Achieving water security through a multi‐stakeholder networked approach: The case of “water beyond Europe”

Water security is a pressing global issue, exacerbated by the Anthropocene that is accelerating climate change and environmental degradation (Smith, 2023). As the environment degrades, it loses its ability to provide services, which in turn reduces water security. It can be argued that to restore and conserve nature and in turn achieve water security requires a networked approach that leverages international cooperation and diplomacy. Ensuring water security is such an intricately interconnected and complex challenge that no single geographic area (country/region/river basin) nor sector can address it alone (Aamer, 2023). There is a need for an unprecedented level of mutual learning among diverse actors, each bringing unique perspectives shaped by their distinct challenges, sectors, and geographies (Casale et al., 2023). The UN Water Action Agenda1 (2023) further emphasizes the need for collective mobilization of efforts, among others in the form of international finance and investment to address global water challenges effectively. International cooperation is essential for managing water scarcity, protecting ecosystems, and supporting economic development, ultimately contributing to peace and security. By mobilizing resources outside their immediate control, networked working groups achieve their missions far more efficiently, effectively, and sustainably than they could have by working alone (Flye et al., 2023). Working groups can forge long-term partnerships with trusted peers to tackle their missions on multiple fronts. Scientific literature further underscores the efficacy of collaborative networks in addressing complex water challenges (Parlee et al., 2021; Manny, 2023). However, forming part of and actively participating in each of these groups, whether participating in meetings (online or presential), attending events, or delivering concrete outputs (e.g. reports), requires a significant amount of time, energy, networking ability, and self-funding. I am a firm believer in our collective action creating the change we want and need to see to ensure, for example, water security. Nevertheless, in addition to the broader societal impact, active participation in these groups must also yield measurable benefits for individuals or organizations (however, they are measured) to justify the investment. I have been fortunate to form part of different networks on water at different scales. I have actively participated in regional networks (the Catalan Water Partnership), European networks (Water Europe), and global networks (Rural Water Supply), where I have either lead or co-lead teams of experts over the last two decades. The “Water Beyond Europe” working group from Water Europe, which I have led or co-led together with Gaetano Casale (with whom I have asked to co-author this editorial) over the past decade, showcases the strength of collective action. The working group is dedicated to advancing water diplomacy and security through international collaboration. The efforts of the group have focused on four key objectives: (i) publishing strategic reports, (ii) organizing an annual international event, (iii) aligning activities with global agendas, and (iv) creating consortia to bid for and lead major international projects on water. The success of this working group is detailed within. The group has published two white papers titled “Building Effective Water Dialogues and Alliances: Making International Cooperation in Water Innovation Work” (Casale et al., 2023) and “Water in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: