The Ministry of Environment (ME) co-hosts the Seventh World Water Forum 2015 in Daegu and Gyeongju. The World Water Forum is the world’s largest international water-themed event held triennially led by the World Water Council.
During the 7th World Water Forum which will be held from 12 to 17 April at EXCO (Daegu), HICO and Hyundai Hotel (Gyeongju), ME will not only take part in major programs such as the Ministerial Roundtables, but also arrange various side events for promoting Korea’s water environment policies and the water industry to the world.
Among eight Ministerial Roundtables to be held under the Political Process, Dr. Yoon Seongkyu, the Minister of Environment will chair one session titled “Sustainable Water Management and Conservation of Ecosystems”. Environment ministers from six countries including Japan, Kenya and Samoa as well as executive secretaries from four international organizations will attend the session and discuss urban water management, ecosystem conservation and international cooperation.
※ International organizations to be participated in the Ministerial Roundtable on Sustainable Water Management and Conservation of Ecosystems: United Nations Economic and Social Commission in Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Ramsar Convention, United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), Korea Environment Corporation (KECO), Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI) and Korea Environment Institute (KEI) will participate in the Thematic Process and Science & Technology Sessions with experts from around the world to seek science-and-technology-based solutions to water-related challenges facing the globe.
In the meantime, Minister Yoon will sign two memorandums of understanding (MOU) respectively with H.E. Elguja Khokrishvili, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia, and H.E. Mushahid Ullah Kan, Minister for Climate Change of Pakistan. He will also have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Algeria, Denmark, Russia and Mongolia to enhance environmental cooperation with the countries.
During the World Water Forum, ME will host special sessions under the Thematic Process and a wide-range of side events.
The 4th Asia Pacific Youth Parliament for Water (APYPW) will take place from 8 to 11 April at World Water Forum Pavilion located in Andong. APYPW will serve as a platform where about 100 university students from the Asia-Pacific region learns the process of global discussion to address water issues through setting goals, drafting a declaration, and adopting the document. The student representatives will announce the adopted declaration at the Conference Hall, World Water Forum Pavilion on 15 April.
On 13 April, Achievements and Future Directions of Watershed Management Policy Seminar will be held at Hotel Inter-Burgo, Daegu. Experts from the governments, academia and NGOs will join to discuss the achievements from the enactment and enforcement of the watershed acts for four major rivers and explore future directions.
On 15 April, a special session will be held at Exco, Daegu to review the international trend of public investment in water and cases of fostering the water industry through creating cluster and innovative private-public partnership, while examining ways to successfully establish and operate a water industry cluster in Daegu, the host city. On the same day, ME and KEI will co-host a special session on indicators of sustainable use of water resources.
On 16 April, ME and NIER will discuss sustainable aquatic ecosystem services for coexistence of the human and nature at International Symposium for World Water Day 2015 at Hotel Inter-Burgo, Daegu. On the same day at Exco, Daegu, Water Environment Policy Forum will be hosted by an association of eight water-related academic societies including Korean Society of Environmental Engineers to discuss creative strategies to develop future water industry.
Meanwhile, Expo & Fair will open during the World Water Forum at Exco, Daegu which will provide a platform where governments and enterprises home and abroad can share information on water-related products, technologies and policies. The Korean government will set up an official booth in the Expo & Fair to promote national policies and hold seminars and events.
At the Korea Booth, Korea’s water-related policies will be introduced in collaboration among seven ministries including ME, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA). Also, various programs will be arranged including the Announcement of APYPW Declaration and Presentation of Cases of Ecological Stream Water Quality Improvement.
※ Government Agencies to host the official Korean booth: ME, MOLIT, MAFRA, Korea Meteorological Administration, Ministry of Public Safety and Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
ME will introduce its cutting-edge water management system utilizing Internet of Things and drone, with the slogan of “Science-based Water Management for Present and Future Generation, as well as Animals and Plants. ”
※ Program: ① Water Management System for Upstream and Downstream in Korea (media table), ②Watershed Management (video) ③Advanced Water Treatment Technology (comparison of colors of lake water and tap water) ④ Low Impact Development Project (model) ⑤ Remote Monitoring of Water Quality (drone) ⑥ Biodiversity of Aquatic Ecosystem (specimen)