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The Water Action Decade 2018-2028 is now at its mid-point, and the Asia-Pacific region is gearing up to review progress and chart a roadmap for the next five years of the Decade.
Final report
Summary report 23–24 April 2022
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The Fourth Asia-Pacific Water Summit (4th APWS), convened under the theme, “Water for Sustainable Development–Best Practices and the Next Generation,” and brought together, among others, heads of state from the Asia-Pacific region and representatives of international organizations to discuss various water-related issues. The meeting, which convened in Kumamoto City, Japan, was intended to trigger the region’s achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as provide the opportunity to follow up to the Yangon Declaration, adopted by the 3rd APWS in 2017, which lays out a pathway for upscaling innovation for water security in the Asia-Pacific region. The declaration also promotes the region’s leading role in the implementation of the International Decade for Action: Water for sustainable development (2018-2028).
The 4th APWS also shared the host city’s long-standing efforts to conserve groundwater as well as its recovery efforts following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes.
The two-day summit included exhibitions, a session on the high-level statement to be agreed at the meeting, and symposiums. Discussions were also held through parallel thematic sessions on diverse topics including:
- Water and Disasters including Climate Change;
- Water Supply;
- Water and the Environment: From Source to Sea;
- Water, Poverty and Gender;
- Water, Sanitation and Wastewater Management;
- Innovation by Youth;
- Water and Food;
- Water, Culture and Peace; and
- Water Cycle Management
Four integrated sessions discussed: science and technology; governance and finance; water-related SDGs; and the post-COVID-19 recovery.
The APWS is a unique platform established to provide an effective mechanism for collaborative water resources management and integration of water resources management into the socio-economic development process of the Asia-Pacific region.
The 4th APWS convened 23-24 April 2022 both in person and online.
Funding for Earth Negotiations Bulletin coverage of this meeting has been provided by the Japan Water Forum.
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