How can Europe act?” (Casale et al., 2019) (this publication jointly with UNESCO). These two publications provide comprehensive information on international cooperation on water, offering insights, analysis, and recommendations. They aim to inform readers, influence decision-makers, and to establish the working group as an authority on fostering global partnerships and enhancing international cooperation in water innovation. The two papers have garnered significant attention, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing global water challenges and security. Over the past 3 years (2022–2024), the working group has successfully organized the International Water Dialogues Event (IWDE). The annual event brings together stakeholders from around the world to discuss innovative solutions to international cooperation on water, by analyzing and sharing information on building and sustaining successful and effective partnerships. The working group meticulously planned and coordinated these events, securing speakers, creating agendas, and facilitating networking opportunities. Featuring keynote addresses, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, the events successfully engaged participants and fostered knowledge exchange and partnership formation. The hybrid format has enabled an average of 700 participants per event to actively engage from around the globe, contributing to its success. The working group linked its activities to international agendas like Water4All and the Global Approach to Research and Innovation by involving key members from these initiatives as well as the active engagement from the European Commission (EU). The working group diligently fostered an open dialogue with the European Commission, particularly with the units focused on international cooperation and water. The EU head of units would participate on an annual basis in the working group meetings providing insights on the direction that the EU was taking with regards to international cooperation on water. It also provided an opportunity for the EU to be closer to the practical implementation of international cooperation by exchanging with the members of the working group. Additionally, the working group maintained strong connections with the China-Europe Water Platform2 and the EU-India Water Partnership.3 Through active participation in the relevant forums, inviting leaders of these partnerships to present in both the working group and the IWDEs, and contributing to policy discussions, the working group ensured alignment with global priorities. Regular communication and collaboration with international partners further enhanced the coherence and impact of the working group efforts. The working group collaborative efforts has led to the successful acquisition of two large-scale multi-year Horizon Europe Projects: AfriAlliance4 and Pavitra Ganga,5 which focus on addressing critical water challenges in Africa and India, respectively. These projects further foster international collaboration between Europe and these countries on water issues. The working group facilitated these projects by coordinating proposal development and securing funding, involving close collaboration with international partners, including academic institutions, industry players, and government bodies. These achievements highlight the effectiveness of international cooperation in developing scalable solutions for water security. Through the years of leading the working group, we have discovered certain attributes that has created, what we believe, successful collaboration. The group's success is a testament to the active engagement of a core group