Launch of UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science

The UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science was formally launched in Brussels recently.

The Centre is the first in the world dedicated to developing legal frameworks to help address the pressing problems linked to management of the world's water resources.

At the heart of the Centre's aims is the goal of ensuring all of the world's people have fair and equitable access to water.

Hosted by the Principal Sir Alan Langlands and HE Tim Craddock, the UK Ambassador to UNESCO, the launch event took place at Scotland House in Brussels, with senior figures from the European institutions, diplomatic missions and international organizations in attendance.

The Centre is already engaged in projects around the world, developing frameworks for the effective management of water resources, training a new generation of `water leaders', and linking scientists, policymakers and lawyers.

Mr Craddock, said, "This is the first UNESCO Centre in the UK, and it is a significant achievement for Dundee and for Scotland. But above all it is a huge practical contribution to tackling what is likely to be one of the greatest challenges of the next century - the need to share equitably the most important resource - water."

"The Dundee centre is at the cutting-edge of policy development. Through sharing experiences and building knowledge, it can make a huge contribution in helping policy makers and governments tackle this challenge effectively."

Professor Patricia Wouters, director of the UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science at Dundee, said, "There are many hard challenges ahead for the world and how we share our water supplies."

"Climate change, natural disasters, globalisation, world trade, increasing population, conflict - all of these are placing increased pressure on our water supplies. Good science and good policy alone will not solve the world's water problems - we need `rules of the game' codified in transparent, enforceable and responsive legal instruments."

"Our experience around the world, with national governments, stakeholders, bilateral and multilateral donors and UN agencies reveals a real need for a new generation of `water leaders'. Missing from most water resource management schemes is in-country expertise in water law and policy. This expertise needs to be enhanced at the local level worldwide."

The Centre has attracted funding of £2.5 million in major grants, including a significant award from the Scottish Executive, which has allowed it to establish a new base at the University of Dundee and embark on a programme of recruitment which will see the creation of new chairs in Water Law and Water Science.

"We are looking to bring the very best people in the world to Dundee," said Professor Wouters.

The Dundee centre is a world leader in postgraduate research, teaching and training in water law and policy. The Centre has established a Legal Assessment Model (LAM) for the development of water policy, working with research teams in China, Mozambique and Palestine.

The centre links into 67 water basins around the world, all of which are part of the Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy (HELP) initiative jointly administered by UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organisation. The Dundee centre is launching a "Water Law, Water Leaders" Masters degree programme which it will teach in-country at these water basins.

A detailed profile of the of the UNESCO Centre's research activities will appear in the next issue of Contact.