UK to establish international water policies

A pioneering centre has been set up at one of the UK's leading universities to tackle the problems related to the management of the planet's increasingly fragile water resources.

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science at Scotland's University of Dundee will be dedicated to developing legal frameworks surrounding the supply of water.

At the launch, Tim Craddock, UK Ambassador to UNESCO, said: "This is the first UNESCO centre in the UK and it is a significant achievement for Dundee and for Scotland.

"The centre is already engaged in projects across the globe, developing frameworks for the effective management of water resources, training a new generation of "˜water leaders' and linking scientists, policymakers and lawyers."

The Dundee centre will lead postgraduate research, teaching and training in water law and policy. It has established a legal assessment model for the development of water policy, working with research teams in China, Mozambique and Palestine.

The centre is linked to 67 water basins around the globe, all of which are part of the Hydrology for the Environment, Life and Policy (HELP) initiative jointly administered by UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organisation.

The Dundee centre is launching a "˜water law, water leaders' master's degree program that it will teach at these water basins.

"The Dundee centre is at the cutting edge of policy development. Through sharing experiences and building knowledge, it can make a huge contribution in helping policy makers and governments tackle this challenge effectively," Craddock said.

The centre has attracted funding of £2.5 million in major grants that have enabled it to establish the new base at Dundee University and embark on a program of recruitment that will see the creation of new chairs in Water Law and Water Science.