OUR WORK INCLUDES

  • Promoting integrated water resources management (IWRM) at national, international and cross-national levels
  • Supporting climate change resilience through considered water resources development, management and use
  • Enhancing the management of water in the coastal zone through integrated land and water management
  • Developing ecosystems based management of freshwater through a range of approaches and tools

WHO WE ARE

The UNEP-DHI Centre for Water and Environment is a United Nations Environment Programme centre of expertise. The Centre was established in 2001 and is hosted by DHIgroup headquarters in Denmark. The Center is supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and dedicated to improving the management of freshwater resources from the local to the global level.
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WHAT IS HAPPENING?

COVID-19 update: SDG 6.5.1 reporting deadline extended. UNEP has provided new guidance on stakeholder consultation processes, and an extension of the reporting deadline to July 31st 2020. Read more about the extended deadline and guidance on stakeholder consultations here.

Improving Water Resource Management to Address the Climate Emergency. New article in UN Chronicle by Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Link to article here. 

Arab report finds implementation of IWRM must be accelerated. UNEP-DHI has partnered with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), to produce the SDG 6.5.1 IWRM baseline status report for the Arab region. The report finds that national efforts supported by bilateral, subregional, and regional cooperation initiatives over the years have helped Arab countries implement elements of IWRM. Most, however, are unlikely to meet Target 6.5 at current rates of implementation. Most countries need to set targets in line with national priorities and capacities to encourage action on the ground and further progress.

Leadership change at the UNEP-DHI Centre. December 31st, 2019 will be Peter Koefoed Bjørnsen's last day as the Director of UNEP-DHI Centre, as he is retiring from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). In his 10 years as Director, Peter has helped to substantially increase the relevance and value of the Centre both to the UNEP and DHI. Moving forward, we are pleased to welcome Joakim Harlin as the new Chief Manager of the Centre on a part-time basis from January 1st, 2020. Joakim will balance his new role with his current role as Head of the Freshwater Ecosystems Unit at UNEP.

New guide for companies to set effective site water targets. As part of its collaboration with CEO Water Mandate, the Centre has co-produced a new hands-on guide that aims to help companies set effective site water targets that are informed by specific catchment contexts. The guide helps create value and lessen risks for businesses, while at the same time supporting collective action. The main user groups are site staff, technical water management specialists, and relevant corporate staff. For more details, check out the webpage and download the guide from here.

COP14 Drought Preparedness Day: Drought Toolbox delivered. The Centre has contributed to development of the UNCCD interactive Drought Toolbox - a practical interactive platform to develop national drought plans and switch to a proactive approach to drought management. The Drought Toolbox was launched during COP14 in India. Read more on the initiative and the Toolbox here.

TWAP River Basins assessment results launched! UNEP-DHI in collaboration with 8 internationally recognized organizations and research institutes lead the most comprehensive assessment of the worlds 286 transboundary river basins to date. The assessment is the first of its kind in scope and ambition. It covers 15 core indicators, covering water quantity, water quality, ecosystems, governance and socioeconomics. Five of the indicators are projected to 2030 and 2050, and the assessment also covers 26 deltas. Read more about the TWAP RB assessment and explore the results via TWAP RB interactive data portal here.

The final report, interactive results portal and other associated products are to be launched at the GEF International Waters Conference (IWC-8) May 9-13, Sri Lanka, at the second session of the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-2), May 23-27, Kenya, and at other events during 2016 (TBC).

Water Innovation Webinar Series. UNEP-DHI presents a series of webinars focusing on innovative approaches in water management relevant to closing the gap on targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and specifically the SDG6 on Water and Sanitation. Read more and register for upcoming sessions here.

Water Innovation Webinar Series. UNEP-DHI presents a series of webinars focusing on innovative approaches in water management relevant to closing the gap on targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and specifically the SDG6 on Water and Sanitation. Read more and register for upcoming sessions here.