Meet SEI at World Water Week 2024

34^th SuSanA meeting

When? 24 August, 10:00-16:00 CEST

Where? Online and at the SEI office, Linnégatan 87D, Stockholm

In the lead-up to World Water Week, the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSana) will hold its 34^th meeting.

The day will feature a series of insightful presentations and discussions, followed by a social gathering in the evening. SEI’s Carla Liera and other members of the Global Steering Committee will lead discussions on the overall status and future of the SuSanA network. Furthermore, SEI researchers will share insights from their work on different topics:

• Climate mitigation: Daniel Ddiba will present “Advancing GHG Measurement in Sanitation and Wastewater Systems: Findings from SEI’s Latest Report” based on the recent MEGES project report.
• Resource recovery: a special session on this topic will include Daniel Ddiba giving updates on the Resource Recovery Toolbox project and Linus Dagerskog sharing insights from the project Clean and Green.

Explore the full workshop programme.

Trade and traceability: understanding embedded water in supply chains 

When? 09.00-10.30 am CEST

Where? Online and Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, C3 Level 2

The trade of virtual water, or water embedded in goods or services, is expected to triple by the end of the century. This growing pressure on water resources can have severe consequences in exporting regions but complex global supply chains make it difficult to understand how goods or services contribute to water insecurity and climate vulnerability around the world.  

The purpose of this session is to shine a light on the problem and discuss a roadmap for change. Michael Lathuillière, Senior Research Fellow at SEI, will talk about how supply chains can become more sustainable based on the experiences from the Trase initiative and the project TraseH20, which explores the links between the global trade of Brazilian soy and beef commodities, water use and water scarcity. 

Read more about the session

Workshop: how to strengthen the crisis preparedness of critical infrastructures 

When? 04.00-05.30 pm CEST

Where? On-site only, Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, Room 27, Level 2

How can we protect critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks, war, climate impacts or dramatic socio-economic change? That will be discussed in the workshop How to strengthen the crisis preparedness of critical infrastructures on 25 August (on-site only).  

The workshop will give an understanding of the growing threats to infrastructures like water, wastewater treatment and electricity but also highlight ways to address new challenges. Drawing on experiences from different countries, sectors and technologies, the participants will collaborate to identify solutions and develop strategies. The session is organized by SE and partners. It is moderated by SEI’s Karina Barquet and builds partly on research from her team Water, Coasts and Ocean. 

Learn more about the session.

Holy Shit: can poop save the world? 

When? 06.00 pm CEST

Where? Movie theatre Zita, Stockholm

In “Holy Shit” director Rubén Abruña follows a human turd to understand what happens to it, how it is managed, and how it affects us. Though sewers and flush toilets brought major health gains, they also created new risks when the millennia-old tradition of using our excrement as fertilizer was abandoned in favour of chemical fertilizers. In his search for more regenerative options, Rubén Abruña meets pioneers who have solutions that put the poop back into the loop to better tackle the challenges of global food security, environmental protection, hygiene, and climate crisis. 

The screening, which is organized by SEI and GIZ, is followed by a Q&A with SEI’s Daniel Ddiba and other sanitation experts.

Read more about the movie here

Fostering resilience: bridging gaps in Asia-Pacific multi-Hazards warning systems

When?  09:00-10:30 am CEST

Where? Online and on-site Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre Room C2, Level 2

Locally led, multi-hazard early warning systems are critical to shield Asia-Pacific communities from escalating disaster risks, but how should they be designed? This session dives into best practices, exploring practical considerations and emphasizing the crucial role of collective action, capacity building, and technology investments. Moderator is Thanapon Piman, Senior Research Fellow at SEI Asia.

Learn more about the session.

SIWI seminar: monitoring and data to support peace and security

When? 11.00-12.30 pm CEST

Where? Online and Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, Room 27, Level 2.

