Formation 1996 Official language French, English President Benedito Braga Brazil Abbreviation WWC Type of business INGO | Region served Worldwide Website WWC Official website Founded 1996 | |
Similar Green Cross International, Waterorg, Pacific Institute, International Institute for Sustaina, International Rivers | ||
World water council presented by its members
The World Water Council is an international think tank founded in 1996, with its headquarters in Marseille, France. It has 341 members (March 2017) which include organizations from the UN and intergovernmental organizations, the private sector (construction, engineering and manufacturing companies), governments and ministries, academic institutions, international organizations, local governments, and civil society groups. Founders and constituent members of the World Water Council include the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature(IUCN), the International Water Association (IWA), Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux, the United Nations agencies UNDP and UNESCO, and the World Bank.
Contents
- World water council presented by its members
- Colleges and membership distribution as of March 2017
- Criticism
- References
Its stated mission is "to promote awareness, build political commitment and trigger action on critical water issues at all levels, including the highest decision-making level, to facilitate the efficient conservation, protection, development, planning, management, and use of water in all its dimensions on an environmentally sustainable basis for the benefit of all life on earth."
Every third year the World Water Council organizes the World Water Forum in close collaboration with the authorities of the hosting country. The Forum is the largest international event in the field of water. The 6th World Water Forum took place in Marseille, France, in 2012 and the 7th World Water Forum in Daegu-Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea, in April 2015. The upcoming 8th World Water Forum will take place in Brasilia, Brazil, from 18 to 23 March 2018 under the overarching theme 'Sharing Water'.
The World Water Council is financed primarily through membership fees, and additional support is provided by the host City of Marseille. Specific projects and programs are financed through donations and grants from governments, international organizations, and NGO's.
Colleges and membership distribution (as of March 2017)
World Water Council members are divided into 5 colleges:
Criticism
Critics accuse the World Water Council of promoting the privatisation of water supply, an indication of this is the large influence of financial institutions and global water corporations. The Canadian activist Tony Clarke describes the World Water Council as a smoke screen for the water lobby. Medha Patkar, an activist from India, gave a passionate speech against privatisation of water at the 2nd World Water Forum in The Hague in 2000.[1]