of participants. These members have remained active throughout the decade, providing continuity and fostering a strong sense of community and collaboration. By aligning with international water agendas, the working group has further maintained its relevance, continually engaging and sustaining the interest of its members. Furthermore, each member has their own reason for continually participating in the working group meetings. However, the majority are motivated by the desire to be included in project consortia. The two successful projects that the group has developed, presented for funding, and implemented serve as compelling incentives for other members who were not part of these consortia. The chance to author published white papers allows working group members to be recognized as authorities in the field. This is especially beneficial for younger members, who may not have such opportunities outside of this working group. The publication of the white papers has provided valuable insights for international cooperation on water. They have been frequently cited, serving as key references on achieving international cooperation on water. The varied experience and relevant connections of the working group members have resulted in rich agendas for the IWD events, featuring globally recognized speakers and examples of local and global practical implementation initiatives. This has led to fostering global collaboration, engaging hundreds of participants throughout each edition, enabling a platform to share insights with a wide audience of diverse global stakeholders. Coordinating a cohort of diverse international stakeholders with potentially divergent interests and managing cross-continental collaborations posed challenges. Further, trying to align the goals of the network secretariat to those of the working group also provided its own obstacles specifically relating to the evolving goals, focus areas, and interests of the network and the working group. Continued communication, particularly with core group members and the network secretariat through regular virtual meetings, alongside adaptive planning, played a crucial role in overcoming obstacles related to setting the objectives and agenda of the IWDE for example. The publication of the two white papers took significant time; indeed, they were published around 6 months later than planned. This was specifically due to the complexity of coordinating inputs from various stakeholders, alongside finding “extra” time to investigate, write, review, and rewrite inputs to ultimately safeguard the quality of the final outcome. However, this delay underscored the importance of flexibility and the continued persistence in collaborative efforts. The active participation in multi-stakeholder networked groups provides numerous advantages as we have highlighted above. However, the continued success of the working group can be achieved by following certain recommendations that we have gathered over these years. We recommend maintaining strong connections to international partnerships/platforms that provide insights with the ability to leverage future combined initiatives. Engaging early with coordination teams (either in writing reports or preparing an event) while fostering a culture of collaboration and aligning the activities with strategic directions remain essential to the success of the working group initiatives. To better align the working group objectives to those of the network, it is beneficial to have the active participation of the network board representatives within the working group that can further strengthen the connection between the networks' strategic direction and