Water for a Changing World: Developing Local Knowledge and Capacity

This collection of papers represents the outcomes of the International Symposiumheld in Delft, The Netherlands, on June 13-15, 2007, at the occasion of the 50thanniversary of the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. The papers discusshow to contribute to the sustainability of effective international development andwater management with a digest of lessons learned on local knowledge and capacitydevelopment. Authors expose recent research, strategies and policy positions.Water for a Changing World starts with an introduction and overview of the waterresources and the water supply and sanitation sectors in developing countries andworldwide. Topics of these reviews are water security, environmental integrity, thenewest earth system science technologies, integrated urban water management, andthe global-local nexus of water governance. The second part presents positions oncatalyzing and disseminating knowledge and capacity development in response to thecurrent challenges and opportunities. It consists of a variety of papers on theory andanalysis of capacity development, methods and case studies, and policy positions.The authors represent a diverse and representative group of prominent actors,practitioners and academics within the water, sanitation and development sectors.

PART 1: BackgroundKnowledge and capacity development (KCD) as tool for institutional strengthening and changePART 2: A Sector AnalysisWater security: What does it mean, what may it imply?The environmental integrity of freshwater resourcesWater for a crowded planet: An emerging global challenge for earth system science and technologyChallenges for urban water supply and sanitation in developing countriesGlocal water governance: Controversies and choicesPART 3: Knowledge and Capacity DevelopmentCapacity and capacity development: Breaking down the concepts and analyzing the processesThinking out of the ordinary—promoting knowledge generation and research on water Challenges in knowledge and capacity enhancement: A southern perspectiveThe role of knowledge generation at UNESCO-IHE: Past-present-futureCapacity challenges on the path towards water securityWater knowledge networking: Partnering for better results Enhancing nations’ capacity: From theory to practice. The role of the World Bank InstituteToward good water governance: Knowledge is power? A negotiated approach in ensuring use of local knowledge and capacity for water resources managementKnowledge modelling for the water sector: Transparent management of our aquatic environment Innovative education: Integrating a new educational concept and e-learningKnowledge transfer and sharing at UNESCO-IHE: The next 25 yearsAfrican experiences: Learning and successClosing speech for “Water for a changing world: Enhancing local knowledge and capacity”