Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in partnership with UNESCO Islamabad launched two reports; (i) IWRM Implementation Guidelines for Pakistan and (ii) UN World Water Development Report 2021. PCRWR developed an IWRM implementation guideline for Pakistan which will be a guiding document for all stakeholders working at federal and provincial levels. The World Water Development Report 2021 is focused on the theme of “Valuing Water”.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Patricia Mc’Phillips, UNESCO Country Director, remarked that the rising population, and increasing impact of climate change have put Pakistan under immense stress. In this context, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is an effective approach to manage water resources with science and policy.
In his key note address, Dr. Mohsin Hafeez, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Country Representative, highlighted that Pakistan is facing unique challenges like water scarcity, population growth, environmental degradation, and climate change. IWRM may play an important role to solve these challenges.
In his remarks, Mr. Ahmad Kamal, Chairman, Federal Flood Commission informed that IWRM guidelines and World Water Development Report 2021 will be the core of water resources management and development in Pakistan and going to be the most coherent, comprehensive, and integrated manifestation on the ground. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Chairman (PCRWR) while addressing the event, emphasized that the concept of IWRM is very important for valuing water. The IWRM guideline is a practical reference booklet for academia, institutions, industry, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.