systems of Armenia

 

Target Audience

The Global Forum gathered over 250 participants from both OECD member and non-member countries, including senior government officials, sub-national authorities, and regulators; business leaders; leaders of non-governmental organisations and other civil society organisations; and leading water experts.

 

Video

Water: Price it right, use it well OECD Secretary-General says water is a precious resource and must be priced accordingly.

 

Related links

		The Water Challenge: OECD's Response The OECD Environmental Outlook to 2030 has identified water as one of the four critical environmental priorities for the coming two decades.
		Agricultural Water Management Agriculture is responsible for approximately 70% of water use worldwide.  Agriculture is a major user of land and water resources and has significant environmental impacts.

		Water and Multilevel Governance Water can be perceived as a local concern, however its efficient, sustainable and equitable management requires an integrated approach involving multiple stakeholders.
		Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Countries the world over face mounting challenges in providing safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation services – from meeting the water targets in the Millennium Development Goals to complying with increasingly stringent environmental standards.

• See also: OECD Observer articles, Global Forum on Environment (GFENV)

Contact

For more information on OECD work on Water, please contact water@oecd.org

For information on the OECD Conference Centre, please see www.oecd.org/conferencecentre