This year, from 25 to 29 August, we will mark World Water Week 2024 under the theme “Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future.” The event will focus on water cooperation for achieving peace and security in all its aspects — from human to ecosystem security.
For Bulgaria, the issues of water quality and accessibility are particularly topical, as many villages are still under water rationing. The need for effective water resource management is greater than ever.
The discussions include pressing topics on cooperation and peace in the water sector, focusing on how joint management of water resources can prevent conflicts and promote peace. This is especially important for countries that share water sources with Bulgaria. Ways to improve urban water resilience under climate change, with an emphasis on social justice and equality, will also be examined. Earth observation technologies and innovative financing approaches for water resource management that cross national borders will be presented. This is relevant for the Balkans, including Bulgaria, where river basins are shared with other countries. The application of nature-based solutions to improve water security and meet the needs of the environment and society will also be discussed.
For Bulgaria, these topics are especially important in the context of managing transboundary rivers (e.g. the Danube), water challenges in areas under water rationing, and the need for sustainable agricultural practices to reduce water pollution.