the practical implementation thereof through the working group activities. Water security is a complex concept that encompasses many facets. Multi-stakeholder collaboration at various scales can help achieve water security. Our working group has made substantial progress over the years in the advancement of international collaboration, diplomacy, and security. By fostering a networked approach, we believe that we have contributed, in some small way, to the development of a more unified approach to collaboration on water. Our efforts in publishing white papers, organizing the annual IWDE, aligning with global agendas, and facilitating the development of major multi-year projects on international water cooperation have demonstrated the strength of collaboration in addressing global water challenges. Moving forward, maintaining, strengthening, and upscaling these partnerships will be crucial in continuing our mission towards a more sustainable and water secure future. 水安全是一个紧迫的全球性问题, 而“正在加速气候变化和环境退化”的人类世加剧了该问题 (Smith, 2023)。随着环境的退化, 它失去了提供服务的能力, 从而降低了水安全。可以说, 要恢复和保护自然, 进而实现水安全, 需要采取一项利用国际合作和外交的网络化方法。确保水安全是一项错综复杂、相互关联的挑战, 任何单个地理区域 (国家/地区/河流流域)或部门都无法独自解决这一问题 (Aamer, 2023)。需要不同行动者之间进行前所未有的相互学习, 每个行动者都带来独特的观点, 这些观点受到其独特挑战、部门和地理位置的影响 (Casale et al., 2023)。联合国《水行动议程》(2023)进一步强调需要集体动员举措, 其中包括以国际融资和投资的形式有效应对全球水挑战。国际合作对于管理水资源短缺、保护生态系统和支持经济发展至关重要, 最终有助于实现和平与安全。. 通过调动其直接控制范围之外的资源, 网络化的工作组比单独工作更能高效、有效和可持续地完成任务 (Flye et al., 2023)。工作组能与值得信赖的同行建立长期伙伴关系, 以在多个方面完成任务。科学文献进一步强调了协作网络在应对复杂水挑战方面的效能 (Manny, 2023; Parlee et al., 2021). 然而, 加入并积极参与这些团体, 无论是参加会议 (在线或现场)、出席活动还是提供具体成果 (例如报告), 都需要大量的时间、精力、社交能力和自筹资金。我坚信, 我们的集体行动能够创造我们想要和需要看到的变化, 以确保水安全。然而, 除了更广泛的社会影响之外, 积极参与这些团体还必须为个人或组织带来可衡量的利益 (无论如何衡量), 以证明投资的合理性. 我有幸成为不同规模的水资源网络的一部分。过去二十年, 我积极参与区域网络 (加泰罗尼亚水伙伴关系)、欧洲网络 (Water Europe组织)和全球网络 (农村供水), 并对这些网络的专家团队进行了领导或共同领导. 过去十年, 我曾与Gaetano Casale (我邀请他共同撰写这篇社论)共同领导Water Europe组织, 成立了“欧洲以外的水资源”工作组, 该工作组展示了集体行动的力量。该工作组致力于通过国际合作推进水外交和安全。该小组的努力集中于四个关键目标:(i)发布战略报告, (ii)组织年度国际活动, (iii)将活动与全球议程相结合, 以及 (iv)创建联盟来竞标和领导重大国际水项目。该工作组的成功之处详见本文。. 该小组已发布两份白皮书, 分别题为《建立有效的水对话与联盟:让国际水创新合作发挥作用》(Building Effective Water Dialogues and Alliances: Making International Cooperation in Water Innovation Work)和《2030年可持续发展议程中的水:欧洲如何行动?》(Water in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: How can Europe act?)(由本出版物与联合国教科文组织联合出版)。这两份白皮书提供了有关国际水合作的全面信息, 提供了见解、分析和建议。它们旨在为读者提供信息、影响决策者, 并将该工作组确立为“促进全球伙伴关系和加强国际水创新合作”的权威机构。这两份文件引起了广泛关注, 强调了协同努力在应对全球水挑战和安全方面的重要性。. 过去三年(2022年、2023年、2024年), 工作组成功组织了国际水对话活动 (IWDE)。该年度活动汇集了来自世界各地的利益攸关方, 通过分析和共享有关建立和维持成功有效伙伴关系的信息, 来探讨国际水合作的创新解决方案。工作组精心策划和协调了这些活动、召集了发言者、制定了议程、并促进了交流机会。这些活动包括主题演讲、小组讨论和互动会议, 成功地吸引了参与者, 促进了知识交流和伙伴关系的形成。结合线上和线下活动的形式使平均每场活动有700名来自世界各地的参与者, 为活动的成功作出了贡献。. 通过让这些倡议的主要成员加入其中, 以及欧盟委员会 (EU)的积极参与, 工作组将其活动与Water4All、全球研究与创新方法等国际议程相联系。工作组努力与欧盟委员会建立开放的对话, 特别是与国际合作和水资源部门的对话。欧盟部门负责人将每年参加工作组会议, 就欧盟在水资源国际合作方面的方向提供见解。通过与工作组成员的交流, 它也为欧盟提供了更接近国际合作实际实施的机会。此外, 工作组与中欧水平台、欧盟-印度水伙伴关系保持着密切联系。通过积极参与相关论坛、邀请这些伙伴关系的领导人在工作组和IWDE会议上发言并参与政策讨论, 工作组确保与全球重点保持一致。与国际伙伴的定期沟通与合作进一步增强了工作组举措的连贯性和影响力。. 工作组的协同努力已促成两个多年期的大型“地平线欧洲”项目:AfriAlliance和Pavitra Ganga, 这两个项目分别聚焦于解决非洲和印度的重大水挑战。这些项目进一步促进了欧洲与这些国家在水问题上的国际合作。工作组通过协调提案制定和获得资金来推动这些项目, 并与包括学术机构、行业参与者和政府机构在内的国际合作伙伴密切合作。这些成就强调了国际合作在开发可扩展的水安全解决方案方面的有效性。. 在领导工作组的这些年里, 我们发现了某些特质, 这些特质促成了我们认为的成功合作。该小组的成功证明了核心参与者的积极参与。这些成员在过去十年中一直保持活跃, 提供了连续性并培养了强烈的社区意识和协作意识。通过与国际水议程保持一致, 该工作组进一步保持了其相关性, 不断吸引和维持其成员的兴趣。此外, 每个成员都有自己不断参加工作组会议的理由。然而, 大多数成员的动机是希望加入项目联盟。由该小组开发、提交资助和实施的两个成功项目对未加入这些联盟的其他成员来说是令人信服的激励。. 撰写出版白皮书的机会使工作组成员被认为是该领域的权威。这对年轻成员尤其有益, 因为他们可能在这个工作组之外没有这样的机会。白皮书的出版为国际水合作提供了宝贵的见解。这些文件经常被引用, 成为实现国际水合作的重要参考资料。. 工作组成员的不同经历和相关人脉为IWD活动提供了丰富的议程, 其中包括全球知名的演讲者以及地方和全球层面的实际实施举措案例。这促进了全球合作, 每届活动都吸引了数百名参与者, 为“与全球不同利益攸关方分享见解”一事提供了平台。. “协调一群抱有潜在不同利益的国际利益攸关方和管理跨大陆协作”具有挑战性。