World Water Council

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World Water Council (WWC) is an international think tank. "Its 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 management and use of water in all its dimensions and on an environmentally sustainable basis."[1] Trade publications have described WWC as focused "on the privatization of water -- water for profit." [2]

Water and energy

The WWC's fifth World Water Forum, in Istanbul, Turkey in March 2009, will include presentations on the topic "Water for energy, energy for water." [3]

One proposed sessions addresses "the obvious conflicts between [water and energy] policies and their impact on food security and environment sustainability," in particular with regards to biofuels, hydropower and the energy efficiency of water industries. [4] Another session focuses on the technologies and policies needed for sustainable water and energy practices, including "water and energy footprinting," the "need for water-technologies for the exploration of crude oil," and "the use of emerging renewable energy technologies in the water sector." [5] Multiple session proposals mention the impact on water and energy availability to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, goals set by the United Nations to support development and reduce poverty by 2015. [6]

Critiques

There are claims that the World Water Council has an industry-bias and advocates pro-privatization water policies, "In between organising the World Water Forum every three years, the World Water Council (WWC) operates as a think-tank promoting neoliberal 'solutions' to the water crisis. Speaking of 'public-private partnerships' instead of 'privatisation', the WWC continues to promote the illusion that leaving water supply to transnational corporations is the only way forward. In fact the experience of the last decade has shown that these profit-seeking corporations are incapable of delivering water to the worlds poorest," according to a Corporate Europe Observatory brief. [7]

Funding

WWC's website states that it is "financed primarily through membership fees and additional support is provided by the host City of Marseilles. Specific projects and programs are financed through donations and grants from governments, international organizations and NGO's." [8]

Partners

Partners listed on the WWC website, as of February 2009, include: [9]

Members

WWC's members included, as of August 2008: [10]

Contact

The Headquarters
World Water Council
Espace Gaymard
2-4 place d'Arvieux
13002 Marseille
France
Phone: +33 (4) 91 99 41 00
Fax: +33 (4) 91 99 41 01
Email: wwc AT worldwatercouncil.org
Web: http://www.worldwatercouncil.org

Western Hemispheric Bureau
World Water Council
Canada
Phone: +1 (514) 286-1050
Fax: +1 (514) 287-9057
Email: aly_shady AT acdi-cida.gc.ca

New Delhi Regional Centre
C/O Central Board of Irrigation and Power
CBIP Buildg., Plot N°4
Institutional Area, Malcha Marg. Chanakyapuri
110021 New Delhi
India
Phone +91 (11) 2611 59 84
Fax: +91 (11) 2611 63 47
Email: cbip AT nda.vsnl.net.in

Africa and Middle East Bureau
President Office, World Water Council
Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation
Corniche El Nil, Imbaba
Giza 12666
Egypt
Phone: +20 (2) 544-9442
Fax: +20 (2) 544-9449
Email: president AT worldwatercouncil.org

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. World Water Council home page
  2. Denise D. Wight, "It saves to be Green," National Petroleum News, March 2006 (Pg. 26 Vol. 98).
  3. "Topic development documents," Fifth World Water Forum website, accessed February 2009.
  4. French Water Partnership, "World Water Forum 5 - Outline of session 2.2.1 (pdf)," Fifth World Water Forum website, September 2, 2008.
  5. European Water Partnership, "The challenge: implementing new and innovative technologies and policies that reduce Water and Energy footprints (pdf)," Fifth World Water Forum website, September 13, 2008.
  6. UN Water, "Advancing Human Development and the MDGs (pdf)," Fifth World Water Forum website, accessed February 2009.
  7. [1]
  8. "About us," World Water Council website, accessed February 2009.
  9. "Partners," World Water Council website, accessed February 2009.
  10. "Members list (doc)," World Water Council website, accessed February 2009.
  11. Denise D. Wight, "It saves to be Green," National Petroleum News, March 2006 (Pg. 26 Vol. 98).

External resources

External articles