The Talk Show session will debate how to achieve the ambition of the White Paper “Embedding Lakes into Global Sustainability Agenda ” produced by the World Water Quality Alliance Ecosystems Workstream (WWQA), and the Key Actions it proposes for sustainable lake management including the following: building capacity in monitoring and assessment; embedding lakes management in national policies; fostering green finance partners; and raising global awareness of the benefits of change. 

The Key Actions outlined in the White Paper support a recently adopted resolution of the United Nations Environment Assembly on Sustainable Lake Management, and other resolutions including those on Nitrogen Management and Nature Based Solutions. These cannot be achieved without transformations of current practice from local to national scales. Sustainable lake management requires feasible options in multi-sectoral and challenging political and financial landscapes. Pressures on lakes and reservoirs are still increasing in many parts of the globe, and new ideas are needed that are scientifically sound and attract societal support. Key aspects for progress are mobilising coalitions among users and new and economic models for lake protection and durable restoration.

Programme: The session will be moderated by Tom Jilbert (University of Helsinki), with panelists Ken Irvine (IHE Delft), Anham Salyani (UNEP), and Nina Raasakka (UNEP) or Konstantina Katsanou (IHE Delft). The key purpose of the Position Paper “Embedding Lakes into Global Sustainability” will be explored in the interviews, and opened up to the live audience for their questions and viewpoints of how to provide a road for the global protection and restoration.The planned running order of the event is:

• 16.00 - 16.02 Brief intro from host on topic and panel members 
• 16.02 - 16.06 Global environmental status of lake degradation, baseline situation for management  
• 16.06 - 16.10 Capacity building in monitoring 
• 16.10 - 16.14 Fostering green finance initiatives 
• 16.14 - 16.18 Raising awareness of benefits of change 
• 16.18 - 16.20 Embedding successful lake management into national policy  
• 16.20 - 16.38  Mingle, and questions with the live studio audience 
• 16.38 -16.40 Closing and follow-up opportunities

Learn more and register here!