WMO HydroHub Youth Symposium

A group of people sitting at tables in a room.

The WMO HydroHub Youth Symposium aimed at raising awareness among the young generation on (1) Sustainable water resources management; (2) Water monitoring; (3) Crowdsourcing and career perspectives in the field of water. The Youth Symposium also aimed at guiding and preparing young people for their participation in COP27, the Groundwater Summit 2022 and the UN 2023 Water Conference.

Background

While substantial progress has been made in increasing access to clean drinking water and sanitation, billions of people around the world still lack these basic services. Furthermore, water-related hazards are among the most frequent types of disasters and have affected billions of people worldwide over the past 20 years. Increasing climate and weather variability is more frequently affecting the reliability of surface- and groundwater resources and increasing the intensity and distribution of floods and droughts. In this context, water data of adequate quality and quantity is a prerequisite to address the increasing water-related challenges around the world and support decision-making in all aspects of water resources management. Enhancing the provision of water data is vital to effective water resources management and the provision of safe and reliable water supplies. In this regard, youth engagement in the innovation and operations of water monitoring systems is essential. This includes youth participation in decision-making processes and crowdsourcing projects, as well as more young people professionally engaging in water-related fields.

Objectives

The Youth Symposium aimed at raising awareness among the young generation on

Sustainable water resources management and the role of youth
Role of water monitoring in delivering hydrological services
Crowdsourcing and career perspectives in the field of water

Also, Youth Statements were prepared as an outcome of the Symposium and will be used as a contribution to youth inputs at the UN 2023 Water Conference, COY17/COP27 and the UN-Water Summit on Groundwater 2022.