ESCWA Regional Advisor on Environment and Water Ralf Klingbeil participated in the conference on “Social Water Studies in the MENA Region” on September 27th and 28th 2014 at the German Jordanian University (GJU) in Madaba, Jordan. ESCWA contributed to the conference through a panel discussion, a presentation, as well as supporting participating scientists from Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. Participanting in the symposium were HRH Prince El Hassan Bin Talal and the German Ambassador to Jordan Ralph Tarraf, alongside social and water scientists mainly from Arab counties, and experts from outside the region. The meeting discussed matters related to social development within a scheme to improve water management sustainability. ESCWA delivered a presentation entitled “Water and Inter-generational Justice in the Arab Region”.
The latter recommended that inter-generational equity and justice in relation to water should address the preservation of the environment for future generations, and the economic and social options for succeeding generations. The main focus stood on 5 pillars: fair inter-temporal distribution of natural resource wealth; just taxation and just accumulation of national debt; physical stocks of capital; social and education systems; and improved income brackets and social mobility for future generations . The contribution of ESCWA to the conference suggested an improved capacity development of staff from government institutions, research centers as well as universities in different ESCWA member States, namely Jordan.
