UNESCO Global Ecohydrology Demosite Meeting

The Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in partnership with UNESCO-IHP Paris and UNESCO Office Jakarta, supported by the Putrajaya Corporation (PPj) Malaysia have successfully organized the UNESCO Global Ecohydrology Demosite Meeting, UNESCO International Ecohydrology Forum and UNESCO Ecohydrology Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) Meeting from 1- 4 July 2019, in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

The UNESCO Global Ecohydrology Demosite Meeting was held on 1-2 July 2019 at the Everly Putrajaya Hotel, Putrajaya, Malaysia and brought together 45 participants from all regions around the world (Asia Pacific, European, African and American Latin Regions), which included 21 international participants (Demosite Managers representing 15 UNESCO Global Ecohydrology Demosites) and 24 local participants (representing Ecohydrology Malaysia Chapter (EMC) team members, IHP Malaysia local partners, experts and stakeholders from various agencies and universities that are directly or indirectly involved in Ecohydrology implementation in Malaysia). Total of 15 Countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Portugal, Poland, France, Italy, Germany, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia), 3 UNESCO Offices (Paris, Jakarta & Nairobi), 3 UNESCO Water Chairs (UALg, Lodz & SUA), 4 UNESCO Water Centres related to Ecohydrology (ERCE, ICCE, APCE, HTCKL) and 2 UNESCO IHP National Committees (Polish & Malaysian) participated in this Global Ecohydrology Demosite Meeting, which consisted of 11 females and 34 males. Dr. Rahmah Elfithri, Senior Lecturer of LESTARI, UKM as well as Coordinator of these UNESCO Ecohydrology Events welcomed all participants and gave short introduction about the meeting, followed by Prof Dato Dr. Mazlin Bin Mokhtar, Director of LESTARI, UKM welcomed all UNESCO Global Ecohydrology Demosites to Malaysia and thanked UNESCO for choosing Malaysia and LESTARI, UKM as the host for these important Ecohydrology Events in Malaysia. Mr. Hans Dencker Thulstrup, Senior Programme Specialist, Water and Environmental Sciences of UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Jakarta delivered his Opening Remark at this meeting, followed Mr. Giuseppe Arduino, Chief Ecohydrology, Water Quality and Water Education Section, Division of Water Sciences, UNESCO IHP, Paris and continued with the introduction of the UNESCO’s Ecohydrology Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) member, all UNESCO’s Ecohydrology Demosites member and other participants. During this meeting, best practices from each demosite presented and shared among all participants, learned among eachother and hence improved knowledge and awareness on Ecohydrology, especially with reference to NBS, cost/benefit analyses and enhancement of ecosystem services. 15 out of 23 current UNESCO Ecohydrology Demosites presented at this meeting, and 7 New Ecohydrology Demosite Proposals (2 from China, Mongolia, Tanzania, Ecuador, Colombia and Timor Leste) were presented for approval by the UNESCO ‘s Ecohydrology SAC.

Report by Dr. Rahmah Elfithri.