Local Water Solutions for Global Challenges (2019)
Water is essential for life and for sustainable development, and well-managed water services contribute to poverty reduction, economic growth and environmental sustainability. Increasing human population, the impacts of climate change and unsustainable growth all place pressures on water demand, water quality and water availability.
As the successors to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are interwoven and provide targets to be met for different water challenges by 2030. The declared purpose of SDG 6 is to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. SDG 6 builds upon the MDG focus on drinking water and sanitation to include the water cycle as a whole, including management, wastewater and ecosystem resources. Since water is fundamental to sustainable development, SDG 6 has strong linkages with the other SDGs, and meeting SDG 6 will contribute hugely to the entire sustainable development agenda for 2030.
This course is implemented by the University of Strathclyde, Gaia Education and the Social Development Programme of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, UNITAR.
The content of the modules is based on original materials developed for Hydrogeology and Water Resources Education at the University of Strathclyde and is supported by students who take part in the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) Water, Sanitation and International Development.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Conceptualise Integrated Water Resource Management Challenges;
- Understand the linkage between SDG6 (Water and sanitation) and other SDGs;
- Conceptualise Water treatment technologies within Integrated Water Resource Management Challenges;
- Identify how water treatment plays a role in increased water resilience;
- Differentiate transboundary from national Integrated Water Resource Management Challenges;
- Grasp the importance of the science-policy interface;
- Conceptualise Integrated Water Resource Management Challenges within a Food-Water-Energy Nexus.
This course is delivered through UNITAR’s e-Learning Platform. It comprises of 4 modules, each consisting of a lesson, a discussion forum and a quiz.
The modules are as follows:
- Module 1 - Global Water Challenges
- Module 2 - Water and Wastewater Treatment Technologies
- Module 3 - Water Governance
- Module 4 - Water Energy Food Nexus
Learning activities are based on UNITAR‘s sound adult learning pedagogical principles. They are distributed in such a way as to ensure the achievement of the learning objectives in a flexible manner: learning materials can indeed be consulted in a non-linear way so as to provide participants with a high degree of flexibility in choosing the learning pace that is most suitable to them. Thus, participants are responsible for their own learning throughout the course. Each module aims to deepen the participant’s skills and understanding as well as provide him/her with the opportunity to network and dialogue with other participants, sharing country specific experiences and good practice in sustainability issues related to water resources management.
Learning materials include the following elements:
- basic reading materials to support the understanding of the basic concepts and principles of the modules’ subject matter
- advanced reading materials (optional) for participants willing to learn more about the topic
- external links to relevant publications, reports and websites
- glossaries of terms and acronyms as supportive learning tools
- a community discussion board (forum) will allow participants to discuss topics initiated by the course participants and to post questions, comments or new discussions.
The course is open to:
- Integrated Water Resource Managers
- Community Health and Sanitation Workers
- International Development Consultants
- Water Quality and Treatment Managers
- Poverty Alleviation Activists
- Developing Countries Agricultural Engineers
- SDG Training Multipliers
- Hydrology Students and Workers
- Community Leaders
- Urban Water Developers
- Climate Justice Policy Makers
- Waste Water Treatment Workers
CERTIFICATION: Successful completion of the course requires participants to successfully respond to all quizzes. A Certificate of Completion will be issued to participants who complete all quizzes and make payment of $100 USD to UNITAR.
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TODAY: Would you want to receive further news and information on Gaia Education and its courses? Then click here, and subscribe by entering your e-mail address using the form at the bottom of the page.