GWD GROUNDWATER CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2021 - THEME

The UN-Water selected Theme for World Water Day 2022 is “Groundwater: making the invisible visible” – as proposed by International Groundwater Resource Assessment Centre.
AMCOW’s Pan-Africa Groundwater Program is geared towards building resilient groundwater resources of Africa.
SADC, through SADC-GMI continuously promotes sustainable groundwater development, that way ensuring water and food security for the Region.
The UN endeavors to ‘leave no one behind’ in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The current National Chair of the GWD-GSSA summarised his vision for the two-year duration to “putting groundwater in the media with the correct facts, the success stories of groundwater development and management.” Such facts are based on hydrogeology (and related) research and not research from skewed perspectives.

The integral message from all this is that groundwater should be afforded adequate management through proper development and protection in order to achieve the desired state of resilience. In keeping with these themes stemming from a common vision for groundwater resource sustainability, the following Theme for GWD Groundwater Conference & Exhibition 2021 is proposed;

GROUNDWATER RESILIENCE & VISIBILITY

RESEARCH. INNOVATE. DEVELOP. MANAGE. PROTECT.

Research and Development through Innovation must be the new narrative that shapes the developmental trajectory and future landscape of groundwater in South Africa and the world.  A paradigm shift is needed by building a value chain towards demonstration and piloting to create impact by using groundwater as a tool for transformation.

On the other hand, the resilience of groundwater to climate change, drought, anthropogenic activities, global pandemics, etc. can be achieved if all levels of governance can co-operate in ensuring integrated management of the resource and related information, proper development procedures, monitoring, and protection; with the main focus on local municipalities. Moreover, groundwater-related policy and governance decisions should be informed by scientific research outcomes. This will promote the development of sound strategies from a groundwater perspective; and thus resulting in groundwater visibility. Hence, this all-encompassing theme is proposed.

We look forward to start sharing more information about this Conference.
GWD Conference Chair: Mr Kwazi Majola