The SIWI Seminar series explores the year’s theme more in-depth. This session focuses on how data, monitoring, forecasts and warnings can be used to navigate conflicting demands and reduce disaster risks. Carla Liera, Research Associate at SEI, will participate to talk about citizen science as a method to integrate the needs of vulnerable groups into monitoring and decision-making processes. Drawing on experiences from a project in Mexico City, she will illustrate how this approach has been used to understand the water and sanitation needs of homeless populations. 

Learn more about the session. 

Call to action for climate-resilient sanitation coalition: an evidence-based call to action

When? 10:30-11:00 CEST

Where? Water for Women booth (level 4, 4:15) at Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre

SEI’s Daniel Ddiba will share insights from his research on the link between sanitation and climate mitigation. He will explain why sanitation is a crucial component for progress towards the Global Methane Pledge, and why it is crucial to invest more in research about emissions from the whole sanitation value chain and mitigation solutions.

SEI researcher Nhilce N. Esquivel will share key messages on how climate change impacts society, including menstrual health management. How can we ensure access to basic services and prevent sanitation system failures?

Crossing the boundaries: participatory tools to co-manage watersheds and ecosystems

When? 02.00-03.30 pm CEST

Where? Online and Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, Room C1, Level 2.

The session will explore transboundary interactions where watersheds and ecosystems are co-managed using participatory tools. We will learn about how this kind of tools have been used in e.g. Brazil, Colombia, and the Mekong region, to generate more evidence-based and inclusive policies. 

Building on experiences from different parts of the world, the session will discuss how to design successful engagement strategies. SEI will share insights from research in different parts of the world, including Rwanda and Central Asia. Don’t miss this chance to listen to our researchers Cláudia Coleoni, Uttam Ghimire, Camilo González, Annette Huber-Lee, Biljana Macura, Thanapon Piman, and Tania Santos.

The session is organized by SEI together with Agência PCJ – Brazil, Colombia Ministry of Environment, the Mekong River Commission and the Office of the National Water Resources, Thailand.

Learn more about the session. 

Bridging WASH tools to promote peaceful and inclusive societies 

When? 16:00-17:30 CEST

Where? On-site only, Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, Room 27, Level 2.

The session explores how a human rights lens should be applied to questions about WASH to foster more peaceful, inclusive societies. SEI researchers Nhilce N. Esquivel and Carla Liera will present how this lens is applied in the WASH Flows tool can help. It is one example of how technical and social tools to monitor progress on achieving the human rights to water and sanitation, as well as SDG6, the sustainable development goal that speaks specifically about water. The session is moderated by SEI’s Adriana Soto Trujillo. 

Many of the insights build on research from SEI, which is leading the session together with ONGAWA Engineering for Human Development and the Spanish Cooperation Agency for International Development. 

Learn more about the session.

The Tibetan Plateau: key to unlocking regional peace and prosperity

When? 11-12:30 CEST

Where? Online and on-site, Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre, A4, Level 6

The Tibetan Plateau’s importance to water security is hard to overstate. As the source of many of Eastern Asia’s major rivers, Tibet is vital to sustainability, socio-economic justice, and peace for nearly 1.8 billion people. In this session, an expert panel will discuss Tibet’s ecology, risks associated with continued large-scale development, including hydroelectric dams and mining, and the relevance of Tibetan traditional knowledge systems.

SEI’s Marina Mautner will provide insight into the benefits of evidence-based tools and participatory processes for water planning to unite competing interests towards cooperation. She will discuss the data and methods that have been used in select case studies to allocate and monitor limited water supplies to support better decision-making and promote stability.

Learn more about the session

Empowering the next generation to close the gender gap

When? 11:00-12:30 CEST

Where? Online and on-site at Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre C3, Level 2

SEI’s Daniel Ddiba will be part of panel discussion. The session, hosted by Xylem, will showcase a diverse panel of water and sanitation experts sharing about their unique journeys and challenges, reflecting on the mentorship and sponsorship they’ve received, and offering advice to future generations on how to close the gender gap in the sector.

Learn more about the session.