• The Call to Action for Water and Sanitation was made during the closing of the 5th Conference of Local and Regional Authorities, held by ICLEI and partners within the framework of the 8th World Water Forum.
• ICLEI was present with a delegation of governments from 4 countries at the main global event on water resources and water management.
• CThe conference created spaces for discussion on financing basic sanitation infrastructure, governance challenges for universal water and sanitation provision, and adaptation and resilience.Science.

Local governments advocated for a decentralized approach to water resource financing and management during the 5th Conference of Local and Regional Authorities, organized in Brasília as part of the 8th World Water Forum by ICLEI together with the World Water Council, the Sub-Secretariat for Federal Affairs of the Secretariat of Government of the Presidency of the Republic of Brazil, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the Global Partnership of Water Operators – UN-Habitat and the National Confederation of Municipalities.

As a result of the Conference debates, the authorities launched a Call to Action for the Implementation of the Local and Regional Agenda on Water and Sanitation. The call offers recommendations on what local and regional governments can do to build healthier and more prosperous cities and territories, and seeks to strengthen the capacity of decision-makers, leaders and professionals to address local challenges related to water and sanitation.

Among the recommendations, local authorities propose promoting integrated water management practices and placing sanitation and access to quality water at the top of the political agenda, effectively implementing legislation that allows for the fair, efficient, and sustainable use of water resources, greater commitment from national governments in providing financing lines for basic sanitation infrastructure, promoting urban and water resilience through the integration of natural resources into planning, and strengthening the capacities of local governments and citizens for water governance.

By supporting this Call to Action, policymakers will seek to develop and implement plans to act on these recommendations and, consequently, contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. Authorities have committed to reviewing and evaluating the progress of the Call in the Policy Process for Local and Regional Authorities at the 9th World Water Forum, to be held in Senegal in 2021.

Read the full document. here.

ICLEI participated in the 8th World Water Forum, bringing its consolidated experience in supporting local governments in promoting integrated local development frameworks applied to water issues, participatory planning processes, and tools. Its delegation included more than 20 representatives from 11 cities in 4 countries (Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Campinas, Curitiba, Manaus, Recife, São Paulo, and Teresina in Brazil; Quelimane in Mozambique; Bulawayo in Zimbabwe; and Rosario in Argentina).

Local and regional authorities engaged in discussions on local governance and water sharing, financing for basic sanitation infrastructure, equitable access to water, supply and combating water scarcity, and adaptation and resilience.

During the first plenary session on local governance, the need to foster stronger and more diversified partnerships that allow for better coordination of the complex governance of water supply was discussed. The importance of multi-level alignment to promote general access to water was also highlighted, meaning greater coordination between federal, state, and municipal entities.

Regarding sanitation, the debate focused on the current high demand for infrastructure investments, which requires more robust and efficient solutions with commitment from the highest levels of government. The participants stated that it is necessary to consider adapting sanitation infrastructure to meet the expanding demand in urban areas.

On the second day of the Conference, a session was held dedicated to presenting success stories with the aim of demonstrating how local and regional leaders have addressed water-related challenges. ICLEI also coordinated, together with the World Water Council and other partners, the publication of success stories in the report “Putting water on local action agendas to support global change,” which was launched at the Conference. The highlighted stories from our member cities were: Good Practices in Recife: Capibaribe Park, The Buenos Aires Experience: Legislation and Governance, Promoting efficiency through innovative financial instruments (Quito), and Revitalization of the Belém River Basin (Curitiba).

During the session, the Municipality of Teresina, a member of the ICLEI Network, presented the results of the Lagoas do Norte Program, which aims to provide integrated solutions to drainage and flood control problems, sanitation: sewage collection and treatment, and improvement of sanitary facilities in low-income homes. Meanwhile, the Mayor of the Municipal Council of Quelimane (Mozambique), Manuel de Araújo, a member of ICLEI Africa, spoke about the challenges his municipality faces regarding water supply and sanitation, and how, through partnerships, he managed to create Mozambique's first municipal water treatment company.