Upon the closing of the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, I would like to call for a more open and integrated approach involving all stakeholders and to advocate for the transition from an economy based on volume to an economy based on value: the issue today is no longer managing large volumes of water, but rather contributing social and environmental know-how that is adapted to the needs of communities and users.

This new edition of the Forum provided the opportunity for all players working on water-related issues to assess the advances achieved over the past three years. These are real but terribly insufficient compared to the challenges of water access and climate change! In order to meet these challenges, an integrated approach and innovation are the key to sustainable, well-balanced progress to which we dedicate the development of our professions.


Consultation at the heart of access to water issues

In light of the urgency of the situation, we must today implement mechanisms with the goal of more broadly consulting and involving all players at the local level, from businesses to NGOs. This is the key to sound resource management and preservation in order to arrive at concrete solutions to problems of access to water and sanitation. Working alongside NGOs, researchers and local elected representatives, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT and its stakeholders are mobilizing to offer a 3rd way for access to water, between a traditional business approach and philanthropy, that would be adapted to medium-sized cities in emerging countries: the “4P Model” or Participative Public Private Partnerships. We are currently finalizing a partnership with a country in Africa to try this new approach in the field and we will keep on working on that model in our upcoming stakeholder sessions. We hope the next World Water Forum will be the occasion to share concrete learning and results about that model.

Innovation to produce new sustainable models

Innovation is the second requirement to produce new sustainable models. This means going from a linear economy to a circular one, from a model that was based on the concept of water volume distributed to a model based on value, resource management due to a technical know-how, management and governance: this is the operational transition we are carrying out in order to cope with environmental changes.

The capacity to respond to all these challenges simultaneously conditions the transition to sustainable service models. Innovation is only meaningful if it serves this purpose, and all of us must invest the required operational and financial resources to finally provide water and sanitation solutions that are suitable for all.

Looking forwards to reading your thoughts and comments