Dearest Colleagues,
while Task Force meeting Report is processing by the Secretariat I’m writing you to summarize our meeting outcomes and share a brief remind of our future works and deadlines on the short term.
But first of all I’d like to thank you all again for coming to Rome, for the inputs you provided and, last but not least, for creating such friendly and positive atmosphere during the meeting (very nice pictures are circulating in the mail!) .
Back to our mandate: during the meeting the Task Force endorsed the launch of three activitieswhose outcomes should to be completed within the end of 2009, namely :
1, Development of guidelines for ensuring safe water supply and sanitation in flooding events and water scarcity conditions.
2. Collection and editing of best practice/ experience on preventive and coping measures in extreme weather events with focus on water supply and sanitation
3. Development of Joint strategy paper on water and adaptation to climate change together with the Task Force Water and Climate of UNECE Water Convention and related activities .
Furthermore , there are two major events where our Task Force was already asked to contribute:
•The meeting of the Working Group Water and Health established under the Protocol Water and Health, to be held in Geneva, next June 26-27 where we’re supposed to show outcomes of the meeting and the first endorsed work plan;
•The international workshop on water and climate planned for next July 1-2 in Amsterdam jointly organized with the Task Force Water and Climate of UNECE Water Convention where the first draft of joint strategy paper will be discussed. In this event our Task Force is called to contribute with case studies presentation and to organize a session on health related concerns for adaptation strategy to extreme weather events.
In order to accomplish all the above challenging tasks I’m here to recall you future works and deadlines endorsed at the meeting that need to be processed on the short term:
1) May 30th
MS volunteer (up to five) to present case studies/experience ready to be presented at the July international workshop ( to be discussed with the Chair)
2) June 20th –
Deadline to send General Report from Countries on environment and health priorities as well as on preventive and coping measures in extreme weather events with focus on water supply and sanitation. A Russian version of the report guidance for our internal use has been provided by the Secretariat to facilitate contributions from Russian speaking Countries (in attachment eng/russ versions).
Please note that all MS of the Protocol Water and Health are very welcome on providing inputs from their Countries. General Report will be integrated in the next future with case studies/ best practice/ experiences collection (see next point 4) .
3) July 15th
Definition of a drafting group for the development of the guidelines on safe water supply and sanitation: MS volunteer to participate are asked to communicate it to the Chair within the middle of july.
4) Sept. 30th
a) Definition by the drafting group of outlines, index and work programme for the development of guidelines on safe water supply and sanitation in extreme weather events. Contribution also from members of the Task Force Water and Climate and the other Task Force established under the Protocol Water and Health will be very welcome.
b) Format for case studies/ best practice/ experiences collection will be prepared and send by Chair / Secretariat Start. Specific format for any fields (environment, health, water management, water utilities managers etc) of preventive and copying measures for flooding events and water scarcity conditions. Please note that also in this case contributions from all MS of the Protocol Water and Health and UN organizations as well are very welcome.
As a matter of facts cohoperation among task forces were quite stressed in the meeting according to Bureau decision and I please Secretariat to extend this message to Protocol NFPs
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions,
my very best regards
Luciana