G-WADI Highlighted at IHP Intergovernmental Council Meeting and Scientific Side Event

G-WADI figured prominently at the 2022 IHP Intergovernmental Council meeting in April.  In terms of its past performance, it was noted that the 2018 evaluation of IHP major initiatives identified G-WADI as the overall highest rated program among the 15 IHP major initiatives. This, and its compliance with the IHP Flagship Initiative Framework for the Planning, Implementation and Monitoring, led to the formal recommendation for G-WADI to be “continu[ed] after harmonizing with new [IHP-IX] Framework”.

G-WADI programs were strongly tied into the new, ninth phase of IHP (IHP-IX). in particular, Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis (CRIDA), which is a major G-WADI publication and program, appears multiple times in the new Operational Implementation Plan for IHP-IX. For example, under "Priority Area 1: Scientific research and innovation", one proposed activity is "Implementation of pilot projects on, and promotion of, [CRIDA] and other bottom-up approaches that include hydro-climatic and non-climatic uncertainties integrated in hydrological projections and water use in different regions and across various spatial and time scales. Likewise, under "Priority Area 4: Integrated water resources management under conditions of global change", the proposed activities include "Support and facilitation of the development and use of methodologies and tools in mainstreaming global changes, including for climate change (e.g. CRIDA)". Flood and drought monitoring software applications are also mentioned; this would include the African Flood and Drought Monitor, for example. 

Many examples of CRIDA activities are also summarized in the talk by Will Logan (director, ICIWaRM) in the scientific side event before the Council meeting, "Science for a water secure world in a changing environment". Different kinds of G-WADI activities through the years were highlighted and contrasted in Dr. Logan's talk, titled, Water Education and Development: Generic Products or Country-Level Focus?"

Finally, discussions were held among G-WADI leadership, the Flanders UNESCO Fund for Science (FUST) and the Global Technical Secretariat for G-WADI (ICIWaRM).