此外, 试图将网络秘书处的目标与工作组的目标保持一致, 这也带来了阻碍, 后者与网络和工作组不断发展的目标、重点领域和利益有关。持续沟通 (特别是通过定期网络会议与核心小组成员和网络秘书处的沟通)和适应性规划, 在克服与“设定IWDE目标和议程”相关的障碍方面发挥了关键作用。两份白皮书的发布花费了大量时间, 实际上它们的发布时间比计划晚了大约六个月。这主要归因于“协调不同利益攸关方意见”一事的复杂性, 同时还要找到“额外”时间来调查、撰写、审查和重写意见, 以确保最终结果的质量。然而, 这种延迟强调了协作中灵活性和持续坚持的重要性。. 正如我们上面所强调的, 积极参与多利益攸关方网络化小组具有诸多优势。同时, 可以通过遵循我们这些年来收集到的某些建议来实现工作组的持续成功。我们建议与国际伙伴关系/平台保持紧密联系, 这些伙伴关系/平台能够提供见解, 并能够利用未来的联合举措。尽早与协调团队合作 (无论是撰写报告还是准备活动), 同时培养合作文化, 使活动与战略方向保持一致, 这对于工作组倡议的成功仍然至关重要。为了更好地将工作组目标与社交网络目标保持一致, 让网络董事会代表积极参与工作组是有益的, 这能进一步加强网络战略方向与“通过工作组活动完成的实际实施”之间的联系。. 水安全是一个复杂的概念, 涵盖许多方面。不同层面的多利益攸关方合作能有助于实现水安全。多年来, 我们的工作组在推进国际合作、外交和安全方面取得了实质性进展。通过促进网络化方法, 我们相信, 我们在某种程度上为建立更统一的水合作方法作出了贡献。我们在发布白皮书、组织年度IWDE、与全球议程保持一致、以及促进多年期的重大国际水合作项目发展方面的努力, 证明了合作在应对全球水挑战方面的优势。展望未来, 维持、加强和扩大这些伙伴关系对于我们继续实现“更可持续和水安全未来”这一使命至关重要。. 参考文献 Aamer, F., 2023. Water security: Diplomacy, global cooperation, and effective management of shared rivers. Konrad-Adenauer Foundation & Stimson Center. Casale, G., Cordeiro Ortigara, A.R., Uhlenbrook, S., Genné, I., Campling, P., Amorsi, N., Smith, D., Delargy, O., Darmendrail, D., Witmer, L., Vereijken, T., Shao, T., Warner, A., Krol, D., Oliveira, V., Wehn, U., 2019. Water in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: How can Europe act?. Casale, G., Smith, D., Darmendrail, D., Andersen, L.S., Breda, I., Elelman, R., Briquet-Laugier, V., Loporto, A., Campling, P., Rincon, D.C. and Wehn, U., 2023. effective water and international cooperation in water and 2023. the of in collaborative environmental of Manny, 2023. challenges towards and water network Sustainable and F., T., L., V., and D., not networked approach to in Smith, 2023. and for in the Global (Smith, 2023). a a sector (Aamer, 2023). (Casale et al., 2023). Agenda (2023) a By mobilizing resources outside their immediate control, networked working groups achieve their missions far more efficiently, effectively, and sustainably than they could have by working alone (Casale et al., 2023; et al., 2023). Working groups can forge long-term partnerships with trusted peers to tackle their missions on multiple fronts. Scientific literature further underscores the efficacy of collaborative networks in addressing complex water challenges (Parlee et al., 2021; Manny, 2023). a a Water Partnership), (Water (Rural Water Supply), “Water Beyond Europe” Water Europe, Gaetano Casale editorial) a (i) (ii) (iii) agendas (iv) “Building Effective Water Dialogues and Alliances: Making International Cooperation in Water Innovation Work” “Water in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: How can Europe act?” UNESCO). a a a agendas a 700 a a agendas Water4All Global a a a a IWDE, a Pavitra Ganga, India, agendas no no agendas a a a a crucial agenda IWDE, a “extra” a a a a IWDE agendas crucial Aamer, F., 2023. Water security: Diplomacy, global cooperation, and effective management of shared rivers. Konrad-Adenauer Foundation & Stimson Center. Casale, G., Cordeiro Ortigara, A.R., Uhlenbrook, S., Genné, I., Campling, P., Amorsi, N., Smith, D., Delargy, O., Darmendrail, D., Witmer, L., Vereijken, T., Shao, T., Warner, A., Krol, D., Oliveira, V., Wehn, U., 2019. Water in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: How can Europe act?. Casale, G., Smith, D., Darmendrail, D., Andersen, L.S., Breda, I., Elelman, R., Briquet-Laugier, V., Loporto, A., Campling, P., Rincon, D.C. and Wehn, U., 2023. effective water and international cooperation in water and 2023. the of in collaborative environmental of Manny, 2023. challenges towards and water network Sustainable and F., T., L., V., and D., not networked approach to in Smith, 2023. and for in the Global