Kathmandu, April 12

A three-day international conference on ‘Water, Environment and Climate Change: Knowledge Sharing and Partnership’ concluded here today by adopting a 13-point resolution.

The conference brought together over 700 experts and professionals from around the world to  highlight the issues of water, environment and climate change which are interdependent and inseparable to maintaining the ecosystem, raising public health, achieving economic development, improving living standards and creating disaster resilient societies.

It stressed the need for appropriate actions backed by appropriate policies and adequate financing to build climate resilient infrastructure while improving public health and boosting economic development by addressing challenges in water, environment and climate change.

“Review of existing and developing suitable policies and legislation to cope up with water, environment and climate change, and a holistic approach is essential to create enabling environment for mainstreaming the global agenda. Water resources are threatened by ever increasing urban sprawl, particularly in the developing countries. We need to focus on conserving freshwater resources as well as investing in innovative, affordable and energy efficient technologies,” the resolution read.

According to the resolution, rapid progress has been made in recent decades in providing access to basic water supply and sanitation services. However, considerable challenges remain to provide equitable, dignified and quality services on sustainable basis to meet the targets set under Sustainable Development Goals  6.

Accelerated actions have to be taken to conserve the water bodies and sources, improve the quality of water supply, and safely manage sanitation and wastewater discharges.

“We need to significantly enhance efforts of collaboration to provide science based solutions to challenges associated with climate resilience. There is a need to promote environment and user friendly, simple and locally manageable technologies in water and sanitation system. Education and capacity development, especially of citizens, are fundamental to achieving water security and climate resilience,” it said.