The first Global Symposium on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions, held in November 2022 in the city of Foz do Iguaçu, located in the State of Paraná, Brazil, was attended by representatives from 22 countries. The event brought together specialists and representatives of governments, international organizations and companies, and the private sector.
The symposium mediated the renewal of the agreement signed between the company Itaipu Binacional and UNDESA – an acronym in English for United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs – in which it aims to further achieve the goals and objectives already set out in the previous agreement, which will be updated during the critical period of 5 years (2022-2026) of the United Nations Decade of Action to achieve the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
Founded in 2018, the Global Network for Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions is expected to expand to encompass all other SDGs, in particular SDG 13 (climate change) and SDG 15 (land ecosystems). It intends to share good practices and experiences around the world with governments and institutions, connecting the goals of SDG 6 (water) and 7 (energy) to the others that make up the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
Resources of Waters and Energies intertwined by their Means
With the interdependence of energy and water intensifying over the years and countries preparing for the contribution of both sectors, the natural resources used in this medium, such as energy and water processes, are experiencing high demands and restrictive worsening in many global areas and regions. Due to climate change, economic and population growth, energy consumption is expected to increase by up to 50%, which already directly influences water consumption in the energy sector, which will increase by 85%.
These themes were topics in which the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Economic and Social Affairs, Liu Zhenmin, highlighted in his speech. “We urgently need feasible sustainable solutions to foster the water-energy nexus and ensure global water security. For that to happen, we have to work with the interconnections between climate action, environmental protection and socio-economic development, recognizing the impacts between them”, said the Under-Secretary-General.
With debates promoted on both sides of the border, both on the Brazilian side, in Foz do Iguaçu, and on the Paraguayan side, in Hernandárias, the topics discussed ranged from climate change to conservation and the use of new technologies for environmental improvement, finally marking a consensus among all the positive participants for the changes, a document was presented, with the participation of all countries: Algeria, Bolivia, United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, Spain, United States, Ethiopia, Philippines, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Lebanon , Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Kenya, Sudan, Switzerland, Tajikistan and Tunisia, in addition to Brazil and Paraguay.
Main points stand out, in which they were announced by the specialist in Sustainable Development at UNDESA, Martin Niemetz, such as the need for synergy for cooperation in mitigating climate problems; strengthening of long-term policies for issues involving water and energy and the concentration of efforts and financial resources for expanding and accelerating investments in innovative solutions, such as, for example, green hydrogen.
The Global Symposium, promoted by UNDESA and its collaborations of organizations and members of the entire Sustainable Solutions Network for Water and Energy, finalized the discussions and results of the Global Symposium, leaving the promise for the priority and focus on the development of sustainable solutions that can interconnect with each other for the growth of all countries involved.
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