Botin Foundation
The Botin Foundation, an interdisciplinary think-tank on water policy issues, seeks to integrate natural and social sciences. The Botin Foundation (BF) began activity in the field of water resources in 1998 when it launched the Groundwater Project (Proyecto Aguas Subterraneas or PAS), one of the first interdisciplinary assessments of groundwater governance. The project under the leadership of Prof. Llamas had Spain as a showcase for many of the ethical dilemmas faced in countries across the world, like the intensive use of groundwater resources for development. This and many other questions around groundwater are inherently ethical and thus the Botin Foundation became increasingly active in the field of Water Ethics. In the same year of 1998, Dr. Jerry Delli Priscoli and Prof. Llamas were appointed as coordinators for the UNESCO Working Group on the Ethics of Freshwater Uses. This Working group gathered a dozen international figures with different professional backgrounds and expertise. The Botin Foundation supported this important work, first by sponsoring the final session of this working group held in Almeria (Spain) in the year 1999 and second through the publication of a monograph (PAS no.5) collecting the main results of this meeting and other valuable work.(available at http://www.fundacionbotin.org/agua.htm under publications).
The Freshwater Alliance
The Freshwater Alliance is a national capacity building initiative that assists Canada’s diverse non-profit water community in reaching goals to secure healthy, thriving waters from coast-to-coast-to-coast. The Freshwater Alliance believes living waters are essential to the health and wealth of all our communities, our environment, and our country.
The Global Water Program, Johns Hopkins University
Scientists and professors from Johns Hopkins University created The Global Water Program to help provide and study the quality and quantity of water needed to sustain the health of mankind.
Institute for Social-Ecological Research
The ISOE is an independent institute that develops social-ecological concepts for sustainable development. As an innovative scientific think tank, they undertake trans-disciplinary research for society, policy makers and industry to provide support for sound decision-making processes.
The International Association for Promoting Geoethics
The International Association for Promoting Geoethics (IAPG) promotes discussion of ethics applied to the geosciences (which includes the hydrosphere). A new IAPG initiative is to introduce an ethical code of conduct for the profession.
Merry Lea’s Sustainability Semester
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College is an 1,189-acre nature preserve located in north central Indiana. The center is known for quality environmental education at all levels and wetland ecosystem diversity. In September 2012, Merry Lea will launch the Sustainability Semester in Residence for undergraduates with an overall water theme and an interdisciplinary and hands-on approach, beginning with a week-long canoe trip through the local watershed. Students earn a total of 15 credits in the following courses: Landscape Limnology; Faith, Ethics and Ecojustice; Environmental Policy and Politics; Sustainability and Regeneration, and Environmental Problem-Solving. For more information email Lisa, lisarz[at]goshen[dot]edu.
The National Geographic Society
Visit the NGS website to view a list of national and international water organizations. National Geographic is developing a strategic approach to freshwater issues with the goal of motivating people across the world to care about and conserve freshwater and the diversity of life it sustains.
NEW Wilderness Alliance
The NEW Wilderness Alliance which started in June 2010, is a collaborative approach to optimizing the quality of life for all people, plants and animals that live in Northeastern Wisconsin. The NEW Wilderness Alliance has been in the planning stages of an exciting project, a massive collaborative effort to clean up the Fox River and Bay of Green Bay Watershed to make the Bay swimmable and thus become part of the Great Lakes coastline, which will enhance their community’s economic, social and environmental health. For more information email Jolene[at]newwildernessalliance[dot]org, or ISOInternationalLLC[at]gmail[dot]com.
Pacific Institute, Peter Gleick
The Pacific Institute aims to find real-world solutions to problems like water shortages, habitat destruction, global warming, and environmental injustice. Based in Oakland, California, they conduct research, publish reports, recommend solutions, and work with decision makers, advocacy groups, and the public to change policy.
The River Network
The River Network’s mission is to empower and unite people and communities to protect and restore rivers and other waters that sustain the health of our country. Founded in 1988, they are a national watershed protection movement that includes nearly 2,000 state, regional, and local grassroots organizations whose primary mission is to protect rivers and watersheds.
RiverNet
The European River Network seeks to promote the sustainable wise management of living rivers and water in opposition to the exploitation, pollution, and degradation that has occurred in the past. The European Rivers Network is a European information and collaboration network of organizations and individuals working for river protection. The aim of ERN is to link and improve communication between organizations and persons working for the protection of rivers.
UN Special Rapporteur
UN Special Rapporteur is a website about the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. The UN Human Rights Commission appointed a Special Rapporteur, Catarina de Albuquerque, to support people’s right-to-water. This website provides updates of the Special Rapporteur’s county assessments, news, background reports, and other information from various UN agencies, specifically covering initiatives and news relating to the 2010 UN Resolution that declared safe and clean drinking water and sanitation a human right. You can find reports discussing the pros and cons of using human rights language to support water and sanitation goals. UN-Water, the inter-agency mechanism for coordinating UN water initiatives maintains the website and resources.
Water-Culture Institute
The Water-Culture Institute promotes the sustainable management of our rivers, lakes, springs, and groundwater through (1) applying indigenous wisdom and cultural traditions that respect the rights of nature, (2) studying ethics and value systems related to water management, and (3) encouraging broad-based stakeholder involvement in water decisions.
The Water Integrity Network
The Water Integrity Network (WIN), formed in 2006, aims to fight corruption in the water sector. This group stimulates anti-corruption activities in the water sector locally, nationally, and globally, and promotes solutions-oriented action and coalition-building between civil society, the private and public sectors, media, and governments. The overall development aim of WIN is to reduce poverty by fighting corruption. Improved governance of water resources and services, such as through enhanced integrity, transparency, accountability and honesty, increases the chances of sustainable and equitable use of water and the expansion and effective delivery of water supply and sanitation.
Waterlution
Waterlution is a registered non-profit corporation that works across Canada and internationally, where strong local partnerships exist. They engage diverse individuals, organizations and communities in the exploration of creative management solutions that respect water and the broader ecosystem. Waterlution works to promote awareness and provide opportunities for collaboration towards long-term, inclusive management solutions. Waterlution’s purpose is to inspire pattern-making and pattern-breaking change towards a healthy and sustainable relationship with water.