International Hydrological Programme

    Unesco and hydrology

    From the Decade to the Programme (1975-1989)


    The success of the International Hydrological Decade (IHD, 1965-1974), which aimed to find solutions to the specific water resources problems of countries with different geographical conditions at different levels of technical and economic development, led to the founding of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) in 1975. Realizing that water resources are often one of the primary factors limiting harmonious development in many regions and countries of the world, governments and the international scientific community saw the need for an internationally coordinated scientific programme focusing on water.

    The first three phases of the Programme (IHP-I: 1975-1980; IHP-II: 1981-1983; IHP-III: 1984-1989) implemented over 70 projects of scientific and practical interest, guided by a number of international conferences. The hydrological cycle, water balance, surface and groundwater phenomena remained the main subjects of research, with the emphasis on the impact of people on water resources. In line with the recommendations of the 1977 Mar del Plata UN Conference on Water, the programme continued to evolve in this direction and increasingly directed its activities towards practical solutions of emerging water resources problems.

    In 1984, it was decided that each Programme phase would be planned around one general unifying theme. The third phase of IHP focused on ‘Hydrology and the Scientific Bases for the Rational Management of Water Resources for Economic and Social Development,’ and began the process of questioning and analysing the role of hydrology as a scientific discipline, the potential unions between theoretical and applied aspects of hydrology, and the future interconnectedness of natural processes vis-à-vis human interventions in the field of environmental management.


    Hydrology and Water Resources for Sustainable Development in a Changing Environment (IHP-IV, 1990-1995)

    In 1991 it was already clear that water would become a critical issue of global importance. Numerous indices of climatic and socio-economic development were complicating the tasks of planning and managing water resources systems: multiple objectives had to be defined, conflicting interests reconciled, and ecological, cultural and other constraints identified in order to attain the sustainable use of water resources.

    At this time, the focus at IHP shifted towards environmental evaluation and the interaction of water resources with ecology, society and culture. This led to a close cooperation of hydrology with the earth sciences and the social and human sciences. The former acted as the basis of water resources management, and the latter as tools of water resources management to better support planning and policy formulation.

    A number of projects, partnerships, and publications developed during this fourth phase (IHP-IV) are of ongoing relevance.


    Hydrology and Water Resources Development in a Vulnerable Environment (IHP-V, 1996-2001)


    IHP’s fifth phase (IHP-V) set out to stimulate a stronger interrelation between scientific research, application and education, and identified groundwater and arid and semi-arid zone hydrology as priority areas. The emphasis was on environmentally sound integrated water resources management and planning, supported by a scientifically proven methodology within its overall theme. Its results continue to influence research and practice.

    A number of projects, partnerships, and publications are of ongoing relevance.


    Water Interactions: Systems at Risk and Social Challenges (IHP-VI, 2002-2007)


    Finally, the current phase, IHP-VI (2002-2007), emphasizes the societal aspects of our water resources while also emphasizing the study of the occurrence and distribution of water within the natural environment. The addition of the social dimension underlines the need for an improved, more efficient assessment and management of our water resources, which in turn requires a much more accurate knowledge of the hydrological cycle.

    As a result, the development of IHP-VI has been based on the fundamental principle that freshwater is as essential to sustainable development as it is to life, and that water, beyond its geophysical, chemical and biological functions in the hydrological cycle, has social, economic and environmental values that are inter-linked and mutually supportive. The launching of this effort coincides with what is seen by many water planners and managers to be a genuine shift in society’s approach to water development and management.

    To date, several projects, partnerships and publications have been achieved.

    The strategies and themes of the next phase of IHP (IHP-VII: 2008-2013) are already being considered in light of the UN Decade of Action, ‘Water for Life’.

    :: Access a Power Point presentation about IHP-VII
    [PPT format - 669 KB]


    MILESTONES
    September 1974International Conference
    on the Results of the International Hydrological Decade and on Future Programmes in Hydrology
    [PDF format – 34.76 MB]
    This conference reviewed the results of the IHD and approved the outline plan for the IHP for the period 1975-1980.

    1981-1990International Drinking
    Water and Sanitation
    Decade



    The Decade aimed to promote the implementation of water and sanitation programmes and intersectoral plans.

    March 19873rd UNESCO/WMO International Conference
    on Hydrology and Scientific Bases of Water Resources Management
    [PDF format – 626 KB]
    This conference was an important milestone for the continuation of IHP beyond 1990 as well as the implementation of the Mar del Plata Action Plan, 10 years after its adoption.

    June 1988International Conference on World Water Resources at the Beginning of the 21st Century
    More than 300 water experts met at UNESCO headquarters to discuss, among others, about water quality, data and improvement of water resources assessment, the impact of human activity on water resources, extreme of water resources and economic and social aspects of water resources.

    March 20002nd World Water Forum

    The Forum called upon the Secretary General of the United Nations to further strengthen the co-ordination and coherence of activities on water issues within the UN system.

    September 2000United Nations Millennium Summit


    At the Summit, world leaders agreed to a set of time-bound and measurable goals and targets for combating poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women. Placed at the heart of the global agenda, they are now called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). One of these MDGs aims to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.

    December 2001Bonn International Conference on Freshwater
    The conference placed water as the central element to sustainable development and identified the water crisis as essentially a crisis of governance.

    August-September 2002World Summit on
    Sustainable Development (WSSD)
    The Plan of Implementation stemmed from the WSSD set out the following goals: halving, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water (a reaffirmation of the MDG); halving, by 2015, the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation; developing integrated water resources management and water efficiency plans by 2005.

    2003International Year of Freshwater


    Used as a platform for promoting existing activities and spearheading new initiatives in water resources at the international, regional and national levels, the Year garnered worldwide attention and enthusiasm.