Bali, Indonesia – May 2024
PRIMA has made its mark at the 10th World Water Forum (WWF), held from May 18-25, 2024. This world’s largest gathering on water issues, attended by over 20,000 participants including 1,300 official delegations from 172 countries, served as a significant platform for PRIMA to present its initiatives and experience in the Mediterranean Region, share knowledge, and collaborate with international stakeholders.
PRIMA’s presence at the World Water Forum in Bali included high-level panel interventions, participation in two Mediterranean Regional processes and the participation in 8 side events.
Spotlight on the WEFE Nexus and Digital Solutions
PRIMA contributed to two of the six Mediterranean Regional Processes:
- RM1_ Regional Mediterranean Process on the WEFE Nexus
- RM6_ Regional Mediterranean Process on Digitalization and New Solutions for Rational Water Use
In the Regional Mediterranean Process on the WEFE Nexus, PRIMA focused on scaling up pilot projects and addressing technological, regulatory, cultural, and financial obstacles in the Mediterranean. By showcasing WEFE Nexus solutions, PRIMA demonstrated their economic, social, and environmental benefits, underscoring the importance of integrating these solutions into sectoral policies.
At the Regional Mediterranean Process on Digitalization and New Solutions for Rational Water Use, PRIMA emphasized the role of innovative digital solutions in water management, showcasing its efforts in digitalizing Water and the WEFE Nexus through 28 projects involving 262 partners, with a total budget of €49M. Presentations included recommendations for leveraging alert systems and the use of digital twins to enhance WEFE Nexus applications.
Key Recommendations and Future Directions:
PRIMA proposed several key recommendations, which were included in the synthesis session organized on May 23, 2024:
- Importance of Innovative Digital Solutions: Emphasizing the critical role of innovative digital solutions in water management and the implementation of WEFE Nexus solutions.
- Consideration of Cybersecurity: Highlighting the need for robust cybersecurity measures in water management solutions to ensure data integrity and protection.
- Policy Translation and Water Footprint: Advocating for the translation of WEFE Nexus solutions into actionable policies and the use of the water footprint as a tool to shape and inform these policies.
Main Outcomes for PRIMA and the Mediterranean Region:
The main outcomes for the Mediterranean region from the World Water Forum include the announcement of the creation of the Observatory of Non-Conventional Water Resources and dedicated Renewable Energies,impulsed by the IME (Institut Mediterraneen de l’eau) and the World Water Council; as well as the upcoming 6th Mediterranean Water Forum (6MWF) in Rome, extended to Europe in 2026.
Key responses addressed the prevention of drought and flood risks, cross-border hydro-diplomacy, and the WEFE Nexus, illustrated by the Provençal model. There was also a review of water demand analysis based on uses and water mix projections for 2050. Additionally, the development of digital technologies and water-saving solutions was highlighted, along with new financing solutions for the private sector facing significant water risks. A notable outcome was the creation of an alliance of donors to establish a Global Fund for access to water by region, with the Mediterranean serving as a pilot region.
PRIMA’s involvement in the 10th World Water Forum significantly advanced its mission to promote sustainable water management and the WEFE Nexus in the Mediterranean. Engaging with a diverse array of stakeholders, PRIMA showcased its achievements and reinforced its commitment to tackling global water and WEFE Nexus challenges through innovation and collaboration. The recommendations from the forum’s declaration will inform future PRIMA calls, driving further innovation and collaboration in sustainable water management and WEFE Nexus initiatives.
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More details on side event:
PRIMA’s active participation spanned eight side events across various pavilions:
- Spanish Pavilion: Focused on integrating ancestral hydro technologies with modern technologies and exploring research and innovation to scale up these solutions.
- UNESCO Pavilion: Presented nature-based solutions combined with ancestral practices, valued by the WEFE Nexus community.
- Australian Pavilion: PRIMA was recognized as a success story in the Mediterranean and was invited to share its experiences with Australia, a region facing similar environmental and edaphic conditions, including challenges such as water scarcity, water salinity, and desertification.
- Water4All Pavilion: Presented advanced nature-based solutions and lessons from funded projects.
- Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Event: Showcased efforts in protecting freshwater ecosystems through agroecology practices.
- Event SE28: Discussed the relationship between the water footprint and the WEFE Nexus, organized by UNESCO and North China University of Water Resources and Electric.
Showcasing Success Stories and Pilot Projects
PRIMA highlighted its success stories and pilot projects at significant events organized by SureNexus, Cyclica, and WaterMed4.0. These projects serve as testbeds for innovative water management solutions, demonstrating practical applications and benefits in the Mediterranean region. PRIMA stressed the necessity of scaling up these solutions to address the region’s water management challenges effectively.
Supporting documents:
- Ministerial Declaration
- Compendium of concrete deliverables and actions
- Full report PRIMA’s contribution to WWF
- WWF website: https://worldwaterforum.org/
