Water security and climate change: The need for adaptive governance

Climate change will bring about unprecedented economic, social and environmental effects, which require both the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and  adaptation to its adverse effects. Water is the main element through which the  impacts of climate change will be felt. Climate change results in increased  uncertainties, complexities, stress and potential for conflicts within water  management, both among and within states. New forms of governance are needed if the world is to respond to the need to adapt to changes in freshwater supply and to manage water security risks.This paper suggests that adaptive governance should to be main-streamed into all water regulation to ensure the availability of and access to safe water resources and to prevent water-related conflicts. The paper discusses the concept of water  security in the context of climate change, the threats that climate change poses to water security, and the concept and implications of adaptive governance as a possible solution.The application of adaptive governance requires a certain degree of institutional and normative flexibility, instruments and institutions that can respond and adapt to changes and manage the level of uncertainty associated with the impacts of climate change. The governance institutions, methods and instruments should be responsive to new information and different kinds of uncertainties, while reflecting the vulnerabilities, capacities, needs and priorities of both societies and ecosystems in the face of climate change. Water security risks could be reduced by increased hydrosolidarity among states, which would present the challenges posed by climate change on water governance and security as primarily an opportunity for new forms of cooperation.Keywords: Climate change; freshwater resources; water security; adaptive governance

Chemicals and Waste Governance Beyond 2020 : Exploring Pathways for a Coherent Global Regime

SAICM was established a decade ago as a voluntary approach to complement regulatory gaps to achieve sound management of chemicals by 2020. Despite significant actions taken since then, chemicals still pose a grave risk through the pollution of air, water, soil, and food. In 2015, an international process was set in motion to design a new global framework for sound management of chemicals and wastes. The new framework will replace SAICM and it is envisaged to be adopted in 2020. This report is the first attempt to analyse functions needed for effective chemicals and waste governance and to identify options for the institutional form in the post-2020 era. The report aims to increase understanding of reforms required to protect human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes, in light of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development

Editorial: Special Edition on Water Security

The North-South Dimensions of Water Security Symposium was held at the North-West University, Potchefstroom from the 14th to the 15th of May, 2015. Through the generous funding of the Academy of Finland (268151), under the research project “Legal framework to promote water security” (WATSEC), we were able to gather approximately 13 speakers representative of the North and South. The 4 papers in this peer-reviewed edition emanate from this symposium.      &nbsp

Report from a Nordic Seminar : Global Chemicals and Waste Governance Beyond 2020 | 16-17 January 2017 | Helsinki, Finland

This report is an outcome of the expert seminar 'Global Chemicals and Wastes Governance Beyond 2020' held on 16-17 January 2017 in Helsinki, Finland. The seminar explored forms and functions for effective global governance of chemicals and wastes beyond 2020. The conclusion was that promising forms for the Post-2020 regime could consist of voluntary approaches or mixed instruments, with both legally-binding and voluntary elements. One specific model for this kind of approach that was explored is the 'National Action Plan' mechanism. Many of the functional elements highlighted include the involvement of all key stakeholders and sectors, the need for an effective science-policy interface, and use of a lifecycle approach. The seminar brought together 50 policy-makers and international experts in the field of international environmental law and global chemicals and